Harry and Meghan: Wedding Suggestions and Musings

[Pranter]

One of the most distinctive things about elderflowers is the smell: floral, creamy and 'Summery'. Quite often you can smell the scent as you get closer towards the plants.


So....not like urine.


LaRae

 

[evolvingdoors]

Well there is elderflower liqueur (or cordial. St-Germain is the known brand. The drink has been around for a decade now, pretty new to the culinary scene, let alone pastry). It is a nice cordial in it’s own right, and is used in desserts, but It does not work with lemon very well in desserts (cocktails- depending on the other ingredients). You have to be very careful when combining the two.

This flavor combo will not fly well with the more traditional guests, but will probably be well received by Meghan’s Californian and US/Canadian friends- and anyone who has no taste buds.
The only way this combo will work is if it’s mainly lemon and a drop of elderflower. I never heard of the pastry chef who is making the cake, but! She worked at chez panisse, quite an accomplishment as it is one of the top restaurants in the world.

FYI before anyone attacks: I can be called many things but i am far from a traditionalist pastry chef. Trust me i’ve worked in places where only people with the kind of deep pockets Harry has eat at.

 

[Daenys]

Ok, guys, non-Briton non-AngloSaxon here. About this fruitcake you are talking about.
Is it this strange thing I was reading about in Agatha Christie/other British writers' books, which is stored for, I don't know, years after the wedding, which you can place under the pillow or to keep somewhere for many years after the wedding?
i always thought it was weird. Like, usually the cake is not edible after one day, but this cake is edible(really???) for years(what???)?

 

[evolvingdoors]

The best fruit cake takes weeks and yes even years to be perfect. You kind of to keep bathing it in rum.
Elton Brown has a segment about it in one of his past shows. I’d YouTube it but it’s easy to find.

Fruit cake can be delicious, when done right.
And i’m not Anglo-Saxon or anything like that.

 

[Mirabel]

When I got married, we saved some of our wedding cake in the freezer to have on our first anniversary.

Personally I can't stand bread or cake that has been frozen.

(I don't care what anyone says, it doesn't taste the same. I ended up throwing away that top layer on our anniversary; it was terrible).

 

[ACO]

Fruitcake is gross. So I get why she probably was like.. "Pass!" ?

 

[Erin9]

Lemon and elderflower? That’s an... umm interesting choice.
I’m a pastry chef and, there’s a reason why it’s not a common flavor choice for cakes or desserts in general. Those are two very strong flavors who can easily overpower the other.
I’d understand just lemon. Well I hope the cake is elderflower while the filling is lemon curd, that might work. Still strange flavor choice.

Also buttercream? I guess. I’ve Made many wedding cakes, and people of harry’s Monterey bracket do not use buttercream on their cake, no self respecting pastry chef would dare use buttercream for such an expensive wedding- it’s considered tacky, and is the cheaper option vs. the more luxurious fondant. It is easier and faster to work with though- hence why buttercream are cheaper than fondant ones, the decorations on a fondant cake alone can take days.

Also, when it comes to wedding cakes it is best to stick to traditional flavors (especially with large weddings- anything over 100 ppl), that’s why there’s been a boom at how the cake looks vs. flavors as a way to showcase the couple personalities.

Interesting. I’m not a cake expert, but in my experience fondant cakes look prettier than buttercream, but buttercream tastes much better. I’d go with the better taste personally, but then I’m sure I’ve never had the most expensive version of fondant either. Maybe it tastes better. From what I recall, fondant is very thick and stiff as well- another thing I didn’t like.

As for cakes- it should be whatever they want. It’s their wedding. I think it’s pretty irrelevant that fruitcake is popular in England. I’m sure there are plenty of English couples that go in a different direction too. Plenty of concessions are being made because Harry is a British Royal; it doesn’t need to extend to the food choice imo.

 

[wyevale]

THIS is the traditional British Fruitcake.. used as Christmas Cake, and 'scaled up' in Tiers for Weddings and Christenings..

I've NO idea what 'passes' for Fruitcake in the USA, but I assure you THIS is delectable..

https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes...-£5-per-head/traditional-christmas-fruit-cake

 

[royal rob]

rob as already said, they may have one as a groom cake. Nothing has been released about that one yet.

You can't expect everything to be done in the British style/taste.


LaRae

Never heard of a groom cake ! So there is bride cake and a groom cake ??

 

[Gawin]

Fruitcake is gross. So I get why she probably was like.. "Pass!" ?

I don't like fruitcake either but I suspect the British version is much nicer than the shellac-ed version you get in the U.S., or least the ones I've attempted to eat.

 

[Pranter]

Being Catholic we've been around our share of fruit cakes. There are whole orders of monks who make them to sell for Christmas every year.

I'll pass. Other folks rave about their wonderfull-ness (my husband is one of them)...



LaRae

 

[Cocoasneeze]

William had a groom cake, right? A chocolate one?

 

[Erin9]

THIS is the traditional British Fruitcake.. used as Christmas Cake, and 'scaled up' in Tiers for Weddings and Christenings..

I've NO idea what 'passes' for Fruitcake in the USA, but I assure you THIS is delectable..

https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes...-£5-per-head/traditional-christmas-fruit-cake

I have little doubt there are better versions than the ones in the US......doesn’t mean it should be Harry and Meghan’s wedding cake. It’s a personal choice. Maybe Harry isn’t a huge fruitcake fan anyway. Maybe he wanted something else too.

 

[Pranter]

Never heard of a groom cake ! So there is bride cake and a groom cake ??

Yes very much a common thing at weddings in the US no matter what the scale or wealth of the folks involved. You will see them at poor people's weddings too.

Often they are done as a fun element at a formal wedding. Sometimes they reflect the hobbies of the groom. They are often red velvet or devilsfood cake. I've even seen them shaped like am possum with a red velvet cake interior ..it's tongue in cheek fun stuff at times.



LaRae

William had a groom cake, right? A chocolate one?

British Emporium sells English groceries and gifts in North Texas: Prince William's Groom's Cake

 

[Erin9]

Never heard of a groom cake ! So there is bride cake and a groom cake ??

In the US there are. Bride’s cake tends to be a white cake of some kind. Not always of course. Groom’s cake can be anything, but chocolate is pretty popular.

 

[Lumutqueen]

It must be already difficult enough for some people in Britain to accept an unconventional American bride like Meghan. If, on top of that, she publicly goes against "British tradition", hiring an American chef to make a traditionally American cake, it is obvious it will be a source of criticism.

Can I ask why you think it's difficult for people to accept that Henry is marrying an American? I'm not quite sure how this has come about but I 99% sure that everyone is just overjoyed that he is getting married.

In regards to British tradition, it's clearly not a tradition for royals to have fruitcake as we see that 19 years ago Sophie and Edward had chocolate cake. It is no longer an "ordinary" british people tradition either, the last fruitcake I saw at a wedding was possible when I was two (23 years ago). I get married this year, I'm having 2 cakes. 1 three tier rainbow coloured vanilla sponge with kinder bueno buttercream then 1 two tier more traditional Victoria and Chocolate sponge with white and purple pipped buttercream roses (if anyone wants to see pictures i am happy to oblige). Plus 60 cupcakes as favours, ranging from biscoff to chocolate orange and then plain old lemon!

My baker isn't american though.

 

[royal rob]

William had a groom cake, right? A chocolate one?

I thought William and Kate had traditional cake at first reception and chocolate biscuit cake for 2nd reception never heard it called grooms cake

 

[burbankstorylady]

It's really shocking to see so many people lining up to add to the chorus of attacking Mbruno for the audacity of having an unpopular opinion. I suppose you would like for everyone to think the same way. Why does everyone need to add to the chorus and let us all know how reprehensible you think the unpopular opinion is? Goodness, it's a cake. And if Meghan is allowed to choose her wedding cake, I think Mbruno is allowed to an opinion even if it is out of step with the chorus! Neither is doing any real harm in the world, unless offending egos is real harm!

 

[evolvingdoors]

Interesting. I’m not a cake expert, but in my experience fondant cakes look prettier than buttercream, but buttercream tastes much better. I’d go with the better taste personally, but then I’m sure I’ve never had the most expensive version of fondant either. Maybe it tastes better. From what I recall, fondant is very thick and stiff as well- another thing I didn’t like.

As for cakes- it should be whatever they want. It’s their wedding. I think it’s pretty irrelevant that fruitcake is popular in England. I’m sure there are plenty of English couples that go in a different direction too. Plenty of concessions are being made because Harry is a British Royal; it doesn’t need to extend to the food choice imo.

Fondant has quality levels. It is not supposed to be super thick not super thin.
And yes it tastes better than most buttercreams made by most pastry chefs in the US (let alone the kind sold in grocery stores)
I know a cake decorator who only makes fondant covered cakes, he charges accordingly, his clientele are of a certain social-economic status and higher.

Hence why i’m surprised at the buttercream for the cake. Also buttercream is not that popular in California as it is on the east coast and in the middle of America, or Canada.

 

[Pranter]

No one cares if Mbruno has a neg opinion abot it....most folks are reacting to the comments made by others talking about this causing a diplomatic incident (go read all the posts) and how it's going to cause some break in British society because she's not choosing fruitcake.


LaRae

 

[burbankstorylady]

No one cares if Mbruno has a neg opinion abot it....most folks are reacting to the comments made by others talking about this causing a diplomatic incident (go read all the posts) and how it's going to cause some break in British society because she's not choosing fruitcake.


LaRae

OK, I just noticed that an awful lot of people were just piling on, as if each person wanted to make sure it was known that they too disagreed with the dissenter. "Look at me! I'm with the crowd on this one! I have the right thoughts!" And reading it I was just like, all right, enough already! We got it, Mbruno's opinion bad, everyone else's good!

 

[Cocoasneeze]

Yeah, I replied to a comment about this being Meghan's diplomatic mistake.

I'm taking cake decorating classes right now, and according to our teacher, fruit cakes aren't very popular any more, hardly any fruit cake orders from her bakery for weddings.

 

[Pranter]

OK, I just noticed that an awful lot of people were just piling on, as if each person wanted to make sure it was known that they too disagreed with the dissenter. "Look at me! I'm with the crowd on this one! I have the right thoughts!" And reading it I was just like, all right, enough already! We got it, Mbruno's opinion bad, everyone else's good!

It's not about Mbruno's opinion. Lots of posts that have nothing to do with his/her comments.


LaRae

 

[ACO]

I don't like fruitcake either but I suspect the British version is much nicer than the shellac-ed version you get in the U.S., or least the ones I've attempted to eat.

I've had it in London too. Not my thing. As I said, gross. Sorry to the lovers out there.

Though my grandmother loves it. Just personal taste.

 

[AlowVera]

THIS is the traditional British Fruitcake.. used as Christmas Cake, and 'scaled up' in Tiers for Weddings and Christenings..

I've NO idea what 'passes' for Fruitcake in the USA, but I assure you THIS is delectable..

https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes...-£5-per-head/traditional-christmas-fruit-cake

It looks very rich and perfect for a winter wedding. But I think that for a spring wedding perhaps they want something more light.

 

[Iolanthe]

Being Catholic we've been around our share of fruit cakes. There are whole orders of monks who make them to sell for Christmas every year.

I'll pass. Other folks rave about their wonderfull-ness (my husband is one of them)...

Oh, here I finally got a clue what you are all talking about ? I googled it (better late than never!) and indeed this ominous fruitcake seems to be related to German (Christmas) Stollen. I would never have thougt of calling that a cake though. It's some kind of bread for me (for breakfast or brunch...) (One I don't really like and certainly wouldn't want as cake at my wedding TBH)
Different traditions are always interesting But I can certainly understand Harry und Meghan that they would choose a more cake-like wedding cake

 

[Pranter]

Oh, here I finally got a clue what you are all talking about ? I googled it (better late than never!) and indeed this ominous fruitcake seems to be related to German (Christmas) Stollen. I would never have thougt of calling that a cake though. It's some kind of bread for me (for breakfast or brunch...) (One I don't really like and certainly wouldn't want as cake at my wedding TBH)
Different traditions are always interesting But I can certainly understand Harry und Meghan that they would choose a more cake-like wedding cake

Assumption Abbey

The dreaded fruitcake (well unless you like them)!

I think Stollen is more like Pantone ...the American fruitcake is heavy and soaked in rum or brandy etc.


LaRae

 

[ACO]

No one cares if Mbruno has a neg opinion abot it....most folks are reacting to the comments made by others talking about this causing a diplomatic incident (go read all the posts) and how it's going to cause some break in British society because she's not choosing fruitcake.


LaRae

Yeah I'm still confused how it's a diplomatic incident.

 

[Pranter]

Yeah I'm still confused how it's a diplomatic incident.

It's not of course.


LaRae

 

[evolvingdoors]

Assumption Abbey

The dreaded fruitcake (well unless you like them)!

I think Stollen is more like Pantone ...the American fruitcake is heavy and soaked in rum or brandy etc.


LaRae

It is, they’re one of the same.
And North American fruitcake is basically English fruitcake.