Lilibet's 1st Birthday Cake Was A Throwback To Her Parent's Wedding
No birthday would be complete without a cake to commemorate the occasion — a sentiment even the royal family shares. This past June 4, Harper's Bazaar reported that Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, celebrated her first birthday with family and friends at Frogmore Cottage. The party had everything: a backyard picnic and face painting, but the real showstopper was the darling birthday cake that paid tribute to her parent's wedding cake.
Frosting, flavorful fillings, and layers of fluffy baked decadence are elements that define a birthday cake. Often served with a candle (or several to match the celebrant's age), birthday cakes can come in many shapes, forms, and flavors. While the cake is indeed a focal point of birthday festivities, birthday wishes and even gifts make the day all the more special. According to The Independent, a spokesperson for the Sussexes shared that over $100,000 in donations were made to José Andrés' World Central Kitchen in honor of Lilibet's birthday, for which the Sussexes expressed extreme gratitude. But, let's get back to that cake.
A pink-frosted tribute to the Sussexes
Skillfully made by the same pastry chef who baked the Sussexes' wedding cake, the BBC reports that the mastermind behind baby Lilibet's birthday cake is pastry chef Claire Ptak. Owner of the London-based bakery and café, Violet Cakes, Ptak is a California native who previously worked under Alice Waters as a pastry cook at Chez Panisse before opening shop in 2010.
With a textured blush-colored frosting, the two-tiered birthday cake was decorated simply. Several white and pink peonies were scattered onto the side of the cake, adding a touch of regal elegance and chic rusticism. Of course, every celebratory cake also needs a topper. Garnishing the torte was an orange-hued banner with the young royal's name scrawled across it. As for the homage to the Sussexes, the proof is quite literally found in the pudding. "The inside was the Amalfi lemon and elderflower cake I created for the Duke and Duchess's wedding in 2018," Ptak shared on Instagram. She continued, "This time, we covered it with a strawberry buttercream specially for Lilibet."