Patisserie chefs at Le Cordon Bleu have recreated The Queen’s wedding cake for a documentary celebrating her 70th wedding anniversary.
A Very Royal Wedding, which airs on ITV tonight at 9pm, commemorates the 70th wedding anniversary of The Queen and Prince Philip which took place in November 1947.
The cake, which stands at 9-foot tall and weighs 500lbs, took several months for the patisserie team at Le Cordon Bleu to recreate. Chef Julie Walsh led the team in the research on the original recipe and decoration of the cake, the mock-ups and final four-tier cake.
Despite being made when post-war rationing was still in effect, the fruit cake in 1947 contained a staggering 60lb of butter, 55lb of sugar and 3.5 gallons of rum and brandy. Ingredients for the cake were sent as wedding presents from overseas.
It was decorated using 150lb of marzipan and 110lb of icing sugar to create the intricate lace detail and moulded cherubs that surrounded each tier. Real white roses were placed on the top and bottom of the cake.
Presented by Pointless host Alexander Armstrong, the show also includes a visit to the Pladis factory in Harlesden, North London to see where the original cake was baked for the royal couple. Back in 1947 the factory was owned by McVitie & Price’s – which in 1948 merged with Macfarlane Lang, leading to the formation of United Biscuits. The top tier of the cake was served at the christening of HRH Prince Charles.
The full list of ingredients are:
- 60 lb butter
- 55 lb sugar (Tate & Lyle)
- 75 lb flour (Wright’s British flour)
- 66 lb eggs
- 80 oranges and lemons
- 300 lb dried fruits and nuts
- 3 ½ gallons Navy Rum and Brandy
- 150 lb almond marzipan
- 110 lb icing sugar
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