Elderflower and Lemon

Have you heard there is a big wedding this weekend? Like a royally big wedding. Ha, you see what I did there?! All joking aside, Prince Harry (grandson of Queen Elizabeth II) is marrying Miss Meghan Markle (an American!). In Britain, fruitcake is the traditional choice for wedding cake flavors. In fact, When Prince William and Catherine Middleton married, they had an eight-tiered fruitcake with sugar flowers and royal icing. Harry and Meghan are breaking with traditional, and have opted for a sponge cake with fresh flowers and buttercream… and flavored with elderflower and lemon. When I was engaged and visiting bakeries for taste testing, I did not come across a single elderflower and lemon flavored cake. I thought it might be fun to discuss these flavors in today’s blog, and in honor of the royal couple and wedding cakes everywhere!

Lemons are something very familiar to people all over the world. But what do you really know about it? It is thought that lemons first grew in a region in northeastern India. And a study on the genome of the lemon indicates that it is a hybrid of the citron and the bitter (or sour) orange. Lemons were first cultivated in Italy during the Roman Empire, no later than the 2nd century AD. By 700 AD it had been introduced in the Middle East; first in Persia, followed by Iraq and Egypt. Lemon was introduced to America by none other than Christopher Columbus on his voyage in 1493. Due to the widespread Spanish conquest of the Americas, lemon seeds were widely dispersed. Lemons were being cultivated in California and Florida by the 19th century. You may not have known its history, but as I said, lemon is a familiar flavor and ingredient these days. Less so, at least here in the USA is the elderflower flavor.

The elderflower, as the name suggests, is the bloom of the elder tree. The elder tree is widespread throughout the northern hemisphere and is found abundantly in the UK, where is it a sign of the spring season. Claire Ptak, the royal wedding cake baker and owner of Violet Cakes, is known for using local and sustainable ingredients, so the elderflower flavor is an obvious choice for her. The flavor can apparently vary between varieties, but many describe the flavor as floral, but also lychee-like, musky, and palate cleansing. Elderflower flavor is very popular throughout Europe and Australia. If you have ever had the St.-Germain liqueur, you have had elderflower! Romanians have a traditional soft drink made from elderflowers that is so popular that it inspired the Coca-Cola Company to produce an elderflower flavored soft drink called Fanta Shokata. Both the flowers and berries of the elder are edible, but the plant itself is toxic; though cooking renders it safe. Elderflower also has purported medical benefits and can be used in medicine to treat diabetes, colds, the flu, swollen sinuses, and bronchitis. Oh, and if you are a fan of another famous Harry, the elder wand (made from a branch of an elder tree, and one of the three deathly hallows) figures prominently in the Harry Potter book series. But, let’s get back to the royal wedding cake.

In cakes and most recipes elderflower cordial is used. It is easily made with sugar, water, lemons, and elderflowers. Some versions can be dated back to the Roman Empire, and the cordial is used in most of the former Roman territories. Last June, Claire Ptak shared a photo of an elderflower cake she had made, and the recipe from the Fern Verrow Cookbook (Fern Verrow is a Biodynamic Farm). This recipe calls for whole elderflowers as well as using elderflower cordial in the icing. Claire is likely using a bespoke recipe for the royal couple, but why not join in on the royal wedding bandwagon and try out the recipe for yourself this weekend! To try out the elderflower recipe that Claire Ptak share from the Fern Verrow Cookbook last June, just click here.

Claire Ptak's Elderflower cake Instagram post. — Claire Ptak’s Elderflower cake Instagram post.

NOTE: Since I do not have explicit permission to reprint the recipe, this link will take you to The Guardian website; it is a British newspaper. The elderflower cake and elderflower cordial are the fifth and sixth recipe shared from the Fern Verrow Cookbook on the webpage.

Oh, and don’t forget Chef Nicholas’ connection to royal weddings- Chef Nicholas created one of the official wedding cakes for the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana!