Cake fit for a queen

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Sophie Farrah looks at some sweet treats fit for a queen; from royal standard baking, biscuits and cupcakes to regal hot tub comedy tea bags, Sophie gives you the inside scoop (pun absolutely intended).

Any excuse for cake. Her Majesty’s 90th birthday, for example – that should do. If, however, your invitation to Windsor Castle has been lost in the post – mine is obviously skulking in a corner of the local sorting office – fear not: you can still have your cake and eat it. And not just any old cake either. For down on Battersea riverside lurk creations fit for a queen… 

Described by Vanity Fair as “one of the best pâtissiers in the world”, French master baker Eric Lanlard moved to the UK in 1989, forsaking life as a pastry chef in the French Navy to work with the highly respected chef brothers Albert and Michel Roux. 

Since then Lanlard has achieved world renown. Author of no fewer than six baking books, he has also starred in his own TV series Glamour Puds and Baking Mad (both on Channel 4) and has twice been named Continental Pâtissier of the Year at the prestigious British Baking Awards. 

However, it was during his time supplying cakes to the likes of Harvey Nichols and Fortnum & Mason that Eric received his first royal commission. In 2001, he was asked to make the late Queen Mother’s 101st birthday cake – which, of course, needed to be very special indeed. Eric’s response was an enormous, show-stopping hat-shaped creation covered in hundreds of pastel-coloured roses and topped with a miniature pair of corgis – both wearing tiaras, naturally. It was the talk of the culinary town, opening the door to further extravagant creations for celebrities such as Madonna, Claudia Schiffer and the Beckhams.

Fortunately, these days Eric is often to be found at his very own cake boutique and café Cake Boy, nestled within the Battersea Reach riverside development by Wandsworth Bridge. A place for mere mortals to try his couture creations...

Open for breakfast (think home-baked Viennoiserie), lunch and afternoon tea (served with preserves from Chatsworth, no less), it’s luxurious but unpretentious, with a menu that forms a mouthwatering journey through every sweet treat under the bun: homemade muffins filled with jam; giant soft cookies; rows of brightly coloured cupcakes; shiny chocolate tarts and towers of sponge topped with lashings of fresh cream and fruit. All on beautifully decorated display. 

And if the Queen Mother approved, so do I. Who needs Windsor when Battersea beckons like this? 

You can check out more on Eric Lanlard's range by going to his website cake-boy.co.uk 

WIN! You can enter our competition to win a signed copy of Eric Lanlard's cake focused cookery book Afternoon Tea by clicking here

Queenie cupcakes 

The aptly named Lady Berry Cupcakes, home of cake decorating classes and parties in Wandsworth, is to hold a very special session this month. The London Class will see owner Farley Berry explain how to cover cupcakes with smooth fondant domes and create unique sugarcraft designs: Big Ben, the Crown Jewels, a Beefeater and, of course, Her Majesty.

Tea and cake served throughout (to boost energy), and your 12 cupcakes will be boxed up for you to take away and gobble on your own. Er, sorry, share with family and friends.  

The London Class will be taking place May 14, 9am – 12.30pm. You can book tickets and find out more by visiting the companies website ladyberrycupcakes.co.uk

Palace biscuits

Biscuiteers of Battersea is set to launch its Queen’s 90th Birthday biscuit tin with crowns, cakes, corgis and Buckingham Palace. 

Pick up a gingerbread Queenie, beautifully packaged in her own hand-illustrated gingerbread house gift box, or try an ‘Icing Late’ evening, when the boutique’s expert icers explain their techniques. You’ll ice five biscuits from top ranges to take away and show off to friends.

The next icing will be late May 4, 7-8.30pm; £42 (incl ingredients, apron & 10% off any purchases on the night). To find out more and book you can visit the website biscuiteers.com

Prince Harry in a hot tub? 

It is common (or should that be posh?) knowledge that the Queen enjoys a cup of tea with her cake. I mean, who doesn’t? Cue RoyalTea tea bags from Donkey Products: the perfect fun cuppa for the forthcoming celebrations. Pop one in your favourite teacup and it will instantly turn into a hilarious Assam-infused hot tub, with your Royal of choice sitting neatly inside. Not the first time, of course, that Prince Harry has been in hot water… 

£6.25 for a five-bag set; available from donkey-products.com/en

You can check out more great food and drink news here, like Sophie's recent piece on cycle cafés in SW London. 

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