Love is a Pink Cake: Irresistible bakes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between

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It's divided to reflect the two sides of her life, with recipes such as black tea poppy seed muffins from her California birthplace, and apricot, chamocile and honey scones from her English home.

Ptak’s ever-expanding library of flavours is evident throughout the book, showcased in recipes like the Jostaberry and Loganberry Matcha Cake, Tahini Halva Brownies and Pandan Coconut Cake with Strawberries.Fitting, since Ptak worked for Waters at Chez Panisse before relocating to London in 2005; the relationships Ptak has with farmers evoke the local and seasonal ethos that Waters popularized. Instead, ‘I was like, okay, well, we’ve got the England shoot, we’ve got the California shoot,’ deciding ‘to split the book up just into two parts’ – and suddenly, ‘it became very personal’: it was clear that ‘this is what this book is supposed to be about. Berry is less outwardly political than other Bakers Off, but in a culture where politeness and complacency is establishmentarian, that is itself political; moreover, Bake Off and the culture it fosters are well-known ornaments of nostalgia for a mythic green and pleasant land. You will learn how to grow geraniums on your windowsill and bake with their leaves; discover that soaking poppy seeds in black tea brings out their flavor; and come to realize that it’s worth deseeding Fragola grapes for their deep purple color and incredible sweetness. Others rest upon niche items like violet liqueur, peach leaf, or whitecurrants, only briefly and intermittently available in the States.

Then there’s a casual comment in a tequila pumpkin pie headnote that “Frances McDormand once told me that after a certain age, wine is difficult to process for some women. The book title, Love is a Pink Cake, comes from a collection of Andy Warhol prints that Ptak first encountered as a teenager.

Featuring gorgeous photographs shot in both England and California, Love is a Pink Cake is a treasure trove of inspiration for anyone eager to emulate Ptak’s unique sensibility and dreamy creations in their own kitchen. Born in the small village of Point Reyes Station, California, Ptak was taught to bake by her mother (still an invaluable ‘recipe tester and editor’) and paternal grandmother (a ‘really, really awesome baker’) – although her grandma’s culinary style was a world away from the delicate, seasonal creations Violet is known for today.

A Big Sur cookie uses up leftover granola; it’s not only a great cookie, but an exciting paradigm: Any recipe using up the dregs of my cupboard is a winner, and the final product will vary greatly by granola. Violet soon became a firm favourite with those in the know (Stanley Tucci, Christopher Kane and pastry chef Ravneet Gill were among the illustrious attendees at Ptak’s book launch, held at Margot Henderson’s Rochelle Canteen), but it was a certain commission in 2018 that sent things stratospheric. Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers.

It’s a slightly less conventional recipe, though, that she counts as her favourite from the California section: Tequila Pumpkin Pie. Of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without the addition of the famous Amalfi lemon and elderflower cake that Claire made for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in May 2018. My first kind of baking was pies with blackberries from our backyard or apples from our trees… I love just foraging fruit in California and making a pie with it.

Renowned for the wedding cake she created for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Claire Ptak knows there's nothing like a cake when it comes to expressions and celebrations of love. Ptak explains that she’s ‘very particular about what I eat at what time of day,’ which has come to be her ‘framework’ when devising recipes: from hearty Whole Wheat Biscuits from the ‘Mornings’ chapter, to Apricot, Chamomile and Honey Scones in ‘Afternoons’, or a decadent Mocha Buttercream Tiramisu Cake from ‘Party Party’.

There is coconut milk in every aspect of this cake so get the best quality one you can find (some canned milks can taste of nothing). And you will find that even the classics - yellow sheet cake with chocolate frosting, treacle tart with whipped cream - can be improved upon by following Ptak's advice.