'It was a one-off special cake'

Chef's take

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and KateMiddleton, have been in the headlines for almost a week now. From their visit to the Taj Mahal to their safari at Kaziranga National Park, everything about the couple has been a source of delight for people.

However, what probably wasn’t paid much heed was the cake that was made on the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations in Delhi.

Conceptualised and baked by Chef Bakul Kodikal, brand executive chef, Jamie Oliver restaurant group, the 22.5 kg summer fruit sponge cake was for Prince William and Kate to cut with a sword.

In a conversation with Metrolife, chef Kodikal shares what went into baking the cake for a royal occasion and if he had created a similar cake earlier.
Excerpts:

What was the cake like?

Head chef Dhruv, the team and I at Jamie’s Italian in Vasant Kunj baked a light summer sponge cake with fresh blueberries and strawberries to top it off.

How did you conceptualise it?

I wanted to create a ‘summery’, fresh and light cake for everyone to enjoy. We are coming into the hotter months now so it made sense for us to do this.  The fresh berries also seemed like a lovely way to create the vibrant colours required for the Union Jack flag with totally natural and healthy ingredients.

Your expectations before the couple tried it?

Nothing much except the hope that the Duke and Duchess would enjoy it.

How much effort did it involve?

It took all weekend!

The most crucial part about it?

The use of fresh ingredients and — as it is most of the times while baking — making sure that the exact measurements went into the cake.  

Have you baked the same cake earlier?

I have baked hundreds of cakes in my time of all varieties, but never the one as special and large as this.

Do you plan to bake the same cake again?

No, it was a one-off special cake just for the visit.
But I must say that I enjoyed the challenge so don’t rule us out making some big
celebratory cakes in the future.
How was it received finally?

The cake went down brilliantly with everyone, especially the royal couple. It certainly went viral with everyone from India to Chicago showing
photos of it!