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

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Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice and icing sugar until smooth. Spread this glaze over the cooled Bakewell, then slice into fingers. Decorate each slice with a preserved cherry. When ready to finish the cake, unwrap it, turn out onto a turntable or cake plate and cover the top and sides with the remaining coconut icing, then lightly press desiccated coconut to cover. Read More Skye McAlpine shares two spectacular recipes – and the stories behind her beguiling new cookbook Claire is my favourite baker. I know so many of these recipes will become favourites baked again and again. A Violet recipe always works perfectly. Anna Jones, author of 'One: Pot, Pan, Planet' Stir in the chopped almonds, flour and baking powder just to combine. Dollop this over the jam—don’t worry about spreading it evenly as it will melt into place in the oven and spreading it can cause the jam to get mixed in rather than remaining its own layer. Return to the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until golden and set. Allow to cool for 20 minutes.

Claire's recipes are generous, intuitive, and beautiful. This is a celebration of life, and the bounty of the earth. You will feel as though an old friend is taking you by the hand and teaching you how to make the perfect fluffy blueberry muffin. Pull up a chair. Claire is the friend everybody needs in their life. Laila Gohar Ptak’s love for nature’s bounty shines through in this collection for fans of farm-to-table baking." Booklist - Jessica S. LevyPtak's love for nature's bounty shines through in this collection for fans of farm-to-table baking.--Jessica S. Levy "Booklist"

I want to read, cook and devour the gorgeous food of brilliant Claire Ruth Rogers, author of the 'River Cafe Cookbook' 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. Divide the batter between the cake tins and bake for 45–50 minutes, depending on which size tins you are using. The cakes should be starting to turn golden, feel springy to the touch and a skewer inserted should come out clean. Love Is a Pink Cake offers glimpses of Ms. Ptak’s personality, as well as of her personal life . . . Rich in color (a pistachio-green plum cake with candied violets) and texture." New York Times - Emilia Petrarca For royal watchers, Claire Ptak will forever be known as the London-based California ex-pat who made the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding cake : an Amalfi lemon and Sandringham elderflower confection adorned with clusters of peonies. And yet the Violet Cakes founder had established a reputation in food circles for revolutionizing the world of baking with her seasonal approach to ingredients long before 2018. As she prepares to release her latest cookbook , Love Is A Pink Cake , Vogue caught up with Ptak about cutting her teeth at Chez Panisse, falling for British baked goods, and why she takes a West Coast mentality with her wherever she goes.

Put the butter, sugar and oil into the bowl of a stand mixer and cream until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time until combined. It's the transferable wisdom that makes Love Is A Pink Cake invaluable . . . 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.--Hayley Maitland "Vogue" Fiona Leahy, Claire Ptak, Felicity Blunt and Stanley Tucci at the Love is a Pink Cake launch party at Rochelle Canteen Marco Bahler

There's some cookbooks you enjoy reading and there's some that you read for the delicious recipes. This book is the latter. (Besides, not to sound like an old fart, but the type is tiny.) Ptak, a Northern Californian who was a pastry chef at Chez Panisse before moving to London, started off selling cakes from an East London market stall and opened her cafe, Violet, in 2010. In key ways, Ptak and her bakery typify an East London style that I’ve been describing to my friends for the past year. It’s a post-industrial space softened by the memory of a country house you’ve never been to: a little gingham and a lot of linen; terra-cotta pottery; dried flowers; sponge painting; enamelware; natural wine; white-washing; candlelight. The food in this paradigm, especially as shot for Love Is a Pink Cake, is unfussy, neutrally and pastel-colored, and showcases big, ripe hunks of whichever fruit’s now in season, all arrayed in rustic interiors nobody’s swept up before the shoot.As a sort-of celebrity baker Ptak is webbed across continents and industries; what seems like name-dropping can also be true to the author’s experience. Delightful . . . Claire has also given us a very delicious recipe for a dessert of muscat wine and raspberries, which I have already bookmarked for my own Easter lunch.--Nigel Slater "Guardian" For the topping, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy but not fluffy. Add the extracts, salt, eggs and egg white, then beat well. Amazing recipes and heartfelt stories Christopher Kane, Creative Director and Founder of Christopher Kane

Read More I met Dr Barbara Sturm in the Maldives – and this is what she taught me about holiday skincare Ptak provides an ingredient glossary to match UK ingredient names with US ones. Caster sugar is super-fine granulated white sugar. Semi-skimmed milk is low-fat milk. Strong flour is bread flour. (Most of us may know these things after seasons of The Great British Baking Show.) She uses English measurements with the the US equivalent in parentheses. The complete set of 25 offset lithographs, on pale blue paper, the full sheets, unbound (as issued), in collaboration with Ralph Thomas Ward (Corkie) who wrote the poems. Ptak asserts that "baking is, in its own way, a love story," and her own love shines through. This is a treasure trove.-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)" Add half of the dry flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar and mix well. Then add the coconut milk and vanilla and mix again. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining dry ingredients to the bowl. Mix well to incorporate all of the ingredients, but do not overmix or this will make your cake tough.

Not to say this undermines the book. For a hobby baker wanting to sharpen my skills, the challenge is part of the allure. Meanwhile, other recipes offer failsafe reliability. 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. Ptak’s bakewell bars are buttery, nutty, and laced with tart jam. They cut beautifully, look great on a stand, and make a traybake out of the most British possible tart. It was Violet that first opened my eyes to the potential of bakewell, a U.K. bakery case staple that can be stodgy, gummy, or bland. These, on the other hand, are now on my roster, along with those rye brownies. Claire's desserts are more than just a conclusion to a great meal; they're bites of special memories for me . . . Her cakes have been at the center of some of our most cherished family moments.--Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex "New York Times" Read More Chef Ruth Rogers and photographer Matthew Donaldson on breaking new ground with The River Cafe Look Book Claire Ptak, the Chez Panisse alum who runs London's Violet Cakes, divides this sumptuous book into two. 'California' is produce-forward, while Harry and Meghan's wedding cake is the talk of 'England.'--Laura Regensdorf "Vanity Fair"