15 Sweet Treats Fit for a Royal Fête

The countdown to the Royal Wedding has begun, and we couldn’t be more excited for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Whether you're still waiting for your wedding invite (so are we!) or are looking for delicious dessert ideas for your own Big Day, we've got you covered with 15 sweets sure to please a royal palate.

By: Heather Baird

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Photo By: Heather Baird

Lemon-Elderflower Cake

Harry and Meghan's royal wedding cake is perhaps the most highly anticipated confection of the year, and it’s sure to be stunning under the trusted hand of Claire Ptak, chef of Violet Bakery. According to Kensington Palace, the cake will be lemon and elderflower to 'incorporate the bright flavors of spring'. We've spent some time deep-diving into royal bridal news for descriptions of the impending confection, then whipped up a version for you to enjoy at home (no royal wedding invitation required!). Get the recipe >>

Raspberry Rose Water Cake

Much like elderflower, rose water is a primary flavoring in a wide range of desserts and pastries in Europe. It’s made from the purest fragrant petals and used to perfume sweets with the scent of an English garden. We think it would make a lovely counterpart to elderflower in the impending Royal Wedding cake. If you’ve never tried it, this cake is a good place to start. Get the recipe >>

Rosé Toasting Cakes

Toasting cakes are beautiful bite-sized confections infused with your favorite sparkling wine or champagne. We think they’re perfect for a bridal shower, bachelorette party or 'hen night' which is a distinctly British take on the girls-night celebration. Get the recipe >>

Edible Wedding Bouquet

This edible bouquet cake is a playful way to showcase (and eat!) your favorite blooms. We can only guess which flowers Meghan will choose for her bouquet but myrtle is almost a certainty. It’s been a tradition since Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter carried it down the aisle. The custom has since been followed by Queen Elizabeth and the Duchess of Cambridge. Get the recipe >>

Surprise, There's Cake Inside!

Perfectly sized to generously serve two people, this petite confection doubles as the wedding bouquet and a sweet post-ceremony treat for the bride and groom. Learn how to make the sugar paste posies >>

A Dozen Rose Cupcakes

The rose is a symbol of England, so it’s no surprise that Prince William and Kate Middleton’s 2011 wedding cake was embellished with a multitude of fondant roses. Will Prince Harry and Megan follow suit? We already know royal wedding cake-baker Claire Ptak has an affinity for fresh flowers (not fondant) but whether or not they’ll be roses — we’ll just have to wait and see. Get the recipe >>

Chocolate Wax Seals on Honey Cupcakes

You’re more likely to see wax seals on the royal wedding invitations than on cupcakes (or fairy cakes in British parlance), but you can easily add this graceful touch to sweets. There are many stamp designs to choose from, but for a royal statement, a crown motif is most fitting. Get the recipe >>

Earl Gray Au Lait Cake

Teatime is reportedly the Queen’s favorite meal of the day, and a most important milestone for Meghan’s engagement was having tea with Harry’s grandmother. We suspect that Queen Elizabeth might enjoy a slice of this Earl Grey-infused cake with her Twining’s. Get the recipe >>

Spring Battenburg Cake

Battenburg cake is said to have been created to celebrate the wedding of Prince Louis of Battenburg to Princess Victoria in 1884. It's still a well-loved traditional cake in modern times, and is a common offering at formal European celebrations. Get the recipe >>

Prince William's Groom's Cake

Prince William’s request for a modest no-bake groom’s cake in 2011 was quite a surprise to us all. According to royal chef Darren McGrady, it is his favorite cake made with rich tea biscuits (translation: cookies) and more importantly, lots of chocolate. Will Prince Harry surprise us too? We’d bet on it! Get the recipe >>

Red Wine Chiffon Cake

In addition to Prince Harry, Meghan’s other great love is red wine and she’s even professed her affection for it in a mug of hot chocolate. Decadent chocolate + rich, red wine, we’re sure she’d be a fan of this cake. Get the recipe >>

Saffron Pears

Poached pears are particularly luxurious with their supple texture, and even more so when infused with saffron — which is the world’s most expensive spice. It comes as no surprise to learn that saffron was the prized by kings and emperors. While we’re not sure it will make an appearance at the royal wedding, it wouldn’t surprise us if it did. Get the recipe >>

Pink Champagne + Gold Leaf Layer Cake

Queen Elizabeth’s personal chef has been known to use edible gold in sweets for royal fetes, and confectioners the world over are eager to see if it makes an appearance on the royal wedding cake. Learn how to apply edible gold leaf to cakes using this recipe. Get the recipe >>

Raspberry Bavarian Torte

English cakes and tortes are commonly made with classic genoise; a sponge cake that's ideal for soaking up flavorful syrups and liqueurs. It’s likely the foundation for Prince Andrew and Duchess Fergie’s 1986 five-foot-tall wedding cake soaked with rum, brandy and port. This Chambord-soaked version offers European flavor to the home baker. Get the recipe >>

Ultimate Sampler Cake

Meghan is a self-proclaimed foodie, so we’re certain she’d love a cake that offers one of everything! Having every flavor of cake and eating it too — what could be more royal than that? Get the recipe >>

Portable Banana Puddings

We have it on good authority from the royal chef, Darren McGrady, that Prince Harry is bananas about — bananas! Even the first reports of the wedding cake flavor presumed it would be banana to suit the prince. These take-away banana puddings are something we’re sure Harry would love and are just the right size to treat throngs of Royal Wedding guests. Get the recipe >>