Royal wedding cake and seasonal eats

First Thoughts

• There is no pink cake. Well, there are pink and yellow English Tea Cakes and a cake with strawberry studded frosting, but no pink cake. It turns out the title is inspired by an illustrative cookbook series by Andy Warhol.
• Every recipe title sounds so good with the right amount of “extra,” like the desserts on a fancy restaurant menu. There isn’t the standard recipe Apple Galette—instead, it features a Pink Apple, Lime, and Bee Pollen Galette.
• Remember the warmth and nostalgia of the original highly filtered Instagram photos? The photography is like that—beautiful and dreamy with glimpses into secret gardens and coastal California cabins and backyards.
• Any disappointment about being misled by the title, is made up by the recipe for Prince Harry and Megan Markle’s beautiful Lemon and Elderflower Wedding Cake (below).

The Review

Claire Ptak pairs California sensibility with British-inspired ingredients in her latest cookbook ‘Love is a Pink Cake.’ Her desire to use the best-possible ingredients and highlight flavor runs deep from her California childhood, to training under Alice Waters at Chez Panisse, to her own East London bakery ‘Violet.’ There is a reverence of each ingredient, with thought on how to best showcase and complement it.

The cookbook design is much more than the basic floral cover. The aesthetic is homey, casual, and beautiful. There is a sense of timelessness, in the way that time stops on organic farms and in cozy kitchens. The photography framing puts the focus on the food in the same way that Ptak places the focus on the peak-season ingredients. However, it’s not just another generic “farm-to-table” style cookbook. The recipes connect back to her childhood memories, moments of joy, love, and friendship. There is tangible excitement and inspiration that she gains from flavors and people around her.

Ptak knows the art of pushing comforting recipes to something new while knowing exactly when it is enough and not overdo things. For example, there are recipes for Blackberry and Chilli Pepper Pie, Pistachio Plum Cake with Candied Violets, Tequila Pumpkin Pie, and Coffee Walnut Cake with Fernet. Personally, I enjoyed the unexpected garnish or thoughtful ingredient because it makes even a rustic-looking home bake feel really special. I also recognize that specialty ingredients such as candied violets, bee pollen, geranium leaves or hard-to-find fruits could feel a little isolating and even elitist to some home bakers. However, the cookbook also has enough classic bakes like rice pudding, popovers, lemon bars, angel food cake to keep the book humble and not feeling too out-of-touch.

The book is split into one half for California and the other for England. I understand that it speaks to the author’s story, but didn’t seem like it brought additional value to the reader especially since the ‘England’ section recipes weren’t all historically British. The author also used British terminology for ingredients which adds confusion for readers in the United States. Not all of the terms were “translated” in the introduction which meant additional research was necessary. Within each half of the book, there are additional recipe sections for mornings, afternoons, after a meal, parties, and savory and holiday treats.

Recipe Test Results

I tested the Basil, Parmesan, and Pine Nut Scones, Raspberry Loganberry Roulade with Mascarpone, and Tahini Halva Brownies.

I’m sure the cookbook editors suggested a more succinct name, like ‘Pesto Scones’ for the Basil, Parmesan, and Pine Nut Scones but that wouldn’t highlight how it is all about the basil. These are not only the best scones I’ve made but also one of the best bakes since recipe testing and reviewing cookbooks.

Raspberry Loganberry Roulade with Mascarpone is a fresh take on baking with summer berries. I substituted blackberries for loganberries per the author’s recommendation. Unfortunately, the recipe was a mess in several ways and needed additional testing. The whipped mascarpone curdled. The meringue cracked when rolling it. The berries were a little too juicy. But it was still delicious and hard to resist to go back for seconds or thirds.

Tahini Halva Brownies are the sophisticated twist on brownies we didn’t know that we needed. The halva and sea salt provided an interesting and slightly nutty contrast to the dark chocolate. The tahini added a beautiful blonde marbling but didn’t set very well. The brownies were a little crumbly at room temperature but were perfectly fudgy after refrigerating.

Overall Score: 4/5

Even if you don’t make the royal wedding cake, “Love is a Pink Cake” is an artistic and inspiring seasonal baking book that is guaranteed to be a frequent summer reference. The flavors were delicious and sophisticated without being too complex. Improved recipe clarity and editing is the last component to ensure bakes are executed to the perfection that the author intended.