Violet Cakes

A Review of Two New Major British Baking Books | Eater

"An East London bakery and cafe opened in 2010 after the owner sold cakes from a market stall; it embodies a post-industrial, country-house–tinged aesthetic (gingham, linen, dried flowers) and a contemporary, unfussy pastry style. Unlike many local bakeries focused on sourdough and viennoiserie, it favors little yeasted items or quickbreads — its cinnamon rolls are dense quickbreads — alongside U.S.-style scones, cupcakes, and buttercream-filled layer cakes finished with dramatic swoops of icing and flower arrangements. Its celebration cakes (notably a raspberry buttercream birthday cake singled out by the reviewer) and rye brownies and flourless chocolate cake have earned strong local and reviewer acclaim, and the baker has produced high-profile commission cakes such as a lemon‑elderflower wedding cake for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and a cake for their daughter’s first birthday. The shop also doubles as a cultural node for the owner’s transatlantic culinary network and sells a cookbook that reflects this particular baking ethos." - Rachel P. Kreiter