STORY: Violet Cakes expands

The Hackney bakery behind Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding cake, Violet Cakes, is about to open a larger site, which will include its own wine bar.

Violet Cakes specialises in using organic ingredients. It rose to fame when owner Claire Ptak baked a lemon and elderflower cake wedding cake for the nuptials of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

It is now set to open a larger site in Hackney Central nearly ten years after its first location opened in Wilton Way.  Currently under the working title Violet Corner, the two-floor site will have space for 70 to 75 covers and aims to open in January 2020.

It will serve wine and cocktails and stay open until late in the evening, if the licence plan goes through smoothly. Alongside Violet Cakes’ signature cakes, guests will be able to tuck into savoury toasties, quiches and salads.

Californian-born pastry chef and food writer Claire Ptak opened the east London bakery in 2010, having previously worked at St John and Moro.