June 28, 2020

Recipe: Duke of Cambridge Cake

This recipe is based on the recipe published by Darren McGrady, the Royal Chef. It is the cake that the palace chefs made for Prince William when he was a child and that he chose for his own wedding cake (alongside the traditional white cake) when he married Catherine Middleton. Prince William and Catherine were married in 2011, at around the same time we were reopening Fitzbillies. On their marriage, they were given the titles of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. So we decided to honour them the way we do best – with cake.

Ingredients

Makes 10 bars

- 340g Rich Tea biscuits
- 250g 70% dark chocolate
- 130g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
- 130g caster sugar
- 150g 54% dark chocolate 

Prince William and Catherine were married in 2011, at around the same time we were reopening Fitzbillies.

Method

1. Grease and line the base and sides of a 30cm x 20cm traybake tin. 

2. Break the biscuits into almond-sized pieces. Don’t blitz them in a food processor, as they will turn to crumbs and you need decent-sized pieces.

3. Melt the 70% chocolate in the microwave (give it 20 seconds on medium and stir, then another 20 seconds until melted), or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water.

4. Cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate and mix well.

5. Add the biscuits, a handful at a time, stirring gently so that you don’t break them up too much, but enough that they get completely coated with the chocolate mixture. Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and press down. (We cover the mixture with a sheet of baking parchment and smooth over the top of that.) Chill in the fridge overnight or for at least 4 hours.

6. Let the biscuit base come back to room temperature while you melt the 54% chocolate in the same way you did previously. (Your objective is not to let it get above 34°C so that it will stay tempered and give a nice shiny finish.)

7. Pour the melted chocolate onto the biscuit base and spread quickly with a palette knife. Allow to set at room temperature, then cut into 10 bars with a sharp knife.

For more recipes, cake ideas, baking tips and stories buy our Fitzbillies book

Published by Nathaniel Mahoney