"Let them eat cake!" was the apocryphal declaration of a French queen, but it's nice to see that the British royals enjoy sharing their delicacies, as well. As part of the U.K.'s weekend-long celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's birthday, Clarence House, the residence of Prince Charles and wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, shared the recipe for a fruitcake being served at the Big Lunch, a charity event hosted by the Prince of Wales in Gloucester today.
It actually looks like a confection we might be able to make at home. Sugar, spice, rum, dried fruits, and ground almonds are among the key ingredients you can attain without ruling an empire.
Americans might be more used to the idea of fruitcake closer to Christmas, but the white icing and vivid Union Jack butterfly decoration applied to this specimen make it look perfect for spring. The queen herself probably won't be enjoying a slice of this particular pastry, as she was at another event for the occasion, the Patron's Lunch at Buckingham Palace.
If you've done your proper googling, you know the queen's actual 90th birthday was on April 21. Since 1748, British monarchs have held official celebrations of their birthdays in the months when London's rain is less likely to ruin their parade. (It did rain on Sunday, however.)
This is far from the first time the royal family has deigned to share its recipes. Here's the queen's own recipe for scones, sent to President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
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