MERRY CHRISTMAS! A SLICE OF FESTIVE FUN
Ah. Christmas. It’s the time of year for carols, cavorting, and of course, cake! We asked baker Lily Vanilli to bake up a showstopping cake creation to celebrate Penhaligon’s House of Toys this festive season.
Penhaligon’s has quite the sweet tooth, don’t you know – and what better time of year to indulge than Christmas? To surprise our playful-nosed patrons this year, we asked baker extraordinaire Lily Vanilli to bake up a showstopping creation to celebrate the opening of Penhaligon’s House of Toys.
Lily runs a small bakery in East London, where she whips up colourful, bespoke (and it goes without saying, delicious) cakes and treats, so we couldn’t help but ask her to bring the House of Toys to life with her baking.
Inspired by William Penhaligon and his toy friends, the six-tier showstopper is playfully decorated with a ‘P’ toy block (we wonder what it stands for), as well as tiers of green icing – which, come to think of it, look awfully similar to our signature gift boxes. What a coincidence!
Ever eager to learn from the best, we also asked Lily to share her top three tips when it comes to decorating a cake.
ONE
Remember, ultimately a cake looks good when you knows its going to taste good. Don't be afraid to keep it simple - decorate with fresh fruit or dripping in chocolate or caramel. If it looks appetising, it looks good. It doesn't need to be fancy!
TWO
If you're using buttercream (especially Swiss meringue) for icing and piping, always beat until fully smooth then turn the mixer down to the lowest speed for a while to knock out the tiny air bubbles. It will make the icing silkier and your life easier.
THREE
If attempting piping, practise before going on to your cake. you can keep reusing the same icing, just pipe onto a clean surface and reuse.
We’re sure you’ll agree that, much like our fine fragrances, this cake smells good enough to eat! Now, what other wonders await in Penhaligon’s Joy-Filled Advent Calendar? One shall have to keep their noses tuned in.
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