East London pastry chef chosen to make royal cake

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have chosen an organic lemon elderflower wedding cake which will incorporate the bright flavours of spring.

The couple have turned to pastry chef and food writer Claire Ptak, owner of the small Violet Bakery in east London, to make the cake, which will be covered with buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers.

Rather than a traditional rich fruit cake, the bride and groom-to-be have opted for a lighter cake, which Kensington Palace said they were very much looking forward to sharing with guests at their reception.

Ms Ptak said she was thrilled to be chosen to bake the royal wedding cake, saying she shared the couple's values on "food provenance, sustainability, seasonality and most importantly flavour".

She started her own business at a stall in Broadway Market, east London, cooking from home, before opening her organic bakery in 2010.