A California native, in 2005 Claire Ptak moved to London, where she opened the Violet Bakery in 2010. In 2018, she was commissioned to make the wedding cake for Prince Harry and Megan Markle's wedding cake. Before moving to London, Claire worked as a pastry chef for Alice Waters at Chez Panisse. Claire is also a food writer and stylist who has worked with Ottolenghi and Jamie Oliver, the latter of whom called her 'his favourite cake-maker in the whole world'. Her work has appeared in a wide array of publications including Vogue, the Gentlewoman and the New York Times. She has published four cookbooks before Love is a Pink Cake- The Home-Made Sweet Shop, Leon- Happy Baking, The Whoopie Pie Book and The Violet Bakery Cookbook.
This is an absolutely enchanting book. * Nigella Lawson, author of 'Cook, Eat, Repeat' * This ravishing trove of recipes and baker's lore is a testament to years of practice and endeavour ... a marvellous achievement * Jeremy Lee, author of 'Cooking' * Claire is my favourite baker. I know so many of these recipes will become favourites baked again and again. A Violet recipe always works perfectly. * Anna Jones, author of 'One: Pot, Pan, Planet' * Claire's recipes are generous, intuitive, and beautiful. This is a celebration of life, and the bounty of the earth. You will feel as though an old friend is taking you by the hand and teaching you how to make the perfect fluffy blueberry muffin. Pull up a chair. Claire is the friend everybody needs in their life. * Laila Gohar *