Hampton Court’s Tudor palace celebrated its 500th birthday in February, and to mark the occasion, Historic Royal Palaces commissioned this showstopping edible extravaganza fit for a king (or queen!) from cake maestros Choccywoccydoodah. Standing over 3ft high and rendered in white chocolate, the cake showcases Hampton Court’s history, with each tier taking inspiration from a different century – from the Tudor design of the King’s Beasts found in the Chapel Court Garden, to the planting of the Great Vine, and Hampton Court’s subsequent division into grace and favour apartments, all translated into edible artwork. The glittering gold stars crowning its top pay homage to the palace’s role as a location for the London 2012 Olympic Games, where cyclist Bradley Wiggins won gold for Team GB.
Historic Royal Palaces
This edition of edible archaeology appeared in issue 302 of Current Archaeology.