Tag: Queen Elizabeth

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Cottage Life

Celebrate the Platinum Jubilee with this Queen Elizabeth Cake recipe

Photo by I Wei Huang/Shutterstock

The official dessert for the celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this June is Lemon Swiss Roll and Amaretti Trifle. It looks terrific—but over two hours of prep time? How cottage-friendly is that? 

CL humbly suggests a more practical Canuck option: Queen Elizabeth Cake. Enriched by dates, topped with its trademark broiled butterscotch-coconut icing, QE Cake was a snacking mainstay in this country during the ‘50s and ‘60s. “It’s something most people could make using ingredients from their pantry,” says University of Guelph historian (and Severn Falls cottager) Rebecca Beausaert. “But because it’s called Queen Elizabeth cake, it sounds regal.”

The exact connection between the monarch and the single-layer confection is obscure. Is it the Queen’s favourite? Nope, that’s chocolate. Did her mother develop it for a church fundraiser? Not true, the palace told cookbook editors in the ‘90s. Was it produced for the Queen’s 1953 coronation? Sort of. A gussied-up version was Chatelaine’s recipe of the month in June 1953. Yet the recipe appears in other places as early as 1950. 

“Its origins are somewhat debatable. But I’m pretty sure the name refers to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, rather than Elizabeth II,” Beausaert says. The Queen Mother was tremendously popular after a 1939 Royal Tour of Canada and during the War Years, and the recipe’s use of dates hints at Depression or Wartime origins. Dried fruit was an economical way to add richness and sweetness without extra eggs, sugar, and butter. 

But don’t take our word for it. Here’s a version of one distributed by The Ontario Wheat Producer’s Marketing Board (now Grain Farmers of Ontario) in the 1970s and ‘80s, and attributed to Mrs. Audrey King, of Pain Court, Ont.

Four statues of Queen Elizabeth, waving.

Queen Elizabeth Cake

Audrey King

Enriched by dates, topped with its trademark broiled butterscotch-coconut icing, Queen Elizabeth Cake was a snacking mainstay in Canada during the ‘50s and ‘60s.

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Prep Time 20 mins
Bake time 40 mins
Total Time 1 hr

Course Dessert

Servings 1 8×12 inch cake

Ingredients

  

Cake batter

  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 cup chopped dates
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ cup shortening or butter
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ½ cup walnuts
  • 1½ cups cake flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt

Icing

  • 5 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp cream
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • ½ cup shredded coconut

Instructions

 

Cake batter

  • Add baking soda to dates. Pour boiling water over them and let cool.
  • Cream butter or shortening, add sugar, and cream well.
  • Mix egg, salt, and vanilla, and add to butter-sugar mixture.
  • Mix flour and baking powder and add alternately with date mixture. Stir in walnuts.
  • Bake in 8×12 inch pan at 350° for 35-40 minutes.

Icing

  • Boil together for three minutes, pour on hot cake and brown in oven.

Notes

Some recipes recommend using broiler to brown icing.

Keyword cake, coconut, dates, dessert, Queen Elizabeth cake
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

The surprisingly controversial history of the butter tart

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Potins

Shaggy would bring ‘weed’ to Prince Harry’s wedding

Shaggy would bring marijuana to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding.

The ‘It Wasn’t Me’ hitmaker has been hoping to land an invitation to the couple’s big day in May so he can take along the class B drug as he insists "weed" is essential for a good party.

According to the Daily Star newspaper, Shaggy – who will perform for Harry’s grandmother Queen Elizabeth at the Commonwealth Concert next month – was asked if he’d take "weed" to the bash, and responded: "Yeah. I was hoping [for an invite]! They might need a Jamaican, somebody has to carry the weed! Somebody has to bring that to the party."

The reggae star has previously suggested that his style of music, as well as cannabis, could be the way forward when it comes to bringing an end to terrorism.

He recently told the New York Times newspaper: "If you’re able to cut a man’s head off, you’re sick. But right, music evokes emotion.

"So if they’re listening to Shaggy music or reggae music, they’re not going to want to cut somebody’s head off… There’re two thing you want to do when you listen to reggae: You get somebody pregnant, or you’re f***ing high.

"High people don’t want to kill nothing; they want to love. They need to bag some Jamaican weed and distribute it amongst ISIS. I guarantee there won’t be any more wars out there … Throw some Bob Marley up in there and there’ll be peace."

Shaggy will be amongst those performing at the queen’s 92nd birthday celebrations on April 21.

The line-up will also include the likes of Sting, Shawn Mendes, Anne-Marie, Craig David, Kylie Minogue and Sir Tom Jones.

Meanwhile, the day before the concert will see Shaggy and Sting release their collaborative album ’44/876′, with the latter suggesting the LP would "surprise" people.

He said: "The most important thing to me in any kind of music is surprise … And everybody is surprised by this collaboration – by what they’re hearing. We’re surprising."

Sting previously revealed that he and the Jamaican-American rapper got together last year "to jam and create music that reflects their mutual love of Jamaica, its music, people and culture" and, as a result of their time in the studio, they’ve come up with some "Caribbean-flavoured songs."

Speaking about how they have "a lot in common", he added: "We have a lot in common. We’re both married to very strong women. We both come from small islands that used to belong to the queen. And we like each other. We like each other’s voices and music and vibe. We’re like kindred spirits."

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Potins

Ringo Starr awarded knighthood

Sir Ringo Starr has been awarded a knighthood.

The Beatles legend accepted the prestigious honour from Prince William at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday (20.03.18), and now plans to wear his medal every morning at breakfast.

He said: "It means a lot actually. It means recognition for the things we’ve done. I was really pleased to accept this.

"I’ll be wearing it at breakfast."

Ringo was accompanied by his wife Barbara Bach at the Palace, and was quite nervous accepting the accolade without his Beatles bandmates – Sir Paul McCartney, who was knighted in 1997, and the late, great John Lennon, who was killed in 1980, and George Harrison, who passed away in 2001.

He said: "I was a bit shaky today on my own."

While he can now be addressed Sir Ringo Starr, the drummer is yet to decide whether he is going to insist upon people using his new honorific.

He explained: "I don’t know yet. It’s new and I don’t know how you use it properly."

Ringo’s award comes 53 years after he and his The Beatles bandmates were awarded MBEs by Queen Elizabeth.

John later claimed the ‘Hey Jude’ hitmakers were so nervous they slipped into a Buckingham Palace bathroom for a sneaky cigarette, but Ringo has described the story as a "rumour".

He told the BBC: "Who said that? I’m not keeping that rumour going."

After Ringo was knighted, the Royal Family congratulated the stickman.

A message on the official Royal Family Twitter account read: "Congratulations Sir Ringo Starr!

"Today at Buckingham Palace, the Beatles drummer was honoured by The Duke of Cambridge for his services to music. (sic)"

Paul took to Twitter late last year to congratulate Ringo – whose real name is Richard Starkey – following the news he would be knighted.

He tweeted: "Huge congrats Sir Ringo! Sir Richard Starkey has a nice ring to it. Best drummer best pal! X Paul (sic)"

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Potins

Queen Elizabeth gives Harry and Meghan official blessing

Queen Elizabeth has given her official blessing for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to marry.

The 91-year-old monarch issued a formal declaration for the May wedding between the flame-haired royal and the ‘Suits’ actress to go ahead at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.

The declaration reads: "I declare My Consent to a Contract of Matrimony between My Most Dearly Beloved Grandson Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales and Rachel Meghan Markle, which Consent I am causing to be signified under the Great Seal and to be entered in the Books of the Privy Council."

It is one of the last official things to do before the big day in two months time and Meghan recently admitted she is "very, very excited" about the upcoming nuptials.

Holly Hartley, principal of Thistley Hough Academy in Stoke on Trent, who met Meghan at the Commonwealth Day celebrations, said: "[Meghan] was saying what a lovely service it had been and her first service at Westminster Abbey. We congratulated her on her engagement. She was delighted and said she was ‘very, very excited’. She stayed chatting with us for quite a while – what a lovely, lovely lady."

The celebrations were also the first time Meghan attended an official royal event with the Queen.

For the May 19 wedding, Harry and Meghan are set to invite 2,640 members of public.

Kensington Palace said in a statement: "The couple has asked that the people chosen are from a broad range of backgrounds and ages, including young people who have shown strong leadership, and those who have served their communities.

"Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle have said they want their Wedding Day to be shaped so as to allow members of the public to feel part of the celebrations too. This wedding, like all weddings, will be a moment of fun and joy that will reflect the characters and values of the Bride and Groom."

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Potins

Meghan Markle ‘very excited’ about wedding

Meghan Markle is "very, very excited" about her wedding to Prince Harry.

The former ‘Suits’ actress – who will wed the prince on May 19 – attended the annual Commonwealth Day celebrations held at Westminster Abbey in London on Monday (03.12.18), and after the service, she and her fiance, along with Harry’s brother Prince William and his wife Duchess Catherine, met with a group of around 100 children and teachers, who praised the future royal as a "lovely, lovely lady".

Holly Hartley, principal of Thistley Hough Academy in Stoke on Trent, said: "[Meghan] was saying what a lovely service it had been and her first service at Westminster Abbey. We congratulated her on her engagement.

"She was delighted and said she was ‘very, very excited’.

"She stayed chatting with us for quite a while – what a lovely, lovely lady."

The service marked the first event the 36-year-old actress has attended alongside Queen Elizabeth, and she was very impressed by the occasion.

According to Mail Online, she told teacher David Swindells and sixth former Liam Maloney from St Cuthbert’s Catholic High School in Newcastle: "The service was beautiful, especially the choir and the music."

Meghan introduced herself to all of the groups and asked the pupils and teachers where they were from.

At the end of the line was eight-year-old Iesu Williams, from Newport, South Wales, who was wearing a Welsh kilt.

Meghan asked him: "Do you wear it every day?"

He replied: "No, only on special occasions."

The service for Commonwealth Day – which is described as an opportunity for each of the institution’s 53 member states to highlight the positive aspects of the family of nations – was also attended by a number of other royals, including William and Harry’s father, Prince Charles and his wife Duchess Camilla, Princess Anne and the Countess of Wessex.

During the service, British Prime Minister Theresa May gave a Bible reading, the Portsmouth Gospel Choir sang ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ and Liam Payne performed John Mayer’s song ‘Waiting On The World To Change’.

As the former One Direction star sang, Harry appeared to be caught on camera raising his eyebrows to his fiancee, while Meghan was seemingly trying not to laugh.

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Potins

Meghan Markle attends first royal engagement with Queen Elizabeth

Meghan Markle has attended her first official royal event with Queen Elizabeth.

The ‘Suits’ actress – who is set to marry Prince Harry later this year – attended the annual Commonwealth Day celebrations held at Westminster Abbey, alongside Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William, Duchess Catherine and Prince Harry.

Meghan wore a white coat and matching hat and sat next to Prince Harry during the service, directly behind the Queen and her husband Prince Philip.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are gearing up to their May 19 wedding and plans are already in full swing for the big day. The couple have also announced that they have decided to invite 2,640 members of public to their wedding, 1,200 from "every corner of the United Kingdom" who will be nominated to attend by nine regional Lord Lieutenant offices. 100 pupils from two local schools – The Royal School, Great Park, Windsor and St George’s School, Windsor Castle – will also attend as well as 610 Windsor Castle community members and 530 members of The Royal Households and Crown Estate.

Kensington Palace said in a statement: "The couple has asked that the people chosen are from a broad range of backgrounds and ages, including young people who have shown strong leadership, and those who have served their communities.

"Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle have said they want their Wedding Day to be shaped so as to allow members of the public to feel part of the celebrations too. This wedding, like all weddings, will be a moment of fun and joy that will reflect the characters and values of the Bride and Groom.

"In addition to the Carriage Procession in Windsor, they have today shared some further details of how the public will be involved on May 19th. Prince Harry and Ms. Markle have invited 2,640 people into the grounds of Windsor Castle to watch the arrivals of the Bride and Groom, and their wedding guests, at the chapel and to watch the carriage procession as it departs from the castle."

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Potins

Zara and Mike Tindall expecting second child

Zara and Mike Tindall are expecting their second child.

The 36-year-old royal – the granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth – and the retired England rugby player are expecting a little brother or sister for their three-year-old daughter Mia, who turns four later this month, their spokesperson has confirmed.

It’s not known when the tiny tot is due to be born but it’s an exciting time for the royal family as Zara’s cousin Prince William and his wife Duchess Catherine announced last year that they are set to welcome their third child into the world in April, while William’s brother Prince Harry is set to marry his fiancée Meghan Markle this spring too.

Zara’s pregnancy comes just over a year after she tragically suffered a miscarriage – one month after they announced their news – and Mike admitted at the time that their daughter Mia had been their "saving grace" throughout such a difficult time.

A spokesperson said at the time: "Very sadly, Zara and Mike Tindall have lost their baby. At this difficult time, we ask that everyone respects their privacy."

Mike, 39, explained: "One thing you do learn is how many other people have to go through the same thing. The saving grace for us has been Mia, our daughter who is now three. However down we feel she will come running up in our faces. When I was playing [rugby] I hardly saw her; now we can see her grow up. I can take her swimming and I can take her to Ninja Tots. You’ll never be able to see her there because she disappears in a puff of smoke."

And, seeing as both Zara and Mike come from sporting backgrounds, the couple – who got married in 2011 – are hoping their children follow in their footsteps.

Zara said recently: "We have always had sport in our lives and through our childhood. I think that really is important in every child’s life to have that opportunity. I think we got it off our parents and hopefully we can pass that on to Mia."

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Potins

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to marry on May 19, 2018

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will get married on May 19 next year.

The loved-up couple – who got engaged at the beginning of November – are set to break royal tradition by getting hitched on the weekend, rather than a weekday like the rest of their family, at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle in Berkshire next spring.

Kensington Palace announced the news on its official Twitter account on Friday (15.12.17) with the statement: "His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales and Ms. Meghan Markle will marry on 19th May 2018. Today’s announcement follows earlier confirmation of the month of the wedding and its location at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle."

However, the 33-year-old prince’s brother William will have to miss the FA Cup Final – which he usually attends – at London’s Wembley Stadium because it falls on the same day.

According to the BBC, the wedding – including the service, music, flowers and reception – will be paid for by the Royal Family.

And Meghan – who was raised as a Protestant – will be baptized into the Church of England and confirmed before the wedding, although a date for that is yet to be set.

Their wedding isn’t the only thing that has broken tradition as the 36-year-old actress will celebrate Christmas with Queen Elizabeth at Sandringham House in Norfolk this year.

Meghan will become the first ever fiancée to spend the festive season with the 91-year-old monarch as it is said that usually the royal family only accept married couples to join them for Christmas but are making an exception this year for Prince Harry and his partner.

The couple – who have been dating since mid-2016 – announced their engagement a few weeks ago after Harry, 33, proposed to Meghan during a "cosy night" in.

Recalling the romantic moment in November, Meghan said: "It was a cosy night, we were roasting chicken … and it was an amazing surprise. It was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee … Yes! As a matter of fact, I could barely let [Harry] finish proposing."

Prince Harry added: "She didn’t even let me finish. She said ‘Can I say yes’. Then there were hugs and I had the ring in my finger. I was like ‘ Can I give you the ring?’ It was a really nice moment. Just the two of us."

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Potins

Matt Smith feels sorry for Meghan Markle

Matt Smith "feels sorry" for Meghan Markle.

The ‘Crown’ actor thinks it is "exciting" the former ‘Suits’ actress has got engaged to Prince Harry but he thinks it will be quite difficult to adjust to her new life as a member of the royal family.

Matt – who plays Prince Philip in the Netflix drama – said: "I feel sorry for her.

"It’s such a transition in her life, and it’s such a huge thing to take on. Life as she knows it is gone. But hey, she’s marrying the prince of Britain – how exciting for her."

Meghan, 36, was previously married to Trevor Engelson from 2011 to 2013, and Matt’s co-star Claire Foy – who plays Queen Elizabeth – noted how her engagement to Harry would "not have been conceivable" during the period of history they are depicting on the show.

Speaking at a 92Y screening and Q&A on Monday (12.04.17), she is quoted by Vanity Fair as saying: "You realize the fact that Elizabeth forbade her sister from marrying a divorced man; it goes to show how time has changed and how they’ve had to evolve. And they really have.

"This would not have been conceivable, this would not have happened 50 years ago.

"And I think that’s why the monarchy will survive, and thrive, because it’s willing to change and listen to the people and realize that some elements of the institution are outdated and unnecessary."

The 33-year-old actress – who has a two-year-old daughter with husband Stephen Campbell Moore – joked Meghan’s engagement had given her "hope".

She quipped: "She’s an actress, so there’s hope for us all."

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Potins

Matt Smith claims men get objectified in showbusiness

Matt Smith says men working in the entertainment industry can be "objectified" just like women.

‘The Crown’ star has revealed he has felt as though he’s been on the receiving end of unwanted sexual attention by men whilst working as an actor and he hopes now that major Hollywood players such as Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey have been taken to task for much more serious offences the working environment for actors will change for the better.

Matt believes the problem of sexual harassment needs to be addressed in all industries though so people can be free to work without being troubled.

In an interview with The Telegraph Magazine, the former ‘Doctor Who’ star said: "The conversation shouldn’t stop at this industry just because these are ‘celebrities’ who we know about who are involved. It has to be broader. People in other industries have to have a platform to be heard as well. What happens to the cleaner or the lady who works in a clothes shop?

"That’s not to say I haven’t been objectified before by men, because I have – just like women are objectified. It is not exclusive to them. This happens to men, too."

Matt – who is dating ‘Downton Abbey’ star Lily James – is reprising his role as Prince Philip in Season 2 of Netflix drama ‘The Crown’ opposite Claire Foy, who portrays British monarch Queen Elizabeth II, the wife of Philip.

‘The Crown’ also stars Matthew Goode as Lord Snowdon, Dexter’s Michael C. Hall as John F. Kennedy and Anton Lesser as Harold Macmillan and it will premiere on December 8.