She made Meghan and Harry's Wedding Cake

And also these cookies

Recently, I had the chance to look at the PDF for Claire Ptak’s new cookbook Love is a Pink Cake: Irresistible Bakes for Morning, Noon, and Night. Even on my dusty laptop screen, it was beautiful. Her PR team kindly sent me a hard copy and I’ve had it on my coffee table ever since.

Claire Ptak is a London based baker originally from California. She baked Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding cake and owns Violet Cakes. The book is divided into California and England sections and it is stunning, especially the photography. She writes about baking with her daughter, who prefers her homemade treats to what she can get at the bakery, even when it’s the same recipe. I loved that comment because context is so important when it comes to food. Since Claire is American in the UK, she has a chart at the beginning explaining specific ingredients (caster sugar is granulated sugar, for example). Inspired by Mother’s Day, I made one of her cookie recipes and am so excited to share it with you.

Other recipes I have bookmarked include the cherry tomato focaccia, brown butter white peach cake, and marble cake.

My sister and I got my mom a food related gift this year (she reads here so I will not be sharing it yet) but if food is a big part of how you gather with your family, cookbooks and fancy pantry items make great gifts. I’m happy to share additional recs in the comments or via email for your mom/mother figure (and the gift guide has some of my favorite cookbooks from last year)!

If you want more recipes, check out the This Needs Hot Sauce Recipe Index, which has lots more dessert ideas.

Photo from Love is a Pink Cake