The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-06 00:00:00

THE ROYAL WEDDING CAKE.

Mr. Constant Pagnicz, the Queen's confectioner
at Windsor Castle, has just completed the bride's
cake. It stands 5 feet and a half high, and at the
base two and a half broad. When these dimen-
sions are given, the public will be prepared to hear
that the cake will weigh upwards of 1001 b. in
weight. Mr. Pagnicz has in this instance adhered
to the associations of the pine in which the royal
wedding is to be celebrated, and, adopting a Gothic
design, has produced an ornamental " elevation" (if
we may use the term) which reminds us of one of
our old English crosses of the time of the Ed-
wards, such as we still see standing at Waltham in
we presume the
remembrance of Queen Eleanor.
design is fall of those happy accidents into which
an artist falls unawares, for ha I Mr. Pagnicz de-
signed to pay a compliment to the Prince of Wales,
he could not have done 09 more effectually than in
reviving the architectural associations of old
Windsor Castle, or the forms of taste which pre-
vailed when the present Prince of Wales's great
forerunner, the Black Prince, was married at
indsor Castle.

Having given our readers a general idea of the
design adopted in modelling the Prince and
Princess of Wales's bride cake, we may go on to
say that the design is divided into four parts or
stories. This basement is Octagonal, and within its
arches two niches contain the arms of England
and Denmark, with alternate arches occupied by
figures of the Muses. Between the basement and
the next tier of arches cornucopias hang over the
parapet, and medallions of the prince and princess
are hung from the bases of the pillars above. The
shafts of these pillars are again hung with heraldic
devices—the plumes of the prince, and other signi-
nificant badges ; while within, and occupying the
centre, are figures emblematic of Hymen, sur-
rounded by Cupids, and other mythological at-
tendants upon the nuptial cerernoty. On reaching
the next story, or (if we may borrow terms from
architecture) on attaining the clerestory, the octa-
gonalshape contracts into an hexagonal form, within
the arches of which the god of love sports, sur-
rounded by a variety of complimentary emblems.
Above this, the next story, quadrilateral, rises,
which, being more contracted in size and approach-
ing the apex, is dealt with as a sort of base for a
slender vase surmounting the whole structure ; out

of which orange flowers depend. It is unneces-
sary to say that festoons of orange-flower wreathes
hang from column to column, and sufficiently de-

signate the purpose for which this elaborate piece of
confectionery is designed. Simple-minded folk will
be ready to ask, " How is the bride to cut the
cake ?" We are happy to be able to answer the ques-
tion, and to explain bow this apparently Gordian
problem is to be solved. The niches of the pediment,
which contain the arms of England an dDenmark have
been constructed as doors—and they open ! When
opened her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales
will be enabled to draw the knife across the cake,
Iphigenia-like—
,l Slowly, and nothing more."

Mr. Constant Pagnicz, as a true chef, has suc-
ceeded in producing a piece of confectionery eleva-
tion in sugar, and appropriate compounds known
only to the high priests of his craft, which, viewed
as a merely architectural construction, is infinitely
ts purer" than the towers and spires of many
structures that assert themselves as Gothic, and
vie wed as a "wedding cake," in dimension, in con-
struction, and in elaboration, is—for we wish to
pay him the best compliment we can—worthy of
the occasion for which it has been elaborated.

The following arrangements, according to a
" General Order," dated Horse Guards, March 5,