Claire Ptak, the owner of Violet Cakes and the baker behind Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding cake, is exploring crowdfunding options to offset the financial pressures from recent UK tax changes. Her celebrated bakes have appeared in Vogue magazine, and she has authored cookbooks such as The Home Made Sweet Shop and The Violet Bakery.

Business Challenges in Dalston

Ptak’s bakery, which employs 20 people in east London’s Dalston neighborhood, faces significant strain from the Chancellor’s business rates review and the increase in National Insurance contributions. In a recent Instagram post, Ptak shared her considerations: “Considering crowd-funding as well as investment. Any thoughts? Would you support a crowd-funding campaign?”

Starting from her home kitchen, Ptak launched her venture in 2005 by selling cakes at a stall in London’s Broadway Market. Since opening her Dalston shop in 2010, the aroma of fresh cinnamon buns, chocolate brownies, cookies, and scones has attracted a steady stream of customers. As a US-born entrepreneur, she notes that the National Insurance hike adds an extra £90,000 annually to her costs. Wages, previously up to 38% of expenses, now represent 50% of the business’s total outlay.

Ptak views crowdfunding as a way for loyal customers to support a beloved local business. She stated, “I used to think crowdfunding was asking your customers to give you more money, but it’s actually about customers supporting a business that they want to be there.”

The Royal Wedding Connection

Ptak earned the commission for the Sussexes’ wedding cake after her book The Violet Bakery caught Meghan’s attention. She prepared six sample cakes, including rhubarb, chocolate salted caramel, and a traditional fruitcake. Prince Harry ultimately rejected the fruitcake, declaring the couple was “absolutely not” interested in that option.

Breaking from royal tradition, Harry and Meghan chose a lemon and elderflower cake covered in buttercream icing and adorned with fresh flowers. A team of six bakers worked five full days to complete it for the wedding day.

Broader Economic Pressures

Despite a loyal customer base and high-profile commissions from celebrities, Violet Cakes grapples with the same rising costs affecting businesses nationwide. Companies including Currys, JD Wetherspoon, and Morrisons have highlighted the impact of increased wages, business rates, and energy expenses.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves maintains that businesses remain optimistic about the future. During a speech at Davos, she affirmed, “We have the right plan, for our economy, for our country to bring that growth and prosperity in all parts of the country that we need.”