Meghan Markle's Favorite London Bakery Delivers 'Isolation Cakes' Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Phil Boucher
·6 min read

Meghan Markle’s favorite London bakery is helping people self-isolate in the best way possible: by delivering cakes.

The Luminary Bakery in Stoke Newington, London — visited by the Duchess of Sussex in September — has created a special “Isolation Cake” for anyone in need of a tasty pickup during their quarantine.

The orange and blueberry decorated creation comes in a range of flavors and “new smaller family-size for the more intimate gatherings we are all restricted to (for now),” the bakery posted on social media on Thursday.

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Chris Jackson/Getty. Inset: Luminary Bakery/Instagram

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Introducing the "Isolation Cake"! Know someone self-isolating that could do with a cake drop? Working from home got you feeling like you need some sweet, sweet joy in the form of cake? Order today for delivery within 10-miles of our Stokey bakery. Cakes are available in all flavours and in our new smaller family-size for the more intimate gatherings we are all restricted to (for now). #isolationcake ⠀ #purchasewithpurpose #socialenterprise #socent #empoweringwomen #luminarybakery

A post shared by Luminary Bakery (@luminarybakery) on Mar 19, 2020 at 4:11am PDT

“Introducing the ‘Isolation Cake’!” the bakery added. “Know someone self-isolating that could do with a cake drop? Working from home got you feeling like you need some sweet, sweet joy in the form of cake?”

The business — which uses baking as a tool to help vulnerable women on their journey to employability and entrepreneurship — also posted an Instagram story of the cake being unveiled to the tune of 70s hit “My Sharona” by The Knack — with the lyrics changed to “My Corona.”

There’s just one problem, however: the Luminary only delivers within 10 miles of their east London bakery. So, if you’re stateside, this is the closest you’ll get to tasting one.

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Earlier this week The Duchess of Sussex visited the women of @LuminaryBakery as they celebrated the opening of their new location. It was a special moment to acknowledge the spirit of Luminary and their remarkable business model that opens its arms to women from vulnerable circumstances (be it abuse, poverty, trafficking, marginalisation) and equips them with the job skills and confidence to succeed. Having sat down with @luminarybakery at their flagship location earlier this year and from that inspiring visit choosing to feature them as #ForcesForChange in the September issue of @britishvogue, Her Royal Highness was proud to be invited to attend the launch of their second bakery. This addition will enable the organisation to provide services, support and mentoring for four times the number of women. Luminary Bakery - a sustainable grassroots organisation in the heart of London - is a beautiful example of community and uplifting those during hardship for the greater good. If you find yourself in the area, please visit and support the women of @LuminaryBakery to enjoy their delicious baked goods and to see the impactful work they’re doing. Video © SussexRoyal

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Nov 1, 2019 at 12:38am PDT

Meghan and husband Prince Harry are also going to miss out — the royal couple are currently self-distancing on Vancouver Island in Canada with their son Archie, where “Everything but essentials are closed,” a local tells PEOPLE. “Harry and Meghan are probably battening down the hatches like everyone else.”

The Duchess of Sussex first revealed her connection with the Luminary Bakery in August, when she posted an image of bright blue cupcakes on Instagram, each one featuring a different inspirational message.

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Spotlight on: Luminary Bakery Today we shine a spotlight on @LuminaryBakery and the amazing women of this inspiring and sustainable grassroots organisation. • “What they’ve created at Luminary Bakery is exceptional - it’s a space for baking, healing and rebuilding. When I visited earlier this year I was struck by how the baking, itself, is a means of therapy for these women - which in many ways makes complete sense - feeling they had no control over their lives based on their previous (and often harrowing) circumstances, they found comfort in the measured nature of baking. Mixing equal parts of one ingredient and another could yield the perfect dessert, but the act of doing so provided personal balance. So while the baked goods are absolutely delicious, it’s the story of how the program at Luminary reshapes lives through baking that is the actual icing on the cake.” - The Duchess of Sussex Earlier this year, The Duchess of Sussex visited Luminary Bakery and had the opportunity to break bread with the women - literally and figuratively - whilst listening to their stories. They shared how they’ve rebuilt their lives following their challenging life experiences, and the significant role that Luminary Bakery has played in helping with their personal restoration. The Duchess of Sussex chose to include this small bakery tucked away in East London for the September issue of @BritishVogue, which she guest edited. This bakery has been making a substantial difference to the lives of women in the local area over the last five years and opening its arms to vulnerable women whilst providing job skills, career support, mentoring and coaching. The combination of these like minded women supporting each other, both on the staff side and from the students, is proving to be the perfect recipe in creating this amazing, positive environment. If you find yourself in East London, please stop by and support the women of Luminary Bakery and the impactful work they’re doing. Photo © @LuminaryBakery 🍰

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Aug 22, 2019 at 5:51am PDT

“What they’ve created at Luminary Bakery is exceptional – it’s a space for baking, healing and rebuilding,” she wrote.

“When I visited the women earlier this year I was struck by how the baking, itself, is a means of therapy for these women – which in many ways makes complete sense – feeling they had no control over their lives based on their previous (and often harrowing) circumstances, they found comfort in the measured nature of baking,” Meghan added.

The social enterprise bakery, which was founded in 2014 by Alice Williams, Sarah Harrison and Abigail Mifsud, looks to empower women who have been homeless, in prison or become victims of crime, by teaching them how to bake.

Chris Jackson/Getty Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

At the same time, they also offer education on food hygiene, money management and computer literacy, in the hope that the women can eventually land jobs in the catering industry. To date, it has transformed the lives of over 50 women in the U.K.

”It’s been amazing!” co-founder Williams told PEOPLE about Meghan’s support back in August. “For many women here, traumatic life experiences have caused them to lose sight of their value. So for her to take the time to get to know us and use her platform to shine a light on our work has meant so much to our community.”

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The Luminary Bakery also made a carrot cake with orange peels and pumpkin seeds for Meghan’s 38th birthday, with the message, “Happy Birthday Meghan,” written in chocolate icing.