Etta's recipe is a closely-guarded secret

He developed a taste for Etta Richardson's baking on a visit to Llansteffan, Carmarthenshire.

Now he wants his wedding guests to sample the cakes, made to a recipe from Mrs Richardson's mother.

Mrs Richardson, 74, said: "It's lovely that Charles enjoys my cake so much, but it was still a big surprise to be asked to bake 20 for his wedding."

The new order has been placed by Buckingham Palace because the Queen is hosting the reception for Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.

A Clarence House spokesman said: "The Prince of Wales asked especially if they could order some."

Mrs Richardson said: "I am very honoured but it is very good cake, even if I say so myself."

It is not the first time the prince has made a royal request for her fruitcakes.

After visiting Llansteffan in August 2004 as part of his annual summer tour of Wales, Prince Charles put in an order for eight of them.

Mother's recipe

The cakes, which Mrs Richardson usually only bakes at Christmas, were sent by courier to Highgrove with an invoice for �3.99 for each cake, plus package and posting.

Prince Charles also asked one of his aides to buy a cake so he could have a few slices on the royal helicopter as he continued his Welsh tour.

But the 74-year-old has refused to divulge her recipe, handed down from her mother, to her royal customer.

"My mother used to make it, so it's about 50 years old," she said.

Mrs Richardson normally makes the cakes for her son's market stall in Carmarthen.

She set up a stand in her home village with a sample of her wares when Charles visited last year.