Gardening Charlotte

Lemon Bee Hive Cake Recipe

This cake is tasty not only because of the lemon but because of the charming bee hive cake form.

Lemon Bee Hive Cake

For the cake:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter

• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

• 3 tsp. lemon zest

• 4 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 2/3 cup milk

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup honey

• 1 1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 tsp. salt

For the royal icing:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

• 2 to 3 tsp. milk

• Sugar honeybees for decorating (optional)

Directions:

Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 325°F. Grease and flour a beehive cake pan; tap out excess flour.

To make the cake, over a sheet of waxed paper sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla just until incorporated, about 30 seconds.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition just until incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the lemon juice and beat for 30 seconds.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter so the sides are higher than the center. Bake until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the honey, lemon juice and salt and bring just to a simmer, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Tap the cake pan gently on a work surface to loosen the cake. Set the rack over a sheet of waxed paper, invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the warm cake with the glaze. Let the cake cool completely, at least 2 hours.

Drizzle royal icing over the top.

I’m going to make this without the bee hive form. Delicious.

Charlotte Ekker Wiggins is a beekeeper, gardener and sometimes cook. Published by El Dorado Springs Sun once in print and online with author’s permission. Copyright 2017, all rights reserved. This column may not be reprinted, republished or otherwise distributed without author’s permission. Contact Charlotte at gardeningcharlotte at gmail dot com.

LEMON BEE HIVE CAKE – Here’s the lemon cake made in the bee hive cake form, so cute. The form can be made twice, then glued together with icing so that it sits up like a bee hive.

NO STINGERS – The cake sliced and ready for tasting. (Photos by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins).