Foodie Friday: Summer Solstice Edition

Midsummer Blessings! The longest day and shortest night of the year is upon us, urging us to bring into the light what has reached it's peak within ourselves and allow it to fade, as the sun will begin to do for the second half of the year. The summer solstice is a time to bask in and be grateful for the sun's warmth. It is a time to ignite the fire within, bringing forth action and strengthening your will power. Reflect on everything you've been planning for since the winter solstice, everything you've wanted to manifest... Now is the time to take action and bring your dreams and intentions to fruition.

To honor the Sun, I put together an "altar in a cup." I use a small glass bowl and fill it half way with dirt. I sprinkle the dirt with salt, for purification and protection. I lay a few fresh flower heads on top, representing the full bloom of summer. I place a sun medallion beside a yellow candle. When the Sun rises on the morning of the solstice, I light the candle in honor of the Sun and the light within myself. I've included a photo below for inspiration.

But, no celebration is quite complete without something delicious. For the Summer Solstice I LOVE to make honey cakes. The base of my recipe was adopted from Moody Moons (https://moodymoons.com/) I just added a few of my own touches. These honey cakes are slightly sweet and pair very well with fresh fruit. They are golden and crisp around the edges but wonderfully soft inside. I bake mine in a honeycomb silicone mold, but you can make cupcakes or even a standard cake with this recipe. If you're using the honeycomb mold, there will be excess batter that you can use to make some cupcakes if you'd like... these are great for an altar offering. You'll find my honey cake recipe below, let me know what you think!

Midsummer Honey Cakes

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup white granulated sugar

1/4 cup of honey

1 cup (2 sticks) of softened butter

4 eggs at room temperature

1 cup of milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional:

Silicone honeycomb cake mold

Begin by preparing whatever you are using to bake the cake by greasing it with the oil of your choice (I use sunflower oil) and preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Then, start by sifting together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon) and set aside. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition to ensure the eggs have been fully incorporated. Add the honey. Beat in vanilla extract. Slowly add the dry ingredients alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat just until all the remaining flour mixture is fully integrated. If you are using the honeycomb mold, fill it 3/4 of the way. The baking time may vary but the cupcakes bake up for me in 25 minutes and the honeycomb cake bakes in 50 minutes, but be sure to keep a watchful eye as honey caramelizes much faster than sugar. Allow the cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before turning it out on a plate and removing the mold.

I eat these on the morning of the Summer Solstice with a bowl of fresh berries drizzled with honey. It's an amazing way to celebrate the Sun and all the summer season has to offer.

Until next time, sending blessings your way ✨