Celebrate the Summer Solstice with The Most Adorable, Golden Honeycomb Cake
Dig into something sweet and bright on the longest day of the year.
Matt Armendariz
An annual astronomical phenomenon that marks both the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest day of the year, the summer solstice has been an important cultural and agricultural event for millenia. From Scandinavia and Egypt to China and England, societies around the world have been using the solstice — when Earth’s axis is tilted most closely toward the sun — to serve as an indicator for planting and harvesting crops, as well as honoring these celestial happenings with wild festivals and feasts, like Midsummer.
Today, some contemporary groups continue to celebrate by attending a concert at Stonehenge (where the sun aligns perfectly on the summer solstice), building a bonfire or digging into a summer solstice honey cake.
Why a honey cake exactly? According to Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Betane to Mabon by Ashleen O’Gaea, many followers of European Wiccan and Pagan traditions worship the sun during the summer solstice (also known as Litha) by recreating its image with brightly colored and round-shaped foods (such as golden cakes). Meanwhile, bees — associated with sweetness and abundance — have become a symbol of the summer solstice itself. Mead or honey wine has been a popular beverage at summer solstice festivals for centuries.
This year’s summer solstice — June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere — isn’t far off. If you’re feeling the divine spirit, try baking this Almond Honeycomb Cake recipe from Food Network Kitchen. Drenched in the sweet flavors of wildflower honey, citrus and cardamom, it’s a decadent treat worthy of summer’s big day. Bake it in an adorable honeycomb pull-apart baking pan with a finishing touch of shiny honey glaze so it looks just like a real honeycomb. Whether you serve it at a picnic, summer solstice party or casual get-together, everyone will be buzzing.
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