Trapped in a Honeycomb

We have an exciting recipe post today: a guest post. Those are always great in my book as they allow readers to experience a different view point and a different writing style. If you’ve been my follower for awhile, you may remember guest posts done by my son. Today, his girlfriend is stepping in with a new delicious recipe (yes, we’re “that family”, and we indoctrinate a newcomer into our kitchen cult). Gus and Wenchao have been riding out the pandemic together. It’s a great practice I think to learn to coexist as a couple. We all love her beautiful soul. She’s like a little ray of sunshine! I keep reminding my kid not to be a nuisance as the family has decided we’re definitely keeping her instead of him, and he’ll go to a military boarding school if he does something stupid.
They’ve been together for a year already, which is basically like eternity when you’re 21 and 22, but, judging by their lovey dovey attitude, even after six weeks of being cooped up in close quarters, it’s still going strong. They’re just too nauseatingly cute together.

They make a lot of meals together, and Wenchao is still finishing classes at Fordham University where she’s a senior, while Gus takes his “pet motorcycle” out for regular rides. Life’s still good in their young book.
I feel a bit protective and motherly toward both of them even if I try not to dwell too much on larger implications of what’s happening right now and how it may impact their future. Gus’s job position got furloughed, and most likely he’s not coming back, but we actually hope he goes back to school in September if universities reopen. Wenchao’s parents are literally half across the globe right now so I’m happy we’re keeping her safe and protected. As a mother myself, I know I’d be worried about my child too no matter their age. I’m glad she was able to attend her senior celebration earlier this year and celebrate all the hard work she’s put in since the actual graduation ceremony is definitely not happening at this time.

So, one leisurely Sunday afternoon, all three of us got to spend some time in the kitchen and make today’s recipe of honey cake. Please welcome Wenchao and enjoy her guest post, which is also known as using #childlabor for your benefit 👍

Hi there! I am Wenchao, a foodie and a college student who is about to graduate in this unusual 2020. Everything thathappened this year and things that are about to happen have been making me reflect more frequently as of late. Born in 1998, I proudly became a member of “Generation Z”, a new generation which is often labeled as “entitled and selfish”.  Since I was old enough to remember things, the world has been flourishing and marvelous—there’s no need to worry about anything besides arguments with family and confusions in growing up. I complained about why my mom is late picking meup from school and why I have to use my sister’s old bicycle.

And then, as if in a second, I am a 21-year-old woman who feels responsible for the world that is larger than just myself. I see nurses who are at the same age as me volunteering in hospitals across the world and people from all backgrounds working together to gather medical supplies to try to make a difference. Facing the global crisis and witnessing the historybeing written by this unprecedented situation, what’s my small role in the big picture? Staying home and practicing social distancing is relatively easy for me, besides the part that I can no longer go to my favorite gym. As days go by, I can sense my energy draining away. But luckily, on a Sunday afternoon, I had the chance to work with Diana on a beautiful honey cake, as well as a chance to completely, if temporarily, escape this newly puzzling world.

The honey cake is moist, soft, and flavorful. It has an incredibly beautiful color and the neatly geometric shape of a honeycomb. The coronavirus pandemic makes me reflect on the world and people around me. Sometimes we can get anxious and frustrated easily, but it’s important to remember that we always have people around us who genuinely care about us, and everyone is working hard together to overcome the difficulties. So now, have a bite of the honey cake, take a deep breath, and listen to sounds in your surroundings that you have ignored for a while.

What’s Cooking This Week

We’re making honeycomb honey cake today. This recipe is incredibly simple and uses ingredients everyone has in their cupboards even during the pandemic. Honeycomb pan makes it visually pleasing and also convenient in dividing the cake into individual portions. You can use any other cake pan instead if you don’t have a honeycomb pan. This recipe also happens to be vegan and uses only healthy ingredients.

Honeycomb Honey Cake

In a small bowl, cover raisins with rum and soak overnight till all the liquid evaporates and raisins expand.

Honeycomb Honey Cake

Wenchao@The House of Dee

A simple honey cake, vegan and gluten free, made in a honeycomb shape that's convenient for individual servings and sharing

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Prep Time 8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 9 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, International, Jewish, Vegan

Servings 19

Ingredients

  

• 2 1/2 cups King Arthur gluten free flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 cup apple sauce
• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 1/2 cup raisins soaked in rum
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup raw sugar

Instructions

 

• In a small bowl, cover raisins with rum and leave overnight till all the liquid evaporates and raisins expand.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine all the dry ingredients separately and then together with wet ingredients, add raisins and mix well to make a uniform batter.
• Brush a cake pan with oil and pour batter in.
• Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the top is deep golden, and a cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool in a cake pan and transfer to a plate.