Oh, Be(e)have!

Last weekend, I found a brand-new Nordic Ware beehive pan at Goodwill for $2.99 . Admittedly, there aren't that many occasions (if any) when I have need of a beehive shaped cake-but I like to be prepared for any and all possibilities (with respect to cake, anyway). I now know what pan I will be using to bake honey cake for Rosh Hashanah. The pan has two moulds, so you have to piece the halves together with frosting. That made me think it would also have potential hollowed partially out for an impressive ice cream bombe. See? I'm already finding uses for this impractical pan.

People that know me understand that I have a bit of a Nordic Ware obsession. I've managed to keep it under control (mostly) and have limited myself to two bundt pans, and an aebelskever pan-and now this beehive. If you're not familiar with their mind-boggling array of pans, you may wish to remain ignorant because once you see the pans, you can't un-see them...and you will want them all. I am not being paid by Nordic Ware to say this.

The recipe on the packaging comes from Williams and Sonoma, and that is the recipe I used for the cake: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/lemon-beehive-cake.html?utm_campaign=bazaarvoice&utm_medium=SearchVoice&utm_source=RatingsAndReviews&utm_content=Default

For the bee decorations I used unsalted butter and icing sugar tinted with food colouring. As I shaped the bees I placed them on wax paper I then transferred to the fridge for a good hour before using. You can do sugar paste with egg whites and granulated sugar but then you have to find something close in shape to mould it in (bottle caps, candy moulds, etc.). I've used both over the years, and if you aren't planning to save the decorations, buttercream is the way to go.

Here's the back view.

The picture doesn't convey it, but the cake is quite small (though certainly large enough for Danny and Mr. ETB) and unless you sliced quite miserly pieces, it wouldn't feed more than 8 adults (6 if they're greedy). It is a rich cake though (a cup of butter, and 4 eggs)so you probably wouldn't want all that much anyway, but be aware it is small.

The weather gave us a nice break today, so I took advantage of using the oven before we're plunged back into the extreme heat/humidity thing we've been in. You might think this would be ideal weather for ripening tomatoes, but they are steadfast in their refusal to so much as blush on the vine. Meanwhile, I have an aubergine of near mammoth proportions threatening to overtake the little plot waiting for a tomato to be baked with. I may need to reconsider, as I don't think "Herman" (what, you don't name your vegetables?) is going to wait for the slacker tomatoes. I'm resisting bringing the tomatoes in, wrapping them in newsprint, and leaving them on the windowsill with a banana like my mother always did, but if they don't start turning red soon, I may reconsider.

I don't imagine standing over the plants screaming, "Ripen you bastards!" would do any good either, but it might be satisfying.