Be the Bee Honey Cake for St Paisios
Every now and then, I come across something online that instantly inspires me, and I can’t wait to bring it into our home. That was exactly what happened when I opened Instagram and the first reel I saw was from Jayden Crowe of @icons.and.imprints, sharing the beautiful spiced honey cake her family makes for the feast of St. Paisios.
St. Paisios has become such a beloved saint in my life, like a dear friend. So the moment I watched her video, I knew my children and I would be making this cake together to celebrate his feast.
I reached out to Jayden to ask if she would be willing to share her recipe here on the blog, and she graciously said yes. I’m so grateful for her generosity, and I’m excited to pass this beautiful tradition along to you.
Why “Be the Bee”?
On July 12, Orthodox Christians celebrate the feast of St. Paisios the Athonite, one of the most beloved saints of our time. Among his many memorable teachings is his simple analogy: “Be the bee, not the fly” from his book Spiritual Struggle Vol III. While the fly searches for dirt and decay, the bee seeks out flowers, gathering sweetness wherever it goes. It’s a lesson in choosing good thoughts over negative/bad thoughts, and seeing the good in all circumstances.
This “Be the Bee” Spiced Honey Cake is inspired by that beautiful analogy. Made with fragrant spices and rich honey, it’s a simple treat to share with family and friends as you remember St. Paisios’ life and teachings. We decorated it with a honey frosting and adorned it with flowers and paper bees to directly tie into St Paisios’ teaching. Whether you enjoy it after the Divine Liturgy, with afternoon tea, or while reading one of his spiritual counsels together, this cake is a small reminder to be like the bee—always searching for the sweetness of Christ.
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Equipment Needed:
8” or 9” cake pan
stand mixer (or hand mixer)
mixing bowls
Recipe
Be the Bee Cake for St Paisios
For the feast of St Paisios, make this warm spiced honey cake! A famous analogy told by St Paisios called "The Fly and the Bee" which teaches us to cultivate good thoughts and see the good in the any circumstance. We want to "be the bee" as well! So to remember this story, we are making a spiced honey cake and adorning it with paper bees to honor St Paisios and to celebrate his feast!
Ingredients
- 1-¾ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup honey
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ⅓ cup brewed coffee, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup orange juice + 2 tbs orange juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- One block (8 oz) softened cream cheese
- One stick (8 tbs) softened butter
- 1/2 cup runny honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (optional but suggested)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray your 8 or 9-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray, or spread softened butter inside to help with sticking.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice. Add the oil, honey, eggs, coffee, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Whisk until mixed.
- Pour cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick comes out clean after being poked in the middle.
- While your cake is cooling, add in cream cheese, butter, honey, powdered sugar and cinnamon into a stand mixer. You can also use a bowl and hand mixer. Mix well until there’s no lumps, place in the fridge. Don’t forget to taste test and alter according to your liking.
- Let your cake cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack or serving dish and turn it right side up to finish cooling.
- Once it’s fully cooled you can add icing and decorate however you’d like! We added little bees and flowers to the top to better connect to the story of St Paisios!
Notes
** We use 1-1 gluten free flour by King Arthur and it’s a wonderful substitute for celiac & gluten intolerance
Before eating, ask St Paisios to bless your cake, and if you can, share it with others! "St Paisios, bless this cake and bless us!"
Where did this tradition and recipe come from?
I reached out to Jayden of @icons.and.imprints to ask if she would be willing to share her recipe here on the Ascetic Life of Motherhood blog, and she graciously said yes. I’m so grateful for her generosity, and I’m excited to pass this beautiful tradition along to you.
Meet the author:
Jayden Crowe of @icons.and.imprints graciously shared this recipe with us!
“If you’re a newer convert, or catechumen like myself, you’ve probably heard of a very wise and blessed Saint called Paisios. He captures the hearts of many on their journeys to Orthodoxy, and he surely has done the same for my family. As we began our journey into Orthodox Christianity, I knew I wanted our faith to shape more than just our Sunday mornings. I didn’t want church to be something we simply attended once a week and then left behind; I wanted it to transform the rhythm of our home life, our habits, and the way we lived each day. As we embarked, I stumbled upon many great pages and resources on how to live liturgically at home. A huge inspiration of mine was Khouria Destinie @asceticlifeofmotherhood and Cindy Dale @seekingtheosis. Through them I’ve gained a lot of inspiration on how to celebrate the Feasts, and the Saints for my own family at home, especially in the kitchen.
This year we have made several feast day recipes, but when it came time for Saint Paisios’ Feast, I browsed around online and couldn’t find anything to make. So, I took matters into my own hands, but first I needed to learn more about the Saint. That is when I came across his The Fly and the Bee lesson, which teaches that the honeybee knows where life’s goodness lies, and sees the good in everything. Where as the fly can take you to the unclean, and rubbish around you. We want to Be The Bee! When I think of bees, I think of sweet honey, and I got the idea to make a honey spiced cake to honor Saint Paisios.
In our family, before we bake this cake, we revisit the story of the bee and the fly to get us prepared for the sweetness to come. Both of my boys love lending a hand in the kitchen, especially when it’s for a sweet treat, so together we gather the ingredients and get to baking. Once the cake is cooled and frosted, we place flower embellishments and bees all over the cake as a reminder to ourselves to find the good in life, through all things. This is a day we look forward to each year, not just because of the cake, but because Saint Paisios is so near and dear to our hearts.
For Gluten Free Baking Adjustment
To make this recipe gluten free, use 1 : 1 gluten free flour by King Arthur and which is a wonderful substitute for celiac & gluten intolerance!
In this guide you’ll find simple and easy ideas to celebrate the the Feast of St Paisios with your kids - emphasis on easy! Bee the bee cake recipe, activity suggestions, book recommendations, film for kids about his life, and additional information so you can share his story so together you can grow to love him even more!