This Honeycomb Cake is aka the Holy Bea Honeycomb Cake. So called because it was baked with love (and fear and trembling) for a well loved church leader – Pastor Beatrice or Pastor Bea as everyone calls her.

When I was first asked by Cheryl, a dear sister from church to make a surprise birthday cake for Pastor Bea, I was hesitant. You see, if you know what Pastor Bea is like, you wouldn’t take this request lightly. 

So how does one describe Pastor Bea? 

A Prayer Warrior Pastor – fearless  and anointed, serious yet humorous even as she is committed to pray open heavens’ door. 

A discerning woman of God who can always sense and seize the moment. Be slain by her prayers or be slain by her most wicked sense of humor.

She will throw you under the bus (spiritually speaking) to make you grow, yet has the uncanny ability to pull you back at that critical juncture, … think Mission Impossible near death escapes.

Always direct; never apologetic about her directives ….  the authority comes from above. 

Cross her and be prepared to know Holy Fear 😅

The Pastore’s famous lines: 

** I trust you are all stretched. If not……tell me.  I will find some way for you to be s…t…r…e…t…c…h…e…d!!!

** I DON’T like silence, Pray!!

Following this Lioness of Christ on missions? 

Be prepared for hazardous spiritual growth spurts and praying like a warrior even if you can’t. But more than that, get ready for fresh revelations, touching lives and levelling up in faith.

So… what sort of cake does one make for such a Daughter of God? 

“Without faith, it is impossible to please God.”

It will have to be a blessed cake like no other. One that is made out of faith and prayer, a breakthrough cake.

So you probably guessed … by faith (blind) I responded to Cheryl “Yes, I will try.”

Holy Bea Honeycomb Cake concept …

• It shall be a tall three layer gooseberry shortcake filled with delicious Chantilly cream and berries;

• Beautifully embraced by a pristine white chocolate honeycomb wall (chocolate set to perfection in bubble wrap, and un-moulded with ease shall encircle the entire cake);

• Artfully topped with more wonderful gooseberries and made more spectacular with little fondant bumblebees buzzing atop the HoneyComb hive; 

• A royal cake, grand and befitting the resident Queen Bea! 

Fast forward to the afternoon before D-Day…

The Holy Bea HoneyComb Cake was NOT happening.

First the three layers envisaged had to double to six as the cake would not be tall and good looking otherwise.

I remember smiling weakly at the celebration, when Gerri, another dear sister commented “Wow, a six layer cake! Amazing!” – if only she knew the trauma.😅

The Tall 6-Layer Honeycomb Cake

Next, the pristine honeycomb wall of white chocolate, which was supposed to be moulded to perfection, was A MESS. The white chocolate was too soft and would not set/ harden properly in our sunny weather.

Worst, just when it looked like it has set, the white chocolate slid off the bubble pack when this baker tried to wrap it round the cake. So we had to start all over again. HELP!!

Can anyone feel the tense full-on concentration!!?

Everything passed in a blur after that. The baking had to be restarted and salvaged. And time was running out. Pristine honeycomb wall needed to set overnight in the refrigerator before D-Day.

The breakthrough cake was fast becoming a MELTDOWN cake! 

“Do not be anxious about anything but in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace of God which transcends all understanding shall, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Between praying in the spirit and barking at Daughters 1 & 2 who were summoned to help with the honeycomb wall wrap-around and un-moulding, all I remember now are these words: 

** To God “PLEASE HELP” 

** To my girls through gritted teeth, “DON’T TALK, … DON’T BREATHE, … JUST DO WHAT I TELL YOU.”

Finally, the breakthrough came. The surprise Holy Bea Honeycomb Cake was miraculously completed, refrigerated overnight and delivered in one piece. We celebrated noisily, the Pastore cut, ate the cake happily and kept the little bumblebees as mementoes. 

Incidentally, I have to say, Lovely our youngest was the only calm and collected one throughout. She was in charge of making the fondant honey bees which she handled like a pro. This SugarCrumble Mama needs to take a leaf out of her book. Check out her bumblebee tutorial below 😊

In the end, the Honeycomb Cake was perfect in all its imperfections. The slightly frayed and jagged honeycomb edges made it look more natural, a true honeycomb mess of hexagonal cells built by honey bees in their hive.

And if you look closely enough, each of the honeybees all have a little stinger, just like the Queen Bea! 

I can sleep tonight!

When the baker BELIEVES in the Lord, her breakthrough cake shall be established.

All GLORY TO HIM 🙌🏻 🙌🏻 😊