Seattle BeyHive, rise up! We’re days away from Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour performance at Lumen Field. 2023 really is the year live music came back; Taylor Swift, Depeche Mode, Janet Jackson, Pearl Jam and Erykah Badu are only a few heavy-hitters going on tour this year. The one I’m here to talk about is Beyoncé. (Don’t act shocked: You knew a Houston girl had to talk about Bey.)

Growing up in Houston, I was captivated by Beyoncé’s journey from Destiny’s Child to the global icon she is today. Witnessing them perform at the Astrodome during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 2001 remains a cherished memory. My mom always said Beyoncé would be my generation’s Whitney Houston. 

What’s truly inspiring is Beyoncé’s status as a trailblazer. As a Black artist, she transcended cultural boundaries, becoming a household name globally. A defining moment was her groundbreaking performance as the first Black woman to headline Coachella in 2018. Her stage presence, dedication to her craft and unapologetic celebration of her heritage left an indelible mark on music history.

In her “Renaissance” album, Beyoncé continues this tradition by honoring LGBTQ+ culture and their contributions to the club and electronic dance music scene. Through song and performance, she nods to revolutionaries, gets on stage with icons and makes an impact on some. 

It’s been a year since the album dropped and months since we’ve fought for our lives in digital queues to get tickets while cursing Ticketmaster, but it will soon be worth it! For your preconcert celebrations, I invite you to experience a slice of pure delight — my chocolate honey orange cake. Picture a moist cake with the perfect hint of chocolate, indulgently soaking up a delicate honey orange syrup. Using “PURE/HONEY,” this “THIQUE” chocolate treat has “unique” flavor I’m sure you’ll love. Meant to share with your Hive, this cake will be on my concert-day grazing tray as my friends and I get ready, and I hope it’s on yours, too! I can’t wait to have fun with y’all, and remember, during “Energy” we stay on mute. See you soon, BeyHive!

_____

Chocolate Honey Orange Cake

Preparation time: 10 minutes 

Cook time: 25 to 40 minutes 

Servings: 19 to 22, depending on cake pan used 

INGREDIENTS
Honey cake
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for the pan if needed
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature, plus extra for the pan if needed
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch processed if you can) 
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda 
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon 
  • Zest from one orange 
  • 1 cup honey
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature 
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Orange honey syrup (optional)
  • 1 cup honey
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest 
  • Juice of half an orange 
STEPS
Honey cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your preferred cake pan, which should hold at least 10 cups of batter. (I used a Nordic Ware honeycomb pan.) Butter and flour the pan if necessary. Set aside.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and orange zest. Set aside.
  3. In a stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment, beat butter and honey together until light and fluffy; it should be pale white. Add eggs one at a time, beating until fully incorporated after each addition. The mixture will look like it’s curdled or broken, which is OK. Add vanilla extract and orange zest and combine.
  4. Gradually add dry ingredients into the wet ones, slowly mixing each addition in before adding another. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to be sure it is blended evenly. 
  5. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 40 minutes. (If you are using a Bundt pan, this may take closer to 30 to 40 minutes.) The cake should be set in the center and pulling away from the edges when baked all the way through. The toothpick method also applies here.
Orange honey syrup
  1. In a small saucepan, add all ingredients. Heat over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a low simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Let cool until around room temperature. 
  2. If using this syrup, flip the cake onto a wire rack and place onto the baking sheet. Drizzle syrup over the cake, a little at a time, allowing the cake to soak it. (You don’t have to use all of it if you don’t want to.)
Detria Turner is a home chef experimenter and an engineer. You can reach her at detria.turner12@gmail.com, or on Instagram at @nomish_by_nature.