Happy Earth Day! As an avid gardener, Spring is one of my favorite times of the year, and Earth Day is the perfect culmination of what makes the season special. Right now I’m busy planning where to put some new flowers, researching the best organic soils and fertilizers, and trying to make my garden as welcoming as possible to bees. When I was researching what to make for this nature-centric day, I found a Honey Lemon cupcake (with bees!) that was offered at the Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country 10 years ago. So, I thought I would recreate it for you as an Earth Day treat. 

, Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes

, Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes

Bee Friendly!

Bees play a central role in Critter Country, so I thought that these Honey Lemon cupcakes that feature little bee decorations would be perfect for today. Not only do bees create Winnie-the-Pooh’s favorite snack, they are also essential to our existence on earth as a keystone species. There are a few simple things you can do that will help encourage bees to stop by your garden, which in turn helps the Earth. 

, Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes
Any guesses as to who I’m Disney-bounding as? If you said Br’er Rabbit, you won yourself a prize!

Plant Flowers and Flowering Shrubs

It’s no surprise that bees are drawn to flowers for their pollen. Some bee favorites in my yard are lavender, foxglove, chives, sunflowers, salvia, and lamb’s ears. The bees also seem to enjoy my 39 rose bushes, some of which are the gorgeous Disneyland Rose. My recommendation is to look up what bee-friendly flowers would do best in your garden. Here are a few other suggestions to attract some bees to your garden:

  • Plant borders of flowers in your vegetable garden. Marigolds are great for keeping pests off your tomato plants and will attract bees to pollinate your tomatoes.
  • Plant native wildflowers. Packets of seeds at your local nursery will carry the flower seeds best for your growing area.

Use Organic Products in Your Garden

Whenever possible, try to stay clear of chemically enhanced fertilizers and pesticides. The internet is full of great ideas for natural things to use in your yard to have the healthiest plants around that you probably already have in your house. Plus, it’s a lot cheaper than buying it at the store!

Keep Those Bees Hydrated

It’s a simple concept that’s frequently overlooked. Just like we as humans have to remember to drink water, it’s important to have some out for our buzzy friends. A simple bird bath filled with fresh water (and changed out every day!) will not only attract all sorts of faunta to your yard, it’ll also give any wandering bees an opportunity to drink up before heading on their way.

Consider Adding a Bee Box to Your Garden

Although bees prefer to live in hives, a Bee Box or a Bee House make for great resting places for solitary bees. If you don’t have the time to make one yourself, there are ready-made ones widely available. They make thoughtful gifts for gardeners and fellow nature lovers. Sure, the bees staying there won’t make you any honey, but it gives them a chance to rest and recover before going out and pollinating another day.

Before getting into making of our Earth Day treat, here’s a thoughtful quote from A. A. Milne’s “Winnie-the-Pooh” about our favorite pollinators: 

The bees are busy buzzing,

Butterflies, bees and bloom.

Nature makes the sweetest little things

Everyday is special, little friend.”

From Winnie-The-Pooh,  A. A. Milne

, Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes
This was what the Hungry Bear’s Honey Lemon Cupcakes looked like. My version is just as tasty— and I think it’s just as cute!

Copycat Hungry Bear Honey Lemon Cupcakes

Now that we’ve talked about how to support our fuzzy bee friends, let’s get to making the perfect Disneyland treat for Earth Day: a copycat of Hungry Bear’s Honey Lemon Cupcakes! 

Honey Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/3 cup flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300ºF. Grease cupcake pan or place a cupcake liner in each divot.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, and honey until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined.

, Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes

  • In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt to combine.
  • Gradually fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Stir until just combined; do not overmix!
  • Fill each cupcake tin 3/4 full and bake for 22-25 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean).

, Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes , Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes

  • Cool 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pan to wire rack to cool completely. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before assembling the finished delicacy.

Lemon-Honey Frosting

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon grated lemon zest
  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 7-8 teaspoons lemon juice
  • Few drops yellow food color

Instructions:

  • In a mixing bowl, beat butter, honey, and lemon zest with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until creamed (about 2 minutes). Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula frequently.

, Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes

  • At low speed, gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until blended. 
  • Beat in lemon juice and a few drops of yellow food color until the mixture is fluffy and a pale yellow.
  • Set aside until ready to use.

Lemon Cream Filling

Ingredients

  • 1 package instant lemon pudding (3.4 oz)
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract

Instructions:

  • In a small mixing bowl, combine the instant lemon pudding mix with the milk. Whisk until the pudding is dissolved. Refrigerate the pudding until firm, about 10 minutes.
  • Prepare the whipped cream. Pour the heavy whipping cream into a medium mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and increase the speed to medium-high. Beat until stiff peaks form. Add the lemon extract.
  • Remove the pudding from the refrigerator (after it has set) and gently fold in the whipped cream. Place the filling into a plastic zip-lock bag and refrigerate until ready to use.

, Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes

Assembling the Honey-Lemon Cupcake

  • After the cupcakes have completely cooled, you can now start assembling them. Cut a valley out of the middle of the cupcake with a sharp, small knife and scoop out some of the cake. Set the removed cake portion aside for another use (I recommend making a small batch of cake balls if you have any leftover frosting when you’re finished!) or discard.

, Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes

  • Remove lemon filling from the refrigerator and cut one corner off of the zip-lock bag. Pipe the lemon filling into the hole of the cupcake, letting it come up on top of the cupcake about an inch.

, Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes , Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes

  • Prepare a pastry bag with a medium round cupcake tip or cut a small hole into a gallon-sized zip-lock bag, fill the pastry bag with prepared frosting. Pipe the frosting in a circular motion so that it looks like a beehive, using the lemon cream as a base. Sprinkle with some yellow/gold sanding sugar and add a cute little fondant or sugar bee.

, Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes , Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes

My favorite step of all . . . Enjoy your copycat of Hungry Bear’s Honey Lemon Cupcakes!

, Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes , Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes


Disney Travel Deals

(Discount Theme Park Tickets and Travel Packages)

, Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes
It’s time to give the family something to look forward to. Our travel partners at Get Away Today are here to help you with that by planning a future theme park vacation. There are all sorts of new theme park tickets and travel deals, including a 2 free days offer at Walt Disney World, hotel discounts, ticket deals to various theme parks, and now TICKETS TO DISNEYLAND as well: More details and to get a quote (HERE)


Let’s Hear From You

I hope that you’re enjoying Earth Day this year with something sweet. Did you remember the Honey Lemon Cupcakes from Hungry Bear? Are you planning on having a bee-friendly garden? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

, Celebrate Earth Day Disneyland-Style with Copycat Hungry Bear Honey-Lemon Cupcakes

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Donna Dark Collins
Donna has been a guest at the Disney Parks for over 50 years and her love of Disney runs deep. She loves to bake, decorate her home and create memories with her hubby of 26 years and her 3 kids. You'll frequently find Donna sharing photos, recipes, crafts and videos on the MiceChat Facebook Group, where she is also a moderator!