For those who may not know, Beorn in The Hobbit was a skinchanger who could transform into a massive bear. He helped Thorin and the dwarves on their journey, and, true to bear-like habits, he loved honey. Most of the food he made was sweetened with honey, but his honey cakes were especially famous.
Known as the best bakers around, the Beornings crafted honey cakes that were highly praised. Even Gimli held them in high regard, saying, “Why, it is better than the honey-cakes of the Beorning, and that is great praise, for the Beornings are the best bakers that I know of.”
In the story, these honey cakes were twice-baked, allowing them to stay fresh for weeks—ideal for long journeys across Middle-earth. In our world, they’re best enjoyed fresh from the oven, though they’ll keep well in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
This recipe is wonderfully simple, but I decided to make it extra special by using a beautiful pan from Nordic Ware. I’d had my eye on it for months, but it was too pricey to buy in-store. Keep reading to see how it turned out!
INGREDIENTS
- 138 grams (1 cup) cornmeal
- 120 grams (1 cup) all-purpose flour
- 110 grams (1/2 cup) sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 240 ml (1 cup) milk
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) honey
- 4 cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 57 grams (1/4 cup) butter
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, milk, honey, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick. Stir occasionally until the butter melts. Remove from heat and let the spices steep for at least 10 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- Remove the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick from the milk mixture. Pour the infused milk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Pour the batter into a prepared 9-inch cake pan.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a serving plate.
