Beorn's Honey Cakes

BEORN'S HONEY CAKES An excellent breakfast or teatime treat, these little honeyed cakes are a good way to use up over-ripe bananas. In The Hobbit, Bilbo's party encounters Beorn the "skin-changer", who as well as being a chieftain of the Beornings is also, it seems, an excellent cook. Beorn's name refers not only to his second form as a bear (the Scandinavian name Björn means exactly that) but also puns on his passion for keeping bees (bears love honey!). Honey cakes are a specialty of his, which he gives to Thorin and Company when he hosts them during the Quest of Erebor. He also has a twice-baked, or biscuit-like, version (page 116). MAKES TWELVE MUFFINS PREP AND COOK 45 MINUTES INGREDIENTS Scant 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon, baking soda ½ cup, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted Generous 1/3 cup light brown sugar 2 eggs, beaten 2 small, very ripe bananas, mashed 4 tablepoons honey 1 Line a 12-section muffin tray with paper cake cases. 2 Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. 3 Mix together the melted butter, sugar, eggs and mashed bananas in a separate bowl. Tip in the dry ingredients and mix together gently until evenly combined. Divide the cake mixture between the paper cases, 4 Bake in a preheated oven, 160°C, Gas Mark 3, for 20-25 minutes or until risen and just firm to the touch. 5 Transfer to a wire rack and drizzle each cake with 1 teaspoon of honey. Serve warm or cold.

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Step 1

1 Line a 12-section muffin tray with paper cake cases. 2 Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. 3 Mix together the melted butter, sugar, eggs and mashed bananas in a separate bowl. Tip in the dry ingredients and mix together gently until evenly combined. Divide the cake mixture between the paper cases, 4 Bake in a preheated oven, 160°C, Gas Mark 3, for 20-25 minutes or until risen and just firm to the touch. 5 Transfer to a wire rack and drizzle each cake with 1 teaspoon of honey. Serve warm or cold.