Honey Walnut Cake ('The Hobbit' inspired)

So my obsession with all things Lord of the Rings has reached new heights with the release of Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit." I've always done a great deal of day dreaming about sword fighting, archery, horse back riding, mountain climbing, adventure, and because of the influence those books have had on me, I have tried a great deal of these activities.

my dream mountain man

However, I didn't realize how deprived I have been until I was re-immersed (twice in the opening weekend) in the visually stunning fantasy world that is Middle Earth (and yes, I will be moving to New Zealand soon; I am sure of it). Then I happened to read an article on HuffPost about foods that the modern Hobbit would eat for each meal:
 7:00 AM: Breakfast
9:00 AM: Second Breakfast
11:00 AM: Elevensies
1:00 PM: Luncheon
4:00 PM: Afternoon tea
6:00 PM: Dinner
8:00 PM: Supper

hipster hobbits

This recipe by Tartlette for a Honey Walnut Cake with Riesling Sabayon was one of the options.  Again, like usual, I have adapted it for my kitchen and resources, and I left out making the Riesling Sabayon for The Single Serving, as regular whipped cream seemed like a delicious alternative. I wish it looked most photoshop pretty in the end, but it was a delicious and surprisingly healthy, compared to normal cake.

les ingrédients

toast the walnut pieces in the oven

blend dry ingredients together- this is one of the best kitchen tools for a Single Serving-  Cuisanart® SmartStick® Immersion Hand Blender 

close-up view inside my hand-held blender

all of the blended dry ingredients

beat butter, honey, and sugar together until fluffy

literally one of my favorite tools in my kitchen

mix the eggs and vanilla extract

add the egg mixture to the KitchenAid®

added the dry ingredients

not in my original ingredients, but I decided to add a splash of cinnamon

pour batter in baking pan

place in the oven for 35-40 minutes

The Single Serving

Honey and Walnut Cake Recipe:

     Ingredients-

1 1/2 cups, walnut pieces
1 cup, all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp, baking powder
pinch of salt
12 tbp, unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
1/2 cup, honey
1/4 cup, sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of cinnamon

     How To-

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter your cake pan. Reserve on the side. Break up the walnuts so they are in pieces, and spread them on a sheet pan to toast in the preheated oven for 4-5 minutes. Grind the nuts in a food processor with 1/2 cup of the flour until fine. Add the baking powder, salt and remaining flour to the mixture and give it a few quick blends. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric hand mixer, beat the butter with the honey and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. While that is beating, in a small bowl, mix the eggs and vanilla. Add it to the stand mixture. Make sure it is well mixed. Add the remaining dry ingredients mix until fully incorporated. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared cake pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a cake rack to cool. Serve with the whipped cream and fresh berries.

Thoughts:

I could easily see Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, Peregrin Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck sitting at old Biblo Baggin's hobbit-sized table, eating this cake while Bilbo recounts his adventures.