Forge-Honey Cakes

Forge-Honey Cakes are a beloved dwarven confection, often baked during forge festivals, coming-of-age ceremonies, or gifted to artisans upon the completion of a masterwork. Made with stone-ground flour, ember-spice, and rich, smoky forge-honey harvested from heat-loving tunnel bees, these cakes are dense, sticky, and full of warmth — a perfect balance of sweet and spice, and hearty enough to survive a mining pack.

“Sweet enough for celebration, solid enough for survival.”
— Dwarven proverb carved above bakery hearths

Manufacturing process

Instructions

  • Preheat and Prepare
  • Preheat your stone oven or conventional oven to 180°C / 350°F.
  • Grease a small loaf pan, stone mold, or muffin tray with mushroom oil.
  • Mix the Dry
  • In a large stone bowl, combine flour, mossbarley flakes, ember-spice, salt, and baking stone.
  • Stir with a carved spoon or a whisked tine.
  • Mix the Wet
  • In a second bowl, beat the egg, then mix in milk, mushroom oil, and forge-honey until smooth.
  • Combine and Fold
  • Pour wet into dry and mix until just combined.
  • Fold in any optional add-ins like embernuts or glowcap bits.
  • Bake
  • Pour batter into prepared pans or molds.
  • Bake for 25–30 minutes for small cakes, 45–50 minutes for a loaf.
  • Cakes are done when the tops are firm, cracked, and a skewer comes out sticky but not wet.
  • Cool and Glaze (Optional)
  • Let cool on a rack.
  • For extra decadence, brush warm cakes with a glaze of:
  • 2 tbsp forge-honey
  • 1 tsp ash-spice
  • A splash of mushroom wine
“The deeper the crust, the stronger the cake. Same goes for a good dwarf.”
— Gord Rammson, judging a baking duel between twin apprentices

Significance

Cultural Notes

  • Traditionally baked in hexagonal molds to mimic firebee combs.
  • During Forgekindling Festivals, every dwarf in the forge circle brings a unique honey cake to share.
  • Young dwarves are taught to bake these as part of culinary rites of passage — a “Forge-Hearth Trial.”

Item type
Consumable, Food / Drink
Raw materials & Components

Ingredients (Makes ~12 small cakes or 1 stone loaf)

  • 1½ cups stone-ground tunnelgrain flour (or wholemeal rye flour)
  • ½ cup crushed mossbarley flakes (or rolled oats)
  • 1 tsp ember-spice mix (blend of smoked cinnamon, powdered ashbark, and glowroot)
  • ½ tsp rock salt
  • 1 tsp baking stone (or baking powder)
  • ¾ cup forge-honey (or dark, thick honey with a smoky note)
  • ½ cup cave-hog milk (or whole milk)
  • ¼ cup mushroom oil or melted spore-butter
  • 1 ember egg (or regular egg)
  • Optional: ½ cup chopped embernuts, crystallized glowcap, or spiced root chunks

Serving Suggestions

  • Serve warm with Glowcap Butter, Smokefruit Compote, or Stoneskin Yogurt
  • Often eaten before a long forge session or gifted to guild leaders
  • Ideal for packing into deep-mining rations or wedding baskets



Cover image: by Appy Pie

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