Baking Honey Cakes in 1796 |ASMR Fire Cooking| Real Historic Recipe 

Do make these at home! Keep an open mind as these are from 1796, a time before the use of baking powder. Cakes of the 18th and early 19th centuries were denser than what we have today due to their limited leavening agents. This is part of why cakes were often baked small or even flat as the larger a cake got the more work was involved to ensure that it wasn't dense and unpalatable. Below you will find the recipe, translated from the original which you will find at the end of the video. This is 1/3 of the original quantity and yet it will still make around 10 dozen small cakes! If you'd perfer a more modern texture feel free to add a dash of baking powder. Honey Cakes, 1796 7.25 cups of flour 0.8 cups of honey 0.8 cups of sugar 1 heaping tablespoon of cinnamon 0.6 tablespoons of ginger 2 eggs 2 cups of milk 1 teaspoon of pearl ash OR baking soda (it's closest modern relative) The zest from one orange + A pinch of baking powder if you desire a more modern result. I did not use baking powder in the video, only pearl ash + Combine your flour, sugar and spices in a large mixing bowl and give it a good mix. Disolve your pearl ash, if using, in a cup of warm milk. If you are using baking soda instead add it to your dry ingredients without first disolving in milk. In your mixing bowl now add your wet ingredients of honey, eggs, milk and orange zest. Add more milk if needed until you've formed a batter. Pour your batter into small baking cups no higher than half an inch in depth. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

I like seeing Justine's different outfits as much as the cooking part. The whole history vibe with the buildings and clothes is fun.

If you're worried about the density of these cakes or if they might get chewier or stiffer with time: I think the perfect solution would be to soak them with your morning coffee.

I'm a homeschool mom, and my girls and I are doing a year-long American History unit this year. I already loved following along with your channel for personal enjoyment, but now we have a collection of recipes to try and recreate for our own enjoyment, thanks to you and Ron! You have taught me that old receipts aren't as intimidating as they seem. Between Townsends, Cabin Crafts, and your channels, we have so much extra viewing to further their interest in this subject! So grateful for all the living history leaders and participants out there, you guys all make history truly fun!

The Adventures of Justine and Ronald and Mish Mish!!!!!

I know it is hot, but the crackling fire sounds amazing!

The honey cakes look so delicious! What a wonderful teapot.

I love seeing Justine gathering yellow plants and how cool was it the way she got Mish Mish home.

Please do an entire series from America's first published cookbook.

I love everything about this. Mish Mish playing, rooster crowing, fire crackling, and I can almost smell that orange peel. 🥰

That was the most wholesome and joyful thing I've seen today! It's so interesting to see how things can be done with no machines and a good hot fire

Aww MishMish is such a hsppy cat. I 'm ready for some tea!

Those cakes are SO lovely, I come from a particularly Early American family: I can well imagine my New England ancestors enjoying these.

I love the sounds … the fire, the rooster, and I love the sound of cracking eggs (odd, I know).

Love that rooster teapot 🥰

Speaking as a man, we do have a way of breezing in after the baking is done to sample the goods, don't we? 😂 They look delicious Justine. Good job. Btw, I think MishMish has the longest tail in cat history lol.

I love watching you prepare and cook. I try to learn how to cook on a fire and make breads. You could survive easily without a stove. How spoiled we are! Thank you and for wanting to take your time and show that it is possible still today and be a successful cook over a fire. Most people would starve, lol ! Again, thank you and God bless you!😊

It was fascinating to see how you bake them! I love your videos, they’re both relaxing and educational❣️

Your videos of cooking are so tranquil and peaceful it's like you are so Zen. It's appreciated that you're not only bringing history alive once again, but there's serenity about the way you connect with the time and their processes. I also adore watching you with your kitty, it's so sweet. What a perfect little companion ❤

Awesome as always. I always look forward to your awesome videos.

I love your recipes Justine. I think we should all quickly learn how to prepare food like this as with the cost of living crisis and the food crisis many ingredients we take for granted may be gone. I was amazed to learn about pearl ash. Your adorable cat is very playful and happy. We all need to embrace life as having so little is having a lot. It is 8.17pm in New Zealand now and it is cold and raining in the Waikato.

Looks scrumptious, Justine! I love the whole summer look of the cabin as well. Off to Bible class. Will see you & Ron later or tomorrow morning. Be blessed always! xoxo

Thank you for efforts in making videos for us! It is very interesting to watch you function as a frontier's woman! I love your cabin. I am wondering if you could let us know occassionally the temperature inside the cabin while you are baking. Thank you for keeping your videos so authentic to the era!

They look delicious-I wish I had smell-o-vision Ron certainly seems to like them too!🤩💕

Oh, you're teasing poor Mishmish with a flower! LOL

Love Ron's expression at the end! It says, "Yum! These are keepers!"

Justine, can I make a friendly suggestion? When adding eggs to a bowl of flour, sugar, etc., always crack the egg into a separate small bowl, then pour into the dry ingredients. If you get a bad egg, it has only happened to me a couple of times in my life, but it sure beats having to try to remove it or throw out all of the dry goods.

Oh sweet Justine, you have such an incredible gift with open fire cooking. You make it look so easy. I hope one day you will share with us all different kinds of fires or coals to use, and which kind of ash or coals ot fire to use to cook or bake what? You sometimes use an outside oven with coals on the pan. Then, sometimes, like you did today, the Dutch oven with your food inside of it while you add colas pver the lid of the Dutch oven to bake. Or sometimes you put a metal trivet with coals underneath that thing with or without coals on top other times. And finally, to my recollection, you will cook directly in the fire by hanging meats with drip tray or you'll put your pot/pan directly over the fire and mix away while it cooks that way. There's other ways I've seen, but these are just examples I'd love to learn more of. I have a gas stove but have never cooked over open flame or fire pits. So I'd love to learn more how you do the amazing meals you do ob open flame. Great job! 😊👍💕

Looking forward to making these at home! 😃

I can’t wait too see your guys wedding video and your house finished.

Watching from Jeddah ❤

You two are too cute. The recipe is large so I can see it making a lot and they did look delicious 😋

Aww I love seeing how loved your little kitty is,if not for you who knows if she’d still be out there alone . I love your videos too 😊

Your cooking videos are #1 hits for me. I just can't wait every week, just to see what you would cook up next.

Y’all are so adorable and this looks absolutely amazing!! They turned out beautifully!!

Love seeing these treats prepared and baked nice job.

Mmmmm, they look absolutely delish!

This is my favorite Georgian era cooking channel

Oh my goodness!! I love when Mish Mish is also on.❤️🐈❤️

The serenity is palpable. Thank you as always for your wondrous time travels.

I love the tea pot! And I need a source for your big wooden spoon! I’ll be heading over to the other channel to watch Ron eat all of it! Lol

I recently went to an Antique store and got super excited about seeing items similar and just like some of the things Justine and Ron have in their cabin. Saw a mini Dutch oven there and several clothes irons. Plus, a vintage bed warmer.

As an ex-chef I really do enjoy the videos you work so hard at making for all of us. I've learnt so much and I look forward to the delights and lessons you have to offer us all down the road

Those look so good. Your outfit is charming as well. Reminds me of the dresses they wore on Pride and Prejudice. I will be making those for sure, as orange is my favorite flavor for sweets. 😊

they look delicious. I believe I will try.

They look delicious, and it looks like Ron approves too!

That is some black cat! What a fine jumper. Holy Moo Cow: that was a generous amount of cinnamon!

Just a little something to say thanks for this channel. Hope you have a great day!

They look SOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOD!!!!! Anything with ginger, honey, and orange has to be delish!

The most wholesome channel on RU-vid!

Your wild flower bouquet complements the decor of the cabin perfectly!

Good video as always

I really enjoy your videos so much 😊

They look yummy, I can tell Ron likes them too! Blessings

The cakes look so yummy. Wish I could be there to share.❤😊❤

My son was so excited to see your kitty, he said “he looks like our kitty! Look at smush mush!” 😂 Needless to say my family loves your channel and Mish Mish ❤

When I got to @0:58-@1:00 for some reason, I was flooded with the smell of the forest after it rains. Something so amazing about these videos that brings me back to growing up in New England.

I love you two so much! It’s so wonderful when two like minded people who have the same goals and ambition fall in love! The other day my husband made me so mad! And instantly I thought (and I’m honestly telling the truth) I thought, I wish I had Justine’s big wooden spoon! So help me I did! Yes today I’m laughing about that today but the other day it was a whole different story! Lol As soon as I get my oven up and running again, I’m going to make this receipt, anything orange and cake. Is just perfect! Thank you and stay safe from the storms coming your way.

I had a very big depression since pandemic and before that watching your videos and making the recipes really gave me back the will, god bless you , thank you for making thise videos

OMG, Ron's face at the end! I think he really likes them. This looks like a really easy dessert to make. I can't wait to try them myself. Thanks for sharing! I really wish I had a long tube like you have, to keep your fire going. I need one like that for our camping trips!

I will be making this!😉🤗

Super calming. Wow. Keep these video series coming

Those eggs are huge! Did they come from your chickens? Cake looks yummy. 🥰💕❤️👍👍

Those look sooo yummy. By the way …way to work that fire! You just walked over there, blew a couple breaths in it, and pow flames!! Have you done a video on how you start, maintain, and clean up your cooking fireplace? Would love to see how you keep such an awesome fire AND cook on it!! ❤️

Looks delicious and filling, these look like something you'd have for tea time or the 18th century equivalent, you might also buy them at a coffee house, people in the past certainly tried to eat well. I am very much getting into medieval cooking, I was recently at a jousting and medieval festival here in England. All your videos are great and informative

Ребята вы потрясающие. Я обожаю ваш канал и с нетерпением всегда жду ваших видео. Спасибо большое за вкусные и иртересные рецепты. Жюстина и Рон вы невероятная пара. Успехов и здоровья.

Looks wonderful. Thank you.

I've read about these Honey Cakes for many years always wanted the recipe thank you very much for sharing they look scrumptious❤

These cookies make me want a cup of tea with lemon on the side👍♥️

I love watching you eat with a smile of pure joy! Simplicity!

Can I just say YUM!?!! ☺️

Love the rooster crowing. So peaceful and calm there. TY.

I love her so much, she shows so much personality without even talking 🩷

Your honey cakes are beautiful! Brought back so many memories of me making honey cake with my grandmother. We always did ours in a loaf pan. And I still have my grandmother's cookbook that was published in 1945.

You guys are just SO adorable together! 🥰🥰

Love your Tea Pitcher ❤

that was amazing! thank you for showing this recipe just like so many years ago. God bless🙂

I love the dresses, the aprons, very cute Justine, the entire cabin ambiance and cooking over the hearth…. Ahhhhhh

Enjoy your video. Thank you for sharing the Little cakes look delicious!👍😊❤️

Justine, I would love a cook book will the recipes you used beside the originals. In your nonexistent free time!

Hi Justine, I made this in the form of a whole cake vs smaller little cakes and used lemon zest instead of orange zest since I didn't have one. It came out really dense but delicious and my hubby has eaten like 4 large pieces already. 😋

That cat has a really long tail. Adorable!!

I love when you show the actual receipt.... we(my son and I) actually had a learning experience looking up the different wording and phrases. We love going to an area located near us called Colonial Williamsburg Virginia, we are planning a big trip in 2026. Thank you for the history lesson and all your hard work. 😊

Thanks for this video 🙂😀

LOL! Ron's goofy face after he takes a bite of the orange! That was pretty good!

I may create a castlevania fan project thats just a Rougelike igavania, the dream game is pretty much the 1999 Demon Castle War, but with a love letter to every castlevania game, especially Dracula's Curse with the three charaters being Desendants of the charaters of Castlevania 3, Alucard Excluded because he was there assisting the party. 1. Julius Belmont (Vampire Killer Tips, Subweapons & Spells, side ability: Whip Enhancement) 2. Alucard (Swords, Fists & Spells, side ability: Bat Form) 3. Diana Belnades (Gswords, Tomes & Spells, side ability: Familiars) 4. Petra Danasty (Knifes, Spears, Subweapons & Spells, side ability: wall jumping & faster speed) Also there'll be cooking in the game, Recipes for each food item can be found, Collect them to add to the Recipe Book, each one will temporialy increase stats for the remainder of the run & will go away once the charater perishes, Ingredients can be found in chests or are Enemy Drops, The cooking station will be at the base camp that is at the outside of the castle, you'll obiously have one Recipe & its the Honey Cake "A sweet cake thats made with... just take a guess!"

I'm starting to get over some weird sickness I've been dealing with for almost a month now and I've been super hungry lately (I was nauseous most of the time I was sick so I barely ate) but now that I'm starting to feel better I'm eating more and now that I'm eating more my body is getting used to having food in it again, and now that that's happening I'm hungry almost all day but especially at night since I don't eat food in my room, and I normally watch your videos to relax before I go to sleep so your videos have been making me extra hungry 🤣

I have to tell you I love watching your show. I watch it because I learned about American history and cooking. I am not an American but it’s so wonderful to learn about the country I love. ❤ thank you. I watch your show every night as I’m cooking dinner 😇 you &I cook together ✝️🙏❤️

I just love Mish Mish so much. She's the cutest cat I know and the sweetest

Ron’s face eating the orange was epic! It was the first time he had ever had a orange😂😂😂 you guys are awesome! Maybe a baby soon

Another great video, I liked it a lot. The Honey cakes look good. Keep up the good work!!!

Looks oh so yummy. gregg B. from West Virginia.

I am watching this now. I want to say how much I love watching your videos and taking the energy and time to make them. They make me feel wonderful. There is so much good to say, if I said it all I would miss all your video. Thank you so much!

I have been watching your videos now since you began at the manor house! They are such a source of relaxation for me on Wednesdays! Honestly! Just getting around to seeing this today though.❤🎉

Beautiful, as always! Those look amazing! I think Ron approves! 😁💜

I’ve only just discovered your channel and I’m hooked.

I made these yesterday evening and my whole family loved them, eventhough indeed the cakes are really dense. Can't wait to try something else from your channel!

Beautiful !! Looks so good !!

Did not start watching the food preparation but I know honey cakes are fantastically delicious!

Seeing Mish Mish makes it 10 times better she's just so cute!