Every great adventure deserves a grand celebration, and what better way to honor Bilbo Baggins’ eleventy-first birthday than with a cake fit for the Shire! Inspired by the hobbits’ love of simple pleasures, this Bilbo Baggins Birthday Cake combines rustic charm with a touch of magic.
Whether you’re throwing a party that could rival the festivities of Bag End or just indulging your inner hobbit, this cake is a sweet tribute to Tolkien’s world.
Ready your appetite, because this cake is sure to make even Gandalf stick around for a second slice!
The recipe for this Lord of the Rings cake uses a common baking technique called the creaming method.
The creaming method is a classic technique used in baking cakes to create a light and fluffy texture.
A Step-By-step Guide To The Creaming Method For Hobbit Cakes
1. Prepare Ingredients:
- Butter and Sugar: Ensure your butter is at room temperature. Measure out your sugar.
- Dry Ingredients: Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt (and other dry ingredients if needed).
- Wet Ingredients: Crack eggs into a bowl and measure out any liquid ingredients like milk, vanilla extract, or Greek yogurt.
2. Cream Butter and Sugar:
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat. Cream the mixture for about 3-5 minutes until it becomes pale, fluffy, and light in texture.
3. Add Eggs:
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This helps incorporate air and keeps the batter stable.
- If your mixture looks curdled, it’s normal, and will come together once you add dry ingredients.
4. Alternate Adding Dry and Wet Ingredients:
- Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add one-third of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Add half of the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated.
- Repeat, alternating dry and wet ingredients, ending with the final third of the dry ingredients.
- Be careful not to overmix; stop mixing as soon as the batter is smooth.
5. Prepare Cake Pans:
- Grease and line your cake pans (with parchment paper if possible). Preheat your oven according to the recipe.
6. Pour Batter into Pans:
- Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula if needed.
7. Bake:
- Bake the cakes according to your recipe’s instructions. Most cakes using the creaming method bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Cool the Cakes:
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes.
- Then, turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
9. Frost and Decorate:
- Once completely cooled, frost and decorate your amazing cake as desired! We used buttercream but you can use whipped cream, marshmallow fluff, or even fondant icing.
The creaming method is perfect for creating soft and tender cakes, with just the right crumb for special occasions or everyday treats!
Vanilla Bean Icing Recipe
Instructions:
- Cream the Butter:In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter on medium speed until it’s light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the Vanilla:Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean using the back of a knife. Add the vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract to the butter, mixing until well combined.
- Incorporate the Sugar:Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing on low speed. Once all the sugar is added, increase the speed to medium and continue to beat until smooth.
- Adjust Consistency:Add the heavy cream or milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. For thicker icing, use less liquid; for a more spreadable or pipeable texture, add more.
- Beat Until Fluffy:Once the desired consistency is reached, beat the icing for an additional 2-3 minutes on high speed until it’s light and fluffy.
- Taste and Adjust:Taste the icing and add a pinch of salt if needed to cut the sweetness.
This vanilla bean icing is rich, buttery, and infused with the specks and flavor of real vanilla bean, making it perfect for elegant desserts or classic treats!
If you enjoyed this recipe we have more fantasy recipes to share including more from middle earth! Check out our category for Fantasy Recipes! And don’t miss these Lord Of The Ring’s Dragon Eggs!
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Bilbo's 111th Birthday Hobbit Cake Recipe From Lord Of The Rings
This Bilbo Baggins Birthday Cake is inspired by the cozy, rustic charm of the Shire and the simple yet hearty delights hobbits adore. With layers of fluffy vanilla cake, rich vanilla bean icing, and a touch of whimsy in the decorations, this cake captures the magic and warmth of a celebration at Bag End. Whether you’re a Tolkien fan or simply craving a taste of Middle-earth, this cake is perfect for bringing a slice of the Shire to your table.
Ingredients
Cake Mixture
- 175 g salted butter, room temperature
- 175 g sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 3 eggs, whisked well
- 250 g cake flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 150mL greek yogurt
Vanilla Bean Icing** (See Note)
- 2 sticks butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- The contents of one scraped vanilla bean, or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- Pinch salt
- 1-2 tablespoons cream or milk for thinning/adjusting consistency
Extras
- You will also need 2 8-inch circular cake pans, buttered
- Toppings- Fresh sliced strawberries, raspberries, or sprinkles and candles if you wish
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 ° F.
For The Cake:
In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the softened butter and sugar and beat on low for 2 minutes until the sugar is creamed into the butter. Add in the whisked eggs and mix for 1 minute. Add in the vanilla bean paste.
Add the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl and whisk until well combined.
Turn the standing mixer to low and add in the flour mixture in 2-3 steps, alternating with the Greek yogurt, until both are added to the creamed sugar and butter.
When you feel that it is fully incorporated and mixed in well, stop and using a spatula, scrape the bottom of the bowl of the standing mixture. Replace the bowl and mix for an additional 1 minute.
Pour the cake batter into the 2 greased 8-inch pans and smooth the top.
Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes. Remove and cool on a cooling rack. To release the cakes from the pan run a knife around the outside of the pans and flip them over. They should pop right out.
(I sliced the rounded mound off each of my cakes with a serrated knife, so I could work with a flat surface.)
For The Icing:
Clean the large bowl of the standing mixer and dry well with paper towels. Add all of the icing ingredients and beat on low until the ingredients are incorporated. Turn the speed up to medium and beat for 1-2 minutes to incorporate some air, giving the icing a nice fluffy texture.
Place the icing in a piping bag, or even in a large zip lock baggie, pipe several circles of icing atop one cake, and smooth that down. Place the other cake atop it to create the layers. One tip is to flip the cake so that the bottom (which was touching the bottom of the cake pan) is the top so you get a perfectly flat surface as the top of your cake.
To ice the cake we created a crumb layer, by piping out icing on the top of the cake, gradually coming down on the sides, and smoothing with an offset spatula. Refrigerate the cake for 10 minutes to allow this crumb layer to harden a bit which holds the crumb stiff while you do additional layers of frosting for a smooth finish.
After 10 minutes add another layer of icing to get a smooth top and sides. Decorate the cake as you like and add a fun garnish like sliced strawberries or sprinkles.
Notes
You may need to double or even triple the amount of icing you make, depending on the design you are going for.
To make the icing stiffer for piping rosettes, add more powdered sugar to the 2 sticks of butter, or omit the milk/cream. For a smoother icing, create the icing recipe as written.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 733Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 158mgSodium: 551mgCarbohydrates: 92gFiber: 1gSugar: 69gProtein: 7g
This nutritional information is provided as a courtesy as an estimate only. Consult with a dietician for precise estimates. This website makes no claims that the nutritional values listed are accurate.