Melt ½ cup (1 stick) of the butter. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter. Add the granulated sugar and ¼ cup of the honey and whisk until smooth.

Add the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and kosher salt. Fold until no streaks of flour remain, then fold in the corn kernels.

Cover the batter and refrigerate for 20 minutes to rest. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line and lightly oil a 9-inch round cake pan.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter with the remaining ½ cup honey until fully combined. Reserve ¼ cup of the honey butter for finishing.

Pour the remaining honey butter into the prepared pan. Arrange the sliced jalapeños evenly across the bottom of the pan.

Gently spoon the rested cornbread batter over the jalapeños, smoothing the top without disturbing the peppers.

Place the pan on a baking sheet to catch any overflow and bake for 40–45 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, then invert onto a plate or platter.

Brush with the reserved honey butter and finish with flaky salt before serving.