Thank you for your quick response! I could have sworn that I tried the bowl with the mushroom log…I obviously didn’t or it would have worked! I also was able to get King’s note. I had a feeling I was just being impatient with that one…!
Unfortunately I ran into the same cave bug when I restarted…Now I have 2 extra ember hearts:
I wasn’t in the caves when I saved and quit. I was near the beach campfire both times. Not sure if that might help but worth mentioning.