Hummingbird Cake

Happy birthday to my little sister!  On Saturday, Anna turned 25.  We celebrated by going to Marie Catrib’s (http://mariecatribs.com/) for some delicious sandwiches and spreads, going to see The Artist (blew my expectations away) and eating a big slice of Hummingbird Cake.

I have had Hummingbird Cake twice:  once at Marie Catrib’s and once at Carrie’s a few weekends ago. Both blew me away and after some convincing, Anna agreed to let Hummingbird Cake be her special birthday cake this year.  I am so glad she did!

Many of the recipes out there call for pecans in the cake and on top but I made a female (no nuts!) version and topped it with unsweetened flaked coconut instead.  I love the look of coconut on a cake–it makes it look like a dreamy snowball.

I made my cake with a combination of a recipe from Carrie and a recipe from Southern Living.  I wish I would have stuck more to Carrie’s recipe because it had more pineapple–my cake had a stronger banana presence than hers.  Oh well, now I have a good excuse to experiment and make this again with more pineapple.  Regardless, the results were great and my sister was a happy birthday girl that night.

Here is the Southern Living recipe–try adding more pineapple and reducing some of the banana for what I think would be a perfect balance!

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3  large eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1  (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
  • 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
  • 2 cups chopped bananas
  • Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional–I used unsweetened flaked coconut instead)

  1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not beat.) Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1 cup pecans, and bananas.
  2. Pour batter into three greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
  3. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top. Store in refrigerator.
  4. Break out the ice cream and enjoy!

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