Hummingbird Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe is from several similar ones, adapted  to make a slightly smaller cake.  It’s still a big, rich, delicious dessert.  I first baked the cake in the early 1980s when my mother came to the house for lunch.  It was one of her favorites and although I consider it more of a “girlie” cake, my husband also loved it.

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

• Servings: 8-12
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• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ½  cup vegetable oil (canola)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 cup crushed pineapple, undrained
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup mashed banana

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan

NOTE:  DO NOT USE ELECTRIC MIXER TO MAKE CAKE

Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, soda and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.

Add beaten  eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are just moistened.

Stir in vanilla, pineapple, pecans and banana.

Spoon into prepared pan – batter will be quite thick.

Bake @ 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until cake tests done when a tester is inserted in the center.  Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan to cool on wire rack.

If some of the cake sticks to the pan, just pull it off and stick it on the cake – it will be covered by frosting.  Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting for Hummingbird Cake:

• 4 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter (not margarine), softened
• 2 cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Beat the cream cheese and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add confectioners’ sugar gradually and beat until smooth.  Add vanilla.  Stir in chopped pecans.

Frost cake.  I just did a rustic layer of frosting on the top and slightly over the sides.

Servings:  8-12.  This cake is very moist and sweet – a small slice is satisfying, but who can resist a big slab?