i wrote an article all about the hummingbird cake on food52! get it here & get the recipe below.
ingredients:
for the cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 1/4 cups raw sugar
- 1 1/4 cups canola oil
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup crushed pineapple
- 4 ripe bananas, mashed
- 3/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)
- 3/4 cup chopped raw pecans
for the frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar, or as desired
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 6ounces cream cheese
directions:
- preheat the oven to 325° F. grease two 8-inch circular cake pans. set aside.
- in a mixing bowl sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. set aside.
- in a separate mixing bowl using a wooden spoon, mix together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined.
- stir in the pineapple and bananas. add the coconut, if desired.
- add the sifted dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir until just combined. it is important to not over-mix this batter.
- stir in the pecans and evenly divide the batter between the two cake pans. bake until a toothpick comes out clean, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
- let the cakes cool completely before removing them from the pans and frosting (recipe below).
- in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
- once the sugar is well incorporated, add the cream cheese in chunks and mix until it is evenly combined. do not over-mix after adding the cream cheese as the frosting will become runny.
- frost cake as desired (I usually slice each cake in half length-wise, then frost each of the layers, then around the exterior) and enjoy!