Let's Eat : Hummingbird Cake

This is the first in a planned series of "Let's Eat" posts. Cooking is the hobby I get to do most often (usually daily) and I'd like to share some of my favorite recipes, where they came from and why I like them. I hope you'll try them yourself!

 

Sometimes the old tried-and-true recipes are just the best. There's a reason why they keep getting published in magazines and served over and over at family events. This is one of those recipes, and it's absolutely delicious -- fortunately, it's not hard to make and uses common ingredients. Southern Living magazine first published this recipe in 1978.

 

I baked a Hummingbird Cake last weekend for my Dad's birthday celebration, and everyone loved it. There's cinnamon, bananas, and pineapple (don't worry, no actual hummingbirds are harmed in the baking of this dessert), baked in three layers and covered in a simple cream-cheese frosting. 
 

Not fancy, but who cares?

Why is it called Hummingbird Cake? I have no idea, and apparently neither does anyone else (googling brought up a lot of non-answers). No matter; it's a charming name and the cake is absolutely worth making, for a special occasion or for the special people in your life! 



My dad is trying to sneak the first bite...busted!!



Hummingbird Cake (from Southern Living magazine, and there's a printable version online at MyRecipes.com -- my own comments are in blue)

Ingredients:

· 3 cups all-purpose flour [I subbed 1 cup white whole wheat for 1 cup AP]

· 1 teaspoon baking soda

· 1 teaspoon [kosher] salt

· 2 cups sugar

· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

· 3 large eggs, beaten

· 1 cup vegetable oil [I used canola]

· 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

· 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained

· 1 cup chopped pecans

· 2 cups chopped bananas 

· 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened [I used light cream cheese]

· 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

· 1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted

· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract [or vanilla bean paste, if you have it!]

· 1/2 cup [coarsely] chopped pecans 

Directions:

1.    Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring [by hand] just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1 cup pecans, and bananas.

2.    Pour batter into three greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. 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.    Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.

4.    Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top. Store in refrigerator.

 

[Note: If you're not into frosting cakes, this can also be baked as a bundt cake, and you'll find that recipe -- with cream cheese glaze -- on myrecipes.com. I haven't tried it as cupcakes, but that should work too, just baked for a shorter time.]

 

 Now that I think of it, there's one last piece in the back of the fridge...

and I hear it calling my name.