Hummingbird Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray and flour three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans, tapping out excess flour; set aside.
• Prepare the cake; in a large bowl, stir to combine self-rising flour, sugar, oil, pecans, bananas, pineapple, vanilla, cinnamon, and eggs.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertips, 26 to 28 minutes.
• Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire rack. Re-invert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.
• Prepare the frosting; in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk on medium speed until frosting is smooth. If needed, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to achieve the proper spreading consistency.
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level. Place four strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate or lazy Susan. Place the first layer on the cake plate. Spread the top of the first layer with 1/4 of the frosting. Place the second layer on top and repeat process with another 1/4 of the frosting. Place the remaining layer on top of the second layer bottom side up. Spread entire cake with remaining frosting. Sprinkle the top with pecans. Remove parchment paper strips; refrigerate until ready to serve.

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and coat the insides lightly with flour, knocking excess out.
• Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl.
• Beat together the granulated sugar, oil, coconut flakes, vanilla, eggs, bananas and crushed pineapples in a separate medium bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Fold in the pecans.
• Divide the batter among the prepared cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or the cakes bounce back when lightly pressed with a finger, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before removing from the pans and cooling completely on a wire rack. Once completely cooled, level the tops using a serrated knife.
• For the buttermilk frosting: In the meantime, beat the butter in a stand mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time, beating after each addition until smooth and fluffy. Add the buttermilk, vanilla and salt and beat just to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Use the buttermilk frosting to assemble the cake and decorate with dried pineapple rings and coconut chips.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the bananas, oil, eggs, pineapple and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon; gradually beat into banana mixture until blended. Stir in walnuts. , Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the shortening, butter, lemon zest and salt until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar alternately with pineapple juice. Beat in cream. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. If desired, sprinkle with walnuts.

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust with flour.
• Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant and toasted, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then roughly chop. Toss with the bananas, pineapple and 1/2 cup flour in a small bowl.
• Whisk the remaining 2 1/4 cups flour, the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Beat the eggs and granulated sugar in a separate bowl with a mixer on high speed until thick and light, 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the vegetable oil.
• Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg mixture, then gently fold to make a thick batter. Fold in the pecan-fruit mixture, then transfer the batter to the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are firm and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool in the pans on a rack, 25 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer until fluffy, then gradually beat in the butter until combined. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
• Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread about half of the frosting on top, then cover with the other cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
• Photograh by Stephanie Foley

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
• Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the oil, eggs, pineapple, bananas and nuts. Add flour mixture, and mix together by hand.
• Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in center of each pan comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool on racks.
• Prepare the frosting by blending together the cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Evenly spread frosting on middle, sides and top of cake.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Butter two 9 × 2-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Butter the paper, and dust the pans with flour, tapping out any excess. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the oil, vanilla, and sugar until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Beat at medium speed until the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the banana, pineapple, walnuts, and coconut. Add to the egg mixture; stir until well combined. Add the flour mixture; blend well.
• Divide the batter between the pans. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Transfer the pans to a greased wire rack. Let cool 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen. Invert onto the rack; reinvert, top side up. Cool completely. Assemble the cake, or wrap each layer well and freeze (thaw before using).
• With a serrated knife, trim and discard the rounded top off one layer. Place the layer on a serving platter. Using an offset spatula, spread the top of the layer with 1/4 inch frosting. Top with the untrimmed layer. Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Decorate with pineapple flowers, if desired. Serve at room temperature. (The cake can be refrigerated up to 3 days.)
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and vanilla until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the butter, beating until incorporated.
• Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the sugar, beating until incorporated. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Preheat the oven to 225°F. Line 2 baking sheets with Silpats (French nonstick baking mats) or parchment paper.
• Peel the pineapples. Using a small melon baller, remove and discard the eyes. Slice the pineapple very thinly; place the slices on the baking sheets. Cook until the tops look dried, about 30 minutes. Flip the slices; cook until completely dried, 25 to 30 minutes more. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days.
• The thinner you cut the pineapple slices, the faster they will dry-and the brighter their yellow core will be. When the pineapple core dries, it resembles the center of a flower.

Steps:

• Combine first five 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.
• Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9" round cakepans.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 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.
• Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top.
• Store in refridgerator.
• Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed, with an elelctric mixer until smooth.
• Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Yield: 3 cups.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease and flour 1 (10-inch) bundt pan, 2 (8x4x2-inch) loaf pans, or 3 (8 inch) layer cake pans. Set aside.
• Using wire whisk, stir together dry ingredients to simulate sifting. Set aside.
• Break eggs into large mixing bowl. Beat until thick and lemon-colored.
• Add all other cake ingredients (oil, pineapple, nuts, banana, and vanilla) Mix well.
• Gently stir in reserved flour mixture. Mix only until lumps are gone and dry ingredients are moistened.
• Pour into greased and floured pan(s).
• Place pan(s) on center shelf of oven.
• Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean (about 1 hour for bundt pan, 50 minutes for loaf pans, or 25-30 minutes for layer cake pans).
• Place pan(s) on wire rack for 10 minutes.
• Invert cake onto rack and allow to cool completely.
• For frosting, blend together the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
• Frost top of cake with cream cheese frosting.
• This freezes well.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• To make the cake, position racks in the center and bottom third of the oven. Lightly butter two 9-inch round cake pans; sprinkle lightly with flour and tap out the excess.
• Sift the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, stir or whisk the bananas, pineapple, oil, eggs and 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla until combined. Pour into the dry mixture and fold together with a large spatula just until smooth. Do not beat. Fold in the pecans. Spread evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
• Bake until the cakes are done, testing with a toothpick, 30 -35 min. Transfer the cakes to wire racks and cool for 10 min. Invert the cakes onto the racks, turn right sides up and cool completely.
• To make the icing, place the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer on high speed until combined. On low speed, gradually beat in the powdered sugar and remaining 1 tsp. vanilla to make a smooth icing.
• Place 1 cake layer, upside down, on a serving platter. Spread with about 2/3 cup of the icing. Top with the second cake layer, right side up. Spread remaining icing over the top and sides of the cake.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil two 20cm, loose-bottomed cake tins and line the bottom of each one with baking parchment.
• Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl, and add 1/2 tsp salt and the baking powder. Stir through the sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and a very good grating of nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk the mashed bananas through the eggs and oil until well combined. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and tip in the wet mixture. Fold everything together until combined, then mix through the pineapple and pecans. Spoon the mixture into the tins and bake in the centre of the oven for 35-45 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for about 10 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool down completely.
• Meanwhile, put the soft cheese, softened butter, honey and sugar into a mixing bowl and beat together until just combined. Try not to overbeat the mixture or it will become too soft and runny. Chill for 30 mins in the fridge before using.
• Put one of the cakes on a serving plate and spread with half the icing. Top with the other cake and smooth over the remaining icing. Finish with shavings of orange zest, edible flowers and dried pineapple rings, if you like. Will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.