Sweet Hummingbird (Printable Version)

A moist cake from the South, filled with pineapple, banana, and pecans, and topped with creamy frosting. Just right for celebrations or indulgent moments.

# Ingredients:

→ For the hummingbird cake

01 - 325g (2 1/2 cups) plain flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
06 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
07 - 120ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil
08 - 112g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
09 - 225g (1 cup) tightly packed brown sugar
10 - 104g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
11 - 3 eggs, large
12 - 1 egg white, large
13 - 1 teaspoon extract of vanilla
14 - Mash 4-5 overripe bananas to make 1 3/4 cups
15 - One cup of finely crushed and drained canned pineapple (from two 8 oz cans)
16 - 107g (1 cup) toasted and chopped pecans

→ For the cream cheese frosting

17 - 452g (16 oz) cream cheese at room temperature
18 - 10 cups (1150g) powdered sugar
19 - 172g (3/4 cup) softened butter
20 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

# Steps:

01 - Put parchment circles in the base of three 8-inch cake pans and grease their sides. Get that oven set to 350°F (176°C).
02 - In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, salt, spices, baking powder, and baking soda. Keep it aside for later.
03 - Use a mixer to whip together the sugars, butter, oil, and vanilla until it’s nice and fluffy—takes around 2-3 minutes. Toss in the eggs one by one, then add the egg white last, and beat lightly after each addition.
04 - Add the dry mix (half of it first), then the mashed bananas, before combining the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix well between each step. Gently fold in the pineapple and pecans at the end.
05 - Split the batter equally into the pans and pop them into the oven for 27-30 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean when ready. Let them cool for a few minutes in the pans, then transfer to racks to continue cooling.
06 - Blend together the butter and cream cheese until smooth, then mix in half the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla next, followed by the rest of the powdered sugar.
07 - If the cake layers are domed, level them off first. Lay the first layer on a serving dish and spread on a cup of frosting. Repeat with the second layer and frosting, then top it with the third layer. Cover the outside with frosting and make a spiral design if you’d like. Decorate the edge with piped shells and sprinkle chopped pecans on top if you want.

# Notes:

01 - Keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
02 - Take it out about 2 hours early to let it warm up before eating.
03 - Be thorough when draining the pineapple to avoid too much liquid.
04 - Don’t rush creaming the butter and sugar! It’ll make a big difference.
05 - Mix gently to avoid overworking the batter.

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