Hummingbird Cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Yield: 1 (3 layer) cake

Hummingbird cake is a Southern specialty with banana, pineapple and pecans enrobed in a cinnamon-spiced cake topped with cream cheese.

Ingredients

3 tablespoon butter
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pans
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (like McCormick roasted cinnamon)
1 teaspoon ground ginger (like McCormick roasted ginger)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 + 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple with juices (unsweetened)
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 5 bananas)
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup sour cream (not fat-free)
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:
8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
16 ounce bag confectioners' sugar, sifted
coconut flakes or chopped nuts, for garnishing the top

Instructions

Heat oven to 350° F. Line the bottoms of three 9" round cake pans with parchment paper (or 2 pans and line a 6 cup muffin pan with paper liners for cupcakes). Grease each pan with butter and dust with flour, tap out excess.

In a large bowl sift the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt together. Stir in the pecans and set aside.

In a a separate large mixing bowl beat the sugar, brown sugar, and eggs together on high speed until smooth. Add the pineapple and juice, bananas, oil, sour cream and vanilla; mix until combined. Add the flour/pecan mixture and mix on low speed until evenly combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.

Bake about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center.
Transfer cakes to wire racks and let sit for 15 minutes then turn out each cake and allow to cool.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter and cream cheese together on low speed 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add the confectioners' sugar a cup or two at a time mixing on low speed until all of it is incorporated. Beat on medium speed 5-6 minutes until light and fluffy.

Frost cake and sprinkle with coconut flakes or chopped nuts.