Here is the Hummingbird cake I’ll be making tomorrow for Ray’s 58th birthday. He requested this one and I went to the store today to buy bananas, pecans, flour and crushed pineapple, the ingredients I didn’t have at home.
Ray has a serious sweet tooth and this should be just the cake to satisfy it. The combination of the maple sugar, the bananas, the crushed pineapple and the pecans create such a delectable taste, it’s tough to beat. The cream cheese frosting adds just the right amount of richness.
Also, I ordered Ray two pairs of jeans and three new sweaters to add to his rather small wardrobe. He seems to be happy knowing that he’ll have a few new duds coming soon.
I have included the recipe for the hummingbird cake below. This one is the original with my notes included should you decide to substitute maple sugar and honey for white sugar. Either way, you will not be disappointed.
Here’s to the birthday boy.
Hummingbird Cake
Ingredients
Cake Batter
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (or walnuts) 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar (or 1 3/4 cups maple sugar and 1/4 cup honey) 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 3/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large) 1 (8-oz.) can crushed pineapple (do not drain) 3/4 cup canola oil (or coconut oil) 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Glaze
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed and softened 2 cups sifted powdered sugar (or 1/4 cup honey) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 to 2 Tbsp. milk
Preparation
1. Prepare Cake Batter: Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. 2. Stir together flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in eggs and next 4 ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Sprinkle 1 cup toasted pecans into a greased and floured 14-cup Bundt pan. Spoon batter over pecans. 3. Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 2 hours). 4. Prepare Glaze: Process cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 Tbsp. milk in a food processor until well blended. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. milk, 1 tsp. at a time, processing until smooth. Immediately pour glaze over cooled cake, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup toasted pecans.
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