35th Anniversary Hummingbird Cake

Over-ripe bananas (yellow peels splotched with brown flecks) are best for baking. You won't get the same depth of flavor or moistness without them.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups diced ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
• 3 large eggs, beaten 
• 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 (8-oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Cream Cheese Custard Filling
• Browned Butter Frosting

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in bananas and next 5 ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter into 4 greased and floured 9-inch square or round cake pans.

2. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

3. Spread Cream Cheese Custard Filling between layers. Spread Browned Butter Frosting on top and sides of cake. Chill 1 hour before serving. Store in refrigerator.

Southern Living APRIL 2013

Hummingbird Cake

This fruit-filled spice cake is topped with cream cheese frosting then decorated with chopped pecans.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2  cups sugar
• 1 1/2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1   teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1/4  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1  8  ounce can crushed pineapple (juice pack), drained
• 1/2  cup cooking oil
• 4   eggs, lightly beaten
• 1   teaspoon vanilla
• 1   cup chopped bananas
• 1   cup chunky-style applesauce
• 2/3  cup toasted, chopped walnuts
•  Cream Cheese Frosting (see recipe below)
• 1 1/2  cups toasted, chopped pecans
• 2   tablespoons toasted, finely chopped pecans (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1  8  ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2  cup butter, softened
• 1   teaspoon vanilla
• 5   cups powdered sugar, sifted

Directions:

1. Grease and lightly flour two 9x1-1/2-inch round cake pans; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add drained pineapple, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Stir in bananas, applesauce, and walnuts. Divide batter between prepared pans.

3. Bake in a 350 degree F oven about 35 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool cake layers on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool thoroughly on wire racks.

4. Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting; frost cake. Lightly press the 1-1/2 cups pecans into sides of cake. If you like, sprinkle the 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans on top of cake. Cover and store in the refrigerator. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting:

 

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream cheese, butter and vanilla with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth and of spreading consistency. Makes about 3-1/2 cups.

 

Source:  betterhomesandgardens.com

Mile-High White Chocolate Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake remains the most-requested Southern Living recipe of all time. The origin of the name is unknown, but its signature ingredients—mashed banana, pineapple, coconut and pecans—assure its continued popularity. Eight layers and a spoon-licking white chocolate-cream cheese frosting make this updated version more spectacular than the original. But it's easy as can be because of convenience products such as cake mix, instant pudding mix, and canned pineapple.

Ingredients:

• 1 (8-oz.) can crushed pineapple in juice
• 2 (18.25-oz.) packages white cake mix (we tested with Duncan Hines)
• 2 (3.4-oz) packages vanilla instant pudding mix
• 6 large eggs 
• 2 1/2 cups milk, divided 
• 2 cups canola oil 
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 (4-oz.) white chocolate baking bar, finely chopped (we tested with Ghirardelli)
• 1 cup flaked sweetened coconut
• 2 cups chopped pecans, toasted 
• 2 cups chopped banana (about 3 medium)
• White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
• Garnish: toasted pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Drain pineapple, reserving juice for another use. Squeeze pineapple well using several thicknesses of paper towels to remove excess moisture.
3. Combine cake mix and next 7 ingredients in an 8-qt. mixing bowl. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes; beat at medium speed 3 minutes. Fold in pineapple, white chocolate, and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into 4 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
4. Bake at 350° for 34 to 36 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely. Wrap and chill cake layers at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
5. Using a serrated knife, slice cake layers in half horizontally to make 8 layers. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on cake plate. Spread with 1/2 cup White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. Repeat procedure 6 times. Place final cake layer on top of cake, cut side down. Spread remaining frosting on top and sides of cake. Cover; chill in refrigerator overnight. Garnish, if desired. Store in refrigerator. 
6. Cover cake in an airtight container and freeze up to 1 month in advance. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before serving.

Note:

  To prepare a 4-layer White Chocolate Hummingbird Cake instead, use half of all ingredients in both cake and frosting recipes. Follow cake recipe as directed in Steps 1 through 4, except use only 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. In Step 5, slice the 2 cake layers in half horizontally to make 4 layers. Follow White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting recipe as directed except microwave white chocolate morsels in Step 1 for only 1 1/2 minutes. Assemble cake as directed. Both the 8- and 4-layer versions of this delicious cake slice best after they have chilled overnight.

Oxmoor House
MARCH 2008

Hummingbird Cake

Cake Ingredients:

3 Cups self-rising flour
2 Cups granulated sugar
3/4 Cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 very ripe large bananas – mashed
1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 large eggs, beaten

Icing Ingredients:

1 pound box confectioners’ sugar
8oz package cream cheese- room temp
6 tbs butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs milk, more if needed
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325*

Grease and flour three 8 inch round cake pans.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, oil, 1/2 cup pecans, bananas, pineapple, vanilla, cinnamon and beaten eggs. Stir well until smooth.

Pour batter into the 3 pans and bake for 26-28 min, or until tops spring back. Let cool in pans for 10 min. Then cool on racks completely.

Make the icing by mixing the sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla and 1 tbs milk in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Mix until smooth. If needed add more milk, 1 tsp at a time for proper spreading consistency.

Ice between each layer and on the top and sides.

Sprinkle the top with pecans.