Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake

This past week, I had the opportunity to get together with one of my great friends and bake. This is one of both of our favorite past times and she was a major influence in my new blogger life. We spent the afternoon together chatting, baking and of course drinking some good wine.  My friend R blogs at William's Kitchen  Make sure you check her out. She is a bit of an outdoor lover and specializes in picnic foods and camping fare. She is a "down-to-earth" girl in both her demeanor and her rustic cooking skills.

The recipe of choice was a Hummingbird bundt cake. It was a mixture of fruit, nuts and of course topped with cream cheese icing. It is a southern classic that I have seen on menus during many of my trips to the Charleston, SC area. As you all know, I am not a southerner by heritage but I have been here now for 13 years and have really embraced the southern culture and of course southern food. I have learned from the locals here how to fry okra, slow cook grits and how to make low country boil. Oh, and of course, how to enjoy a bourbon while sitting on the back porch on a hot Saturday afternoon. Now, I can officially say I have made a southern Hummingbird cake.  Does that make me a southerner? Who knows, but everything about this cake is delectable.

Hummingbird Cake

Pecans pecans...

This cake is more of a breakfast fare. Almost quick bread or muffin like. It is great with a cup of coffee and the Sunday paper. If you would like, coconut would be the perfect addition.

Ingredients

Cake:
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, toasted (divided)
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
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 bananas)
8 ounces crushed pineapple (undrained)
3/4 cup canola oil
1  1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Glaze:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons milk

Directions
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a bundt pan and spread 1 cup toasted pecan in bottom of pan.
Stir together flour, sugar  and baking soda. Add cinnamon and salt. Mix in the eggs one at a time. Add bananas, pineapple oil and vanilla. Do not over mix. Mix just until ingredients are incorporated. Pour batter into pan on top of pecans.
Bake for 60-70 minute or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for about 10 minute. Transfer cake to wire rack and allow to cool completely before icing.

For Glaze:
 Beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and 1 Tbsp milk until well blended. Continue mixing and add a tsp of milk at a time until mixture is smooth and pourable. Pour glaze over cooled cake and sprinkle with pecans.

A fork full of southern hospitality.

Recipe from Bake or Break.
Pictures taken by R of William's Kitchen