Hummingbird Cake

Pineapple Parakeet Hummingbird Cake

When my Lauren was little, she used to like to go to her grandma's and help Nama bake. She liked to wear the pink apron that had been made by Nama's granny.

Lauren was horrified when Nama said they were making Hummingbird Cake. Nama explained that hummingbird wasn't actually an ingredient, they'd be using mashed bananas and pineapple.  Lauren replied that if the cake was only named after a bird, a better name would be Parakeet Cake, since her yellow pet budgie's name was Pineapple.

Nama's recipe uses a Bundt pan and is good as it is. Other versions of Hummingbird cake are drizzled with an icing, this one is not. My mom never really liked the icing on a cake. She wouldn't make the extravagant cream cheese frosted layer cake version that follows, but try it for a special occasion, like a tea party in celebration of your parakeet's birthday.

• 3-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 c. white granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups vegetable oil OR 1/2 cup milk and 1 c. vegetable oil
• 2 cups peeled & mashed ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts OR pecans
• 3 large eggs
• 1 8 oz. can well-drained, crushed pineapple

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan or 2 loaf pans.
3. Sift together the dry ingredients.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the vanilla, oil, bananas and beaten eggs with a large wooden spoon. Add the dry ingredients gradually to the wet ingredients. Mix. 
5. Add the drained, crushed pineapple and walnuts. Mix.
6. Turn batter into a prepared pan(s).
7. Bake at 300 degrees in Bundt/Tube pan for 1-1/2 hours or in 2 loaf pans for 1 hour.
8. Cake is baked when it pulls away from sides of pan and top is cracked slightly.
9. Remove from oven and let cool in pan(s) at least 1 hr. before slicing.

Hummingbird Layer Cake

This cake is also known as Doctor Bird Cake because it's named after Jamaica's national bird, the hummingbird. The Jamaica Tourist Board printed the recipe in a press kit as a tourist promotion in 1968 and was Southern Living magazine's most requested recipe after they printed it. Bakery owner Cheryl Day included it in her Treasury of Southern Baking.

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups white granulated sugar
• 1-1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 5 large)
• 1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple OR 1 8-ounce (227 g) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/4 cup whole milk + 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (milk soak)
• 1 recipe cream cheese frosting

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter two 9x2 inch round cake pans, line bottom with parchment paper and butter it as well. Lightly dust pans with flour, tapping pans on counter to shake out excess.
3. In a large mixing bowl sift together: 3 cups flour and 1 tsp each: baking soda, cinnamon, salt. Set aside.
4. In stand mixer bowl with paddle attachment (or with hand mixer) beat 2 cups sugar + 1-1/4 cups oil till smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Beat 2 more minutes until egg mixture is light and fluffy.
7. Mix in just until incorporated: 2 tsp vanilla, 2 cups mashed bananas, pineapple.
8. On low speed, add the flour mixture in thirds, stopping to scrape down the sides, beating just until combined. Remove bowl from mixer stand and stir to make sure flour is incorporated at the bottom of the bowl.
9. Fold in 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
10. Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Smooth tops of batter with a spatula. Tap pans firmly on countertop to remove air bubbles from the batter.
11. Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven 30-40  minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of a cake layer comes out clean.
12. Cool cake in pans on a wire rack 20 minutes.
13. Invert cake onto another rack, peel off parchment paper, turn right side up, and let cake layers cool completely on racks.
14. Make cream cheese frosting then assemble cake (see below).

Cream Cheese Frosting

This frosting can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 5 days but bring to room temperature before using to frost a cake.

• 5/8 cup (142 g or 1-1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
• Two 8 oz (227 g) packages cream cheese
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 5-6 cups (625-750 g) icing (confectioner's) sugar

1. While cold, measure and cut the butter, cut into chunks, leave on plate or parchment paper on counter to come to room temperature.
2. Cut cold cream cheese into chunks and set on counter to come to room temperature.
3. Using the paddle attachment of stand mixer (or hand mixer) beat the butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt on medium speed until smooth and creamy (3-5 minutes.)
4. Gradually add 5 cups icing sugar, beating until thoroughly incorporated.
5. Continue to beat, (add up to 1 cup more sugar if needed, if frosting seems thin) until frosting is light and fluffy 4-6 minutes.

Cake Assembly:

1. Level the top of 1 layer with a sharp serrated knife or cake leveller, so that it is flat. Place it cut side up on a serving plate.
2. Slide strips of parchment paper under the cake to keep the plate clean while you frost it.
3. Brush the top of the layer with milk soak (1/4 cup milk + 1 tsp vanilla mixed well).
4. Using a straight spatula or butter knife, spread the layer with a large dollop of frosting.
5. Place second cake layer on top, right side u p, and frost the top and sides of the cake with remaining frosting.
6. Decorate sides of the cake with 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
7. Store cake covered in the fridge up to 3 days but bring to room temperature before serving.