Hummingbird Cake Cooks Illustrated Food

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and coat the insides lightly with flour, knocking excess out.
• Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl.
• Beat together the granulated sugar, oil, coconut flakes, vanilla, eggs, bananas and crushed pineapples in a separate medium bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Fold in the pecans.
• Divide the batter among the prepared cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or the cakes bounce back when lightly pressed with a finger, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before removing from the pans and cooling completely on a wire rack. Once completely cooled, level the tops using a serrated knife.
• For the buttermilk frosting: In the meantime, beat the butter in a stand mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time, beating after each addition until smooth and fluffy. Add the buttermilk, vanilla and salt and beat just to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Use the buttermilk frosting to assemble the cake and decorate with dried pineapple rings and coconut chips.

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease with butter and dust with flour three 9- or 10-inch round cake pans.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flours, sugar, salt, spices and baking soda.
• In a big bowl, whisk the oil, eggs, egg yolks, buttermilk, vanilla, pineapple and bananas really well.
• Add the flour mixture into the wet mixture and whisk gently until there are no lumps. Fold in 3/4 cup of the pecans.
• Divide the batter among the pans, scraping all the batter from the bowl with a rubber spatula. Bake for 35 to 50 minutes, depending on your oven. Be advised: This is a dense, moist cake and you'll be tempted to overbake it. Try not to. Once you start seeing color on top, keep pressing the top of the cake. When it's firm, it's done.
• Turn out the cake layers onto a wire rack and let them cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting and garnish with the remaining 3/4 cup pecans and--if you're feeling very Southern--sliced maraschino cherries. You can even brulee some pineapple slices for the top of the cake.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all the ingredients. Whip on low speed for a while. When the sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer speed up and beat until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl often.
• To spread, use the frosting at room temperature, but store it covered in the fridge. Rewhip cold frosting before using it.

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust with flour.
• Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant and toasted, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then roughly chop. Toss with the bananas, pineapple and 1/2 cup flour in a small bowl.
• Whisk the remaining 2 1/4 cups flour, the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Beat the eggs and granulated sugar in a separate bowl with a mixer on high speed until thick and light, 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the vegetable oil.
• Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg mixture, then gently fold to make a thick batter. Fold in the pecan-fruit mixture, then transfer the batter to the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are firm and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool in the pans on a rack, 25 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer until fluffy, then gradually beat in the butter until combined. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
• Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread about half of the frosting on top, then cover with the other cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
• Photograh by Stephanie Foley

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE (COOKS ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• 1) If using dried pineapple, soak in 1/4 cup rum or pineapple juice for a few hours or microwave for a minute 2) Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast chopped pecans until lightly browned. Set aside about 1/2 cup nuts to decorate the cake. Grease and flour three 9" round pans for the cake. 3) To make the cake: Beat the eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until foamy, about 2 minutes at medium-high speed. Add the mashed bananas. 4) In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and spices. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring to make a smooth batter. 5) Stir in the drained pineapple and 1 cup of the toasted pecans. 6) Add the coconut and dried pineapple (with any remaining rum), if you're using them. Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, spreading it to the edges. 7) Bake 32 to 38 minutes, until golden brown, and cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. 8) Remove the cakes from the oven, run a thin spatula around the edges of the pans, cool for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting. Frosting: Combine the butter, cream cheese, and salt in a medium-sized bowl, and beat together until light and fluffy. If using the xanthan gum, sift with confectioners' sugar. Add the sugar/xanthan gum gradually, beating well. Beat in pineapple juice a little at a time, until the frosting is the correct consistency for spreading. Use only a teaspoon or so if you're not using the xanthan gum; up to 2 tablespoons, if you are. Remember, it will firm a bit more when chilled. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Use a heaping 1/2 cup frosting between each layer; frost the top and sides with the remainder. Sprinkle with toasted nuts, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C fan forced.
• Drain pineapple keeping juice for icing.
• In a large mixing bowl beat egg whites and sugar for 1 minute using electric beater.
• Stir bicarb soda into apple sauce (it will froth) and add to bowl.
• Mix in mashed banana, walnuts, drained pineapple and mixed spice, blend ingredients together well.
• Gently fold flour into mixture in one go, DO NOT BEAT, as this will make the cake tough.
• Pour mixture into a round cake tin (19cm) that has been coated with cooking spray.
• Bake 35- 40 minutes or until firm to touch in the centre.
• Allow cake to sit for 5 minutes in tin before turning onto a wire rack to cool.
• Once cake has cooled, place all icing ingredients into a small mixing bowl, blend together until smooth.
• Spread over top of cake.
• In humid weather it is best to keep this cake refrigerated.

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease and flour 1 (10-inch) bundt pan, 2 (8x4x2-inch) loaf pans, or 3 (8 inch) layer cake pans. Set aside.
• Using wire whisk, stir together dry ingredients to simulate sifting. Set aside.
• Break eggs into large mixing bowl. Beat until thick and lemon-colored.
• Add all other cake ingredients (oil, pineapple, nuts, banana, and vanilla) Mix well.
• Gently stir in reserved flour mixture. Mix only until lumps are gone and dry ingredients are moistened.
• Pour into greased and floured pan(s).
• Place pan(s) on center shelf of oven.
• Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean (about 1 hour for bundt pan, 50 minutes for loaf pans, or 25-30 minutes for layer cake pans).
• Place pan(s) on wire rack for 10 minutes.
• Invert cake onto rack and allow to cool completely.
• For frosting, blend together the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
• Frost top of cake with cream cheese frosting.
• This freezes well.

TROPICAL HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• PLACE a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F; Lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans with solid vegetable shortening, then dust with flour; Shake out the excess flour; Set the pans aside.
• COMBINE the cake mix, pineapple with its juice, mashed bananas, water, oil, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large bowl; blend with an electric mixer until the batter is thick and the fruit well blended; divide the batter between the prepared pans.
• BAKE until the cakes are golden, 30- 35 minutes; remove the pans from the oven and place on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes; invert on to a plate and cool 30 minutes more; then place both cakes into your freezer (this will help in frosting) while you toast the nuts and prepare the frosting.
• TOAST the nuts in a preheated 350 F oven by spreading them in one layer on a baking pan; 4 to 5 minutes, or until you smell the pecans; 20 minutes for the hazelnuts; rub off the skins while the hazelnuts are still warm, don't be concerned if a little skin is left on them; Be careful not to burn your nuts.
• COMBINE the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl; blend with an electric mixer on low until combined; add the confectioners sugar a bit at a time, blending with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is well incorporated; add the vanilla and increase the speed to medium and blend until the frosting is fluffy; fold in the coconut, pecans and hazelnuts.
• FROST at once between the cake layers and the top and sides of the cake; place the frosted cake uncovered in the fridge until the frosting sets, about 20 minutes and then serve.
• STORE frosted cake in fridge.