Jamaican Hummingbird Cake Food

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 RECIPE

Steps:

• Prepare the Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, bananas, and toasted pecans.
• Divide batter evenly among 3 well-greased (with shortening) and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
• Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Assemble Cake: Place first cake layer on a serving platter; spread top with 1 cup of the frosting. Top with second layer, and spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with third layer, and spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange pecan halves on top of cake in a circular pattern.

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Spray 3 (8-inch) or 2 (9-inch) cake pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar. In a large bowl, combine eggs, canola oil, vanilla, bananas, pineapple, and 1 cup walnuts. Add flour mixture and mix by hand until all ingredients are well-combined. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pan on wire racks for 10 minutes. Invert cake layers and remove parchment paper; place on racks to cool completely, right side up.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt on low setting until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and continue to mix for 4-5 minutes until creamy and light. Add vanilla and mix on high speed an additional minute. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
• Place 1 cake layer on a cake board or cake serving plate and cover top with frosting; repeat with second and third layers. Spread remaining frosting around the sides of the cake. Finish the top with the remaining walnuts.

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
• Grease and line two 23cm round cake tins.
• Sift the flour and cinnamon into a mixing bowl, then add the sugar and a large pinch of sea salt.
• Peel the bananas and mash them up with a fork in another bowl. Drain and finely chop the pineapple and add to the bananas with the oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until combined, then fold into the dry mixture until smooth.
• Finely chop the pecans and gently fold in, then divide the batter evenly between your prepared tins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until risen, golden and the sponges spring back when touched lightly in the centre.
• Run a knife around the edge of the tins, then leave to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, to make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a free-standing electric mixer, add the butter and beat until pale and creamy.
• Add the cream cheese, finely grate in the zest of 1 lime and add a squeeze of juice, then beat until just smooth - it's really important not to over-mix it. Keep in the fridge until needed.
• To make a brittle topping, place the caster sugar and a splash of water in a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Shake flat and don't stir it, just swirl the pan occasionally until dissolved and lightly golden.
• Add the pecans and a pinch of salt, spoon around to coat, and when nicely golden, pour onto a sheet of oiled greaseproof paper to set (check out the how-to video below).
• Once cool, smash up to a dust (you'll need about half to top the cake - save the rest for sprinkling over ice cream.
• To assemble the cake, place one sponge on a cake stand and spread with half the icing. Top with the other sponge, spread over the rest of the icing, then grate over the zest of the remaining lime.
• Scatter over the brittle dust and decorate with a few edible flowers, such as violas, borage or herb flowers, if you feel that way inclined.
• With a cup of tea on the side, this will make everyone who eats it extremely happy. Serve in a bluebell wood on a fallen tree, as you do.

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the bananas, oil, eggs, pineapple and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon; gradually beat into banana mixture until blended. Stir in walnuts. , Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the shortening, butter, lemon zest and salt until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar alternately with pineapple juice. Beat in cream. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. If desired, sprinkle with walnuts.