Walnut Hummingbird Cake Food

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 CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
• Add the pineapples and bananas to a medium bowl. Mash together with the back of a fork and set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a separate medium bowl.
• Add the butter and the sugar to a large bowl. Beat with a hand-held mixer until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs , one at a time, and then the vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients into the wet by scoopfuls and beat until thoroughly combined. Beat in the pineapple and bananas, being careful not to over-mix. Fold in the pecans. Use an ice cream scoop to fill each tin three-quarters way full.
• Bake until the tops turn golden brown and when a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the oven to a wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.
• Frost the cupcakes with the Cream Cheese Frosting once cool.
• Add the butter and cream cheese to a large bowl and beat together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until smooth and light.

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

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
• Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the oil, eggs, pineapple, bananas and nuts. Add flour mixture, and mix together by hand.
• Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in center of each pan comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool on racks.
• Prepare the frosting by blending together the cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Evenly spread frosting on middle, sides and top of cake.

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.

WALNUT HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F Butter and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. Cover the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper or waxed paper, cut to fit, pressing the paper snugly over the bottom of the pan.
• Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt, then sift them together into a bowl or on to a large sheet of waxed paper; set aside.
• Put the granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, and stir vigorously until smoothly blended with the sugar. When the eggs and sugars are blended, whisk in the oil and vanilla. Add the flour mixture all at once and stir just until moistened and the ingredients are evenly combined. Do not beat. Add the pineapple, banana, and walnuts, and stir just until blended.
• Divide the batter among the three prepared cake pans, spreading it evenly. After filling the pans, give each one a bang on the countertop, to dislodge any air bubbles in the batter. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when pressed gently with your finger and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of a layer comes out clean.
• Cool in the pans for 5 minutes, and then turn the layers out onto cooling racks to cool completely before frosting. If the parchment or waxed paper has clung to the layers, peel it off.
• To make the frosting, you will need an electric mixer, preferably a freestanding one, although a powerful hand-held mixer will work. Cut the butter into 2-inch pieces and put in a large bowl of the mixer. Start slowly, gradually increasing the speed, and beat the chilled butter on medium speed until it becomes malleable, yet still cool, about 3 or 4 minutes. Cut the cream cheese into 2-inch pieces also, add to the butter, and continue to mix until smooth and thoroughly blended. Add the vanilla, then slowly add the confectioners' sugar and mix until blended. Increase speed slightly and continue mixing for 2-3 minutes, until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. By hand, fold in the walnuts.
• To assemble the cake, place one of the layers, bottom side up, on a plate. Spread with about 2/3 cup of frosting. Top with a second layer, bottom side down, and spread with an equal amount of frosting. Set the third layer, top side up, over the others. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Store the frosted cake at a cool but not refrigerated area until serving.

MOTHER'S WALNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter, shortening and granulated sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and vanilla. Beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in ground walnuts. , Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter. Add confectioners' sugar; mix well. Beat in vanilla until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over the top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with walnuts. Refrigerate.

GLUTEN FREE HUMMINGBIRD BREAD

Steps:

• Set Oven to 350°F Lightly oil a 9" X 5" loaf pan.
• Place coconut oil, brown sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla in a mixer and beat for 1-2 minutes. Add baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and gluten free flour. Beat on low speed until all ingredients are incorporated. Add bananas, coconut, and pineapple and mix on low until well dispersed.
• Bake 45-50 minutes until lightly browned and toothpick inserted into the bread comes out clean.
• Allow to cool before icing (if desired).
• To make icing, beat cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar together until smooth (3-5 minutes). Spread icing on top of loaf and top with toasted coconut. Enjoy.