Hummingbird Cake

I love baking. And I really love trying out new recipes to help develop what I like and what I don't and learning new techniques that I can apply in future recipes. This Hummingbird Cake recipe that I found on Pinterest was moist and tasty. It was also a big hit with my coworkers. I'm not sure I got as much out of this one as I have others, but sometimes that's ok too.

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsps vanilla extract
8 ounce can crushed pineapple
2 cups bananas, mashed (approximately 4 large or 6 medium-small bananas)
1 cup chopped pecans
Parchment paper to line bottom of the cake pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 3 9-inch round baking pans or a bundt pan. Place parchment paper in the bottom of each pan, if using rounds.

In a sifter over a large mixing bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Sift into the bowl. Set aside.

In a second large mixing bowl combine the granulated and brown sugar; stir to combine.

 

Add the eggs and stir briskly by hand to combine all ingredients into a smooth mixture.

Whisk the oil and vanilla into the sugar/egg mixture until combined and smooth. Add the flour mixture all at once and hand stir (do not beat) to combine the mixture fully.

Add the pineapple and juice, mashed bananas and pecans to the batter. Stir just until combined; do not over stir.

Pour batter into pans, and bake at 350 degree Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes until cake bounces back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes then turn out onto cooling racks to fully cool before frosting. 

For Cream Cheese Frosting

1 sticks unsalted butter, chilled
8-ounce packages of cream cheese, chilled
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 ½ cups finely chopped pecans

Beat the butter and cream cheese in mixing bowl until combined. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, beat until smooth. Fold in pecans by hand or sprinkle some on tope after cake is frosted cake. Enjoy!