Hummingbird Cake

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F and grease and line two 20 cm round cake tins.

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2. Whisk the flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.

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3. In another bowl whisk the eggs, oil and vanilla, then stir in the pineapple with its juice and the bananas.

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4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir just until combined. Fold in the pecans.

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5. Divide the batter between the tins and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.

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6. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks and cool completely, at least 1 hour.

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7. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the icing sugar a little at a time, then the vanilla, until fluffy.

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8. Sandwich the layers with a third of the frosting, cover the top and sides with the rest and press the toasted pecans onto the top.

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Chef’s Tips

• Stir the batter only until combined. Overmixing makes the cake tough.
• Cool the layers completely before frosting them. Warm cake melts the frosting.
• Chill the frosting for 15 minutes if it is soft. It spreads better when it is firm.

Pairing Suggestions

• A cup of tea
• Strong coffee
• A glass of milk

Storage & Reheating

Keep covered in the fridge up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving. Freeze slices for 2 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.