Hummingbird Cake doesn’t last- you’ll attain for a second slice earlier than you end your first! For those who’ve by no means heard of it, this luscious banana cake is dotted with pineapple and pecans, then smothered in delicious cream cheese frosting. You’ll pay as much as $80 for this magnificence at a bakery, however I’m displaying you the right way to make Hummingbird Cake for beneath $20! Right here’s one of the best half: you’ll be able to slice and freeze it, then gobble it up everytime you crave it!
What’s Hummingbird Cake?
Hummingbird cake is a basic Southern recipe that originated in Jamaica. The batter goes heavy on the fruit and nuts; nearly half of it’s chopped banana, pineapple, and pecans. As soon as baked, the cake is layered and topped with buttery cream cheese frosting and garnished with extra pecans or pineapple.
What You’ll Want
Is that this a straightforward breezy recipe? No. However it’s manageable, and it’s price it! Bakeries promote this cake for $50 to $80, however I’m displaying you the right way to put it collectively for beneath $20! Right here’s what you’ll must make Hummingbird Cake.
- Pecans – add texture and earthiness. You’ll be able to omit them if there’s a nut allergy.
- Pineapple and Bananas– add sweetness and taste. In addition they add moisture and tenderize the cake.
- All Function Flour – creates the construction you’ll want to stand as much as all of the fruit within the batter.
- Sugar – sweetens the cake and locks in moisture.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder – these leavening brokers assist your cake rise.
- Vegetable Oil – helps the cake bake evenly and rise increased.
- Vanilla Extract – helps taste the cake batter and the frosting.
- Cream Cheese and Butter – add taste and in addition give the frosting its construction, making it simpler to unfold.
- Powdered Sugar – sweetens the frosting and provides the frosting construction.
- Use very ripe bananas and don’t drain the crushed pineapple.
- Don’t overmix the batter. The extra you combine, the denser the cake turns into.
- Put together your pans like a professional: grease them, line the underside with parchment, after which grease and flour the parchment and the edges of the pan.
- Pour equal quantities of batter into the cake pans through the use of a dry measuring cup.
- Cool the layers fully earlier than frosting them and frost from the middle out.
Can I Make It Forward Of Time?
Sure, you can also make your Hummingbird Cake layers forward of time! Enable them to chill fully earlier than wrapping them in a double layer of plastic wrap. You’ll be able to hold them at room temperature for as much as a day, refrigerate them for as much as two days, or freeze them for as much as a month. Frozen cake layers are simpler to frost anyway. You may as well make the frosting forward of time. Preserve it in an hermetic container with plastic wrap over the floor of the frosting, and refrigerate for as much as 5 days
How To Retailer Hummingbird Cake
You’ll be able to retailer Hummingbird Cake in an hermetic container or wrapped in plastic wrap in your fridge for as much as 5 days. (Your family members will devour it manner earlier than then.) Hummingbird Cake additionally freezes nicely and may be saved in an hermetic container or wrapped in a double layer of foil and plastic for as much as 4 months. I normally portion mine in thick slices and hold them within the freezer for future cravings. Frozen cake on a sizzling summer season day is AMAZING.
Hummingbird Cake
This luscious Hummingbird Cake is dotted with bananas, pineapple, and pecans, then smothered in cream cheese frosting. It is delicious!
For the Cake
- 1 cup chopped pecans ($4.59)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting pans ($0.42)
- 2 cups sugar ($0.78)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.08)
- 1 tsp baking soda ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder ($0.03)
- 1 tsp floor cinnamon ($0.08)
- 3 massive eggs, calmly overwhelmed ($1.17)
- 1 ½ cups cooking oil ($1.12)
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract ($0.86)
- 1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained* ($0.56)
- 2 cups chopped bananas (about 4 medium bananas) ($1.00)
For the Frosting
- 12 oz cream cheese, softened ($2.62)
- 12 Tbsp salted butter, softened ($0.38)
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract ($0.43)
- 1 pinch salt ($0.01)
- 6 cups powdered sugar ($1.75)
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Set a rack within the heart of your oven and preheat it to 350°F. Whereas the oven preheats, set a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium warmth and add the pecans in a skinny layer. Toast the pecans for five to eight minutes, stirring sometimes.
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Whereas the pecans toast, whisk collectively the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon in a big bowl.
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Add the eggs and vegetable oil, stirring simply till the moist elements moisten the dry elements and no extra.
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Add vanilla, crushed pineapple in its juices, chopped bananas, and toasted pecans. Stir the elements as little as attainable whereas totally incorporating them.
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Grease three 9-inch cake pans. Cowl the bottoms with parchment paper, grease the parchment, and calmly mud the underside and sides of the pans with flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake till a toothpick inserted within the heart comes out clear, about 25 to half-hour. Cool pans for 10 minutes earlier than eradicating the cake layers. Cool layers for 1 hour.
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Whereas the cake bakes, in a really massive bowl, add the cream cheese, salted butter, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat with an electrical mixer on medium velocity till clean. Then add the powdered sugar cup by cup, beating at low velocity after every addition.
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As soon as the sugar has been totally integrated, improve the velocity to medium-high, and beat till fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
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Place the primary cake layer on a serving platter or cake stand. Unfold 1 cup of the frosting on high, ranging from the middle and dealing your manner out. You need a layer of frosting that’s ¼ inch deep.
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Prime with the second cake layer and unfold with 1 cup of frosting, working from the middle out.
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Prime with the third layer, and unfold the remaining frosting excessive and calmly across the sides. Garnish the highest with pecans, berries, or candied pineapple rings.*
See how we calculate recipe prices right here.
*This recipe is for a unadorned cake, IE the edges are barely frosted. For those who’d prefer to frost the edges with a thicker layer, use 2 sticks of butter, 2 packages of cream cheese, 8 cups of powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
*To sweet the pineapple rings cowl them in a thick layer of brown sugar and fry them in 2 tablespoons of butter per ring over medium warmth till golden.
Serving: 1sliceEnergy: 1287kcalCarbohydrates: 195gProtein: 10gFats: 57gSodium: 510mgFiber: 8g
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How you can Make Hummingbird Cake – Step by Step Images
Set a rack within the heart of your oven and preheat it to 350°F. Whereas the oven preheats, set a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium warmth and add 1 cup of chopped pecans in a skinny layer. Toast the pecans for five to eight minutes, stirring sometimes. They’re prepared after they have barely deepened in coloration and the air smells toasty.
Whereas the pecans toast, whisk collectively 3 cups of flour, 2 cups of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a big bowl.
Add the three eggs and 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil, stirring simply till the moist elements moisten the dry elements. Don’t overmix.
Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla, 8 ounces of crushed pineapple, 2 cups of chopped bananas, and a cup of toasted pecans. Then stir the elements as little as attainable whereas totally incorporating them.
Grease three 9-inch cake pans. Cowl the bottoms with parchment paper, grease the parchment, and calmly mud the underside and sides of the pans with flour. Use a dry cup measure to divide the batter evenly. Bake till a toothpick inserted within the heart comes out clear, about 25 to half-hour. Cool the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes earlier than eradicating the truffles from the pans. Cool the layers on wire racks earlier than frosting for 1 hour.
Whereas the cake bakes, in a really massive bowl, add the 12 ounces of cream cheese, the 12 tablespoons of salted butter, 3/4 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat with an electrical mixer on medium velocity till clean. Then add the powdered sugar cup by cup, beating at low velocity after every addition till blended.
Is that this Hummingbird Cake a magnificence, or what?! It’s really a dessert you’ll be able to’t get sufficient of. A lot so, that Beth and I’ve slices of it within the check kitchen freezer for every time our candy tooth strikes! (Which is each single day TBH.) We actually had been simply taking a look at this put up, considering driving to the check kitchen to get a slice! Get your cake pans prepared for a win that’s beneath $20!
