Move aside carrot, hummingbird cake is here to steal the sweet show this spring.
If you’re a fan of carrot cake, you have to try hummingbird cake. Both are traditionally topped with cream cheese frosting and are moist, dense cakes. They’re usually served in the springtime. Enjoy a sweet slice after Easter dinner, Mother’s Day brunch, or at bridal or baby shower.
While bright orange carrots help make carrot cake extra moist, hummingbird cake recruits bananas and pineapple for the job. The cake is dotted with fruit, which lend to its sweetness as well as its density and texture.
This layered cake makes for a beautiful presentation, and your guests will enjoy the coconut cream frosting in the middle AND on top of the cake. So the second layer is totally worth it.
You could definitely use traditional cream cheese frosting, but the addition of coconut complements the pineapple and banana in the cake perfectly.
Each member of our taste panel finished their generously-sized slice (wiping their cake plates clean) and left with a piece wrapped up to-go. It’s that good. Some say the name of the cake comes from the “mmmm” sound that people make after that first bite, similar to the humming noise hummingbird wings make.
Serve this cake with coffee after celebrating the moms in your life on Mother’s Day or with a mimosa (maybe with a splash of pineapple juice to play off the cake flavors) during Easter brunch or at a bridal shower. After you try it, they’ll be no denying this cake its earned place on top of your dessert plate this spring.
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- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 mediium ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
- 1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple in own juice, undrained
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
- Shredded coconut, if desired
- 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- 2 packages (7 ounces each) sweetened shredded coconut, divided
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round baking pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Flour sides of pans.
- In a large bowl, using an electric stand mixer on low speed, beat flour, bananas, pineapple, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and eggs until blended, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium, beat for an additional 2 minutes.
- Pour mixture evenly into prepared pans.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Remove from pans and remove parchment paper. Cool completely on wire racks.
- Place first cake layer on plate, and spread 1 cup Coconut Cream Frosting over top. Place second cake layer on top of first. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Sprinkle with shredded coconut, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, almond extract and salt until creamy.
- Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth and creamy. Stir in 3 cups coconut.
- Spread onto cupcakes or cake. Sprinkle with remaining coconut.
- Yield: Frosts a 2 layer cake
- Test Kitchen Tip: If frosting is too thick, beat in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
TAGS: baking, banana, cake, Easter, hummingbird cake, Mother's Day, pineapple, stand mixer
CATEGORIES: dessert, mother's day
