Despite it's name, the Hummingbird cake is not made from or for hummingbirds! It is a Victorian cake recipe that is truly exceptional. It is the perfect way to use over-ripe bananas, freezes well, easy to make and serves many. Some say that the cake is so delicious it makes you hum with happiness while others theorize that the people hover around the cake similar to hummingbirds hovering over blossoms.....
Hummingbird Cake
(Makes 12 servings)
Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 8oz. can crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup cooking oil
3 large eggs, well beaten
2 cups chopped banana (3 bananas)
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Glaze:
1 tbsp. melted butter or margarine
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
juice from canned pineapple
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 325° . Generously grease a 10" tube or fluted tube pan.
2. To make the cake: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
3. Remove 2 Tbsp. of the juice from the can of pineapple. Set aside for the glaze.
4. Add the pineapple, oil, eggs, banana, nuts and and vanilla to the flour mixture. Stir until just blended (do not beat).
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the 325° oven about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack and remove the cake from the pan. Cool completely.
6. To make the glaze: In a small mixing bowl, combine the melted butter or margarine and the powdered sugar. Add enough of the reserved pineapple juice to make a glaze of drizzling consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.
(For a glaze with a whole new dimension, substitute rum for the pineapple juice).
Enjoy this humdinger of a cake:)
Tip: To evenly grease a fluted tube pan, use a pastry brush to coat the pan with the shortening.
