I kept seeing and hearing about hummingbird cake (no hummingbirds were harmed)...so I had to try it out. I was not disappointed. It is like a grown up banana cake...
250g/8 oz chopped pecan nuts
370g/13 oz plain/all purpose flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate/baking soda
2 level teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ripe bananas, mashed
250g/8 oz crushed pineapple (tinned is perfect)
3 large eggs
160ml/5 1/2 fl oz vegetable oil
200g/7 oz light brown sugar
150g/5 1/4 oz sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
250g/8 oz butter, room temperature
600g/21 oz icing/confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest of 4 oranges
1 tablespoon orange juice
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Spread the pecan nuts on a lined baking tray and roast in the oven for 8 minutes. Remove and cool.
Grease and flour three 9" cake tins.
Mix the flour, bicarbonate soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt together in a bowl.
In a separate bowl mix together the remaining cake ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until combined.
Fold 3/4 of the pecans into the mixture. (Leave a few for decoration).
Spoon the batter evenly between the three prepared cake tins.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool before turning out.
For the frosting:
Whisk the butter on high until it is light and fluffy. Gradually whisk in the icing sugar. Add the vanilla extract, salt, orange zest and orange juice.
Whisk on high for 10 minutes until the buttercream is light and fluffy and all the sugar has dissolved.
Spread the buttercream between each layer and decorate the top.
