The Hummingbird Cake, which claims the title of the most requested recipe in Southern Living’s history, holds a sweet and luscious secret within its layers that captivates every palate. Originally christened the "Bird Doctor Cake" in its birthplace of Jamaica, its namesake honors a native hummingbird, although no matter its title, this cake continues to charm with its moist texture and flavorful medley of tangy pineapple and sweet banana. While traditionally layered, our variant takes the form of a sheet cake, an ode to simplicity without compromising on the scrumptious experience.
Ingredient Rundown
For the Cake:
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1½ tsp cinnamon
4 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup butter, room temperature
4-4½ cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt
Additional pecans for topping
Crafting the Cake: A Step-by-Step Guide
Setup: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan.
Dry Ingredients: Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Set this aside for future amalgamation.
Wet Mix: Combine mashed bananas, pineapple along with its juice, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl. Ensure a smooth and well-mixed consistency.
Merge and Mix: Gradually introduce the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, ensuring integration but cautious not to overmix. Gently fold in a cup of chopped pecans.
Bake Away: Pour your batter into the prepared pan, sending it to bake for 38-42 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Frosting Prep: While the cake bakes, blend together all frosting ingredients until a smooth consistency is achieved.
Final Touch: Allow the cake ample time to cool before frosting. Garnish with a sprinkling of pecan pieces and place it in the chill until it's time to slice and savor.