HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

I’ve been meaning to make this cake for a while and I’ve finally decided to prepare it for Mother’s Day (in Spain is the first Sunday of May). I’ve made it a little bit early because I had more time, but mum didn’t complain.

It’s not difficult, it just takes some time, as every cake, and the result is definitely worth it.

I’ve taken the recipe from Jamie Oliver’s Comfort Foods book, except for the frosting, and it was perfect. 

So now it’s your turn!

Ingredients:

Layers:

350 g of all porpoise flour (12.3 oz.)

3 teaspoons of baking powder

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

A pinch of salt

350 g of golden sugar (12.3 oz.)

4 medium very ripe bananas

1 pineapple can (425 g/15 oz. before draining)

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

50 g of finely chopped pecans (1.8 oz.)

250 ml of olive oil

Cheese frosting:

200 g of butter at room temperature  (7 oz.) 

160 g of chilled cheese cream (5.6 oz.) 

400 g of icing sugar (14 oz.) 

Brittle:

50 g of finely chopped pecans (1.8 oz.)

100 g of sugar (3.5 oz.)

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Preheat the oven at 180ºC (350ºF).

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, add the sugar and reserve.

Mash the bananas with a fork.

Chop finely the pineapples, mix with the eggs, oil and vanilla and add it to the banana.

Add the dry ingredients until homogeneous.

Finally, add the pecans.

Bake in 2 or 3 molds of 23 cm of diameter, previously greased (the original recipe used 2, but 3 works also great) during 25-30 minutes or until a tooth stick comes out clean.

Remove it from the oven and leave it in the mold for 10 minutes, then let it chill on a rack.

Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and beat a high speed until it increases its volume.

For the caramelized pecans  put the sugar with a splash of water in a small pot at medium-high heat. Don’t stir, just move a little bit the pot once in a while. When it gets golden add the nuts and pour it on a baking sheets to solidify. Then break it into small pieces.

To assemble the cake: place the chilled layers and the frosting with the brittle. Put some more brittle on the top and you can decorate with edible flowers.