Hummingbird Cake Recipe

This moist banana and pineapple cake with a hint of cinnamon is spread with a rich cream cheese frosting.

We purchase about 700 grams of bananas for this recipe.

If you use a 440 gram can of crushed pineapple, you should have more than enough pineapple and juice for this cake. We measure a second portion of pineapple and juice and freeze for later use in another hummingbird cake.

Preparation time: about 45 minutes (excludes cooking and cooling times)

Serves: at least 16. Cake is about 5.2cm tall when iced.

We use a 250ml measuring cup for all of our recipes.

440g can crushed pineapple in juice or syrup [or 62ml (1/4 cup) pineapple juice/syrup and 110g (1/2 cup) well-drained crushed pineapple]
150g (1 cup) self-raising flour
75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large eggs (we use eggs with a minimum weight of 59g)
125ml (1/2 cup) oil (we use a mild-flavoured oil, such as sunflower)
390g (1 1/2 cups) mashed very ripe banana
226g (1 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
86g (2/3 cup) pecan nuts, broken or chopped into pieces

Cream Cheese Frosting
245g (1 3/4 cups) icing sugar
40g butter
80g cream cheese
2 1/2 teaspoons (12.5ml) lemon juice

If using a can of crushed pineapple, empty the contents into a strainer over a medium bowl. Set aside to drain.

Grease a deep 20cm square cake pan and line the base and sides with baking paper.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees Celsius fan-forced). If you are not using a fan-forced oven, adjust the oven rack to the lower half of the oven so the centre of the cake will be in the centre of the oven.

Stir or whisk self-raising flour, plain flour, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon together in a large bowl until combined.

If you have drained a can of pineapple, measure 62ml (1/4 cup) pineapple juice/syrup and 110g (1/2 cup) pineapple flesh for this recipe and save the remaining juice and flesh for another use.

Place eggs, oil, banana, brown sugar, pecan nuts, crushed pineapple and pineapple juice in a large bowl. Stir the ingredients together until well combined. © exclusivelyfood.com.au

Add banana mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon.

Bake cake for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, until a thin-bladed knife or wooden skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out without any batter attached.

Allow cake to cool in pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan.

When cake has cooled completely, spread with cream cheese frosting.

Store iced cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Allow slices of the cake to stand at room temperature for a few minutes before serving, if desired.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Place icing sugar in a food processor and process on high speed for a few seconds to remove any lumps. Add butter, cream cheese and lemon juice to the food processor. Process on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Stop the machine and use a spatula to scrape down the side of the bowl. Process for a further 15 seconds, or until the frosting is smooth and creamy. © www.exclusivelyfood.com.au

Hummingbird Cake Ingredient Quantities for Various Pan Sizes (pdf)