8 May, 2014
Original Hummingbird Cake
Yields: 1 nine-inch layer cake with 3 layers, about 8 servings
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs beaten
1 ½ cups salad oil
1 ½ teaspoons real vanilla extract
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
2 cups chopped ripe bananas (about 3 medium sized bananas)
2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts, divided
Cream cheese frosting (recipe below)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°
Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: add eggs and salad oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not beat.
Stir in vanilla, pineapple, bananas and 1 cup of the pecans or walnuts.
Spoon the batter into three well greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely.
Spread cream cheese frosting between layers and on tops and sides of cake. Sprinkle top with remaining 1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts.
Cream Cheese Frosting
2 packages (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 packages (16 ounces) powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Combine cream cheese and butter, cream until smooth. Add powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.
Makes enough frosting for one 9-inch cake with three layers.
Notes:
The original Hummingbird Cake recipe is widely accepted as having been first published by Southern Living Magazine in February 1978, as submitted by Mrs. L. S. Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina. Not only was it a nationwide hit when it first came out, the Hummingbird Cake recipe continues to be the number 1 most requested recipe from Southern Living.
