Servings 16 servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Batter Ingredients
• 3 cups all-purpose flour /360 grams
• 2 cups granulated sugar, or 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup packed light brown sugar /400 grams
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil /260 grams ( e.g. canola, grape seed, or coconut oil)
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 2/3 cup or 150 grams
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups diced very ripe bananas about 4 medium or 2 large /455 grams
• 1 cup canned crushed pineapple with juice /225 grams
• 1/2 to 1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts /60 to 120 grams
Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients
• 2 cups cream cheese, softened /445 grams
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened /225 grams
• About 8 cups icing sugar, /1 kg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts (optional) /60 grams
(Please note, you can adjust the amount of sugar as you need or want. I used half the amount for the cake and halved the icing quantities only placing it on the top of one single round cake. It’s just as scrumptious without any added sugar, simply the fruit and the icing!)
Recipe Notes
You will also need: three 23 x 3.5 cm round cake tins, two 23 x 3 cm round pans, one 25 cm (12-cup) Bundt pan OR one 23 x 20 x 3 cm tin, non-stick cooking spray, mixing bowls, cooling rack, hand mixer (for icing only)
Instructions
1. Position a rack in the centre of the oven. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and flour cake pan/s.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Add the oil, eggs, and vanilla and stir just to mix.
4. Fold in the bananas, pineapple (and juice), and nuts. Do not use an electric mixer. (Cover the bananas with the pineapple until ready to use to keep them from turning brown.)
5. Divide the batter equally between the prepared pan/s, smoothing the top. Bake until set in the centre and a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes for 9- by 1½-inch pan; 40 to 50 minutes for 9- by 2-inch round pans; 70 to 80 minutes for a Bundt pan; 40 to 50 minutes for a 13- by 9-inch pan; or about 25 minutes for a jelly-roll pan.
Do not over bake; you want a moist cake.
6. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the cake/s to a wire rack and let cool completely, at least 1½ hours. Wrap tightly in plastic, then foil. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Hummingbird cake tastes even better after standing for a day.
7. To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, about 1 minute.
8. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the vanilla.
9. To assemble: Place a cake layer on a serving plate, spread with a generous stratum of icing (¾ to 1 cup on top of each layer).
10. Top with a second cake layer, spread with icing, and top with the third cake layer.
11. Spread the top and sides of the cake with the remaining icing. If using, sprinkle the top or sides with the nuts. For a sheet cake or Bundt cake, make half the icing recipe and simply spread over top and around the sides.
12. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 week.
A traditional recipe and history for southern banana-pineapple spice cake with cream cheese icing from food historian Gil Marks who writes about the history of American Cakes for ToriAvey.com