Ingredients
Hummingbird Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour*
- 2 cups Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large ripe banana
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup oil such as grapeseed, canola or corn
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, drained
- 1/2 cup walnut or pecan pieces
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) very soft butter
- 2 pounds or 8 cups Dixie Crystals Confectioners Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 2 lemons, no white bitter pith
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Prepare three 8 or 9-inch round cake pans. Cut 3 parchment rounds by placing a cake pan on parchment paper. Draw a circle around the bottom edge and cut using scissors. Repeat twice.
- Place a parchment cutout into each cake pan and brush paper and sides with melted butter or spray with baking spray. Sprinkle evenly with flour and shake out excess. Set aside.
- Blend and sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Set aside.
- In a bowl large enough to hold all ingredients, smash banana. Add eggs and whisk well. Add oil, vanilla, pineapple, and nuts.
- Stir in flour mixture and mix until just combined. Scoop and divide evenly into prepared pans.
- Place in oven and bake until center of cakes bounce back when lightly pressed with a finger or an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes.
- While oven is still warm, place coconut on a cookie sheet and place it in the oven for just a few minutes until golden and fragrant. Set aside.
- Allow cakes to cool for 5 minutes. Turn upside down on parchment paper or paper towels which have been evenly sprinkled with powdered sugar. Allow to cool completely.
- For lemon cream cheese frosting, mix cream cheese and soft butter on low speed* until blended. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix on low speed until blended.
- Gradually add remaining powdered sugar and mix on low to medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and lemon zest and mix well.
- Remove parchment paper from first cake round and place on a serving platter. Frost surface with approximately 1/3 inch of lemon cream cheese frosting.
- Remove parchment paper from second layer and place onto frosted cake round. Frost once again with lemon cream cheese frosting. Remove parchment paper from third layer and place onto frosted cake round.
- Spread an even coat of cream cheese frosting on surface.
- Press toasted coconut on sides of cake. Decorate surface with dollops of lemon cream cheese frosting.
Dixie Crystals Insight
*Cream cheese frosting which is mixed on high speed will become runny and too soft to frost.