More Holiday Recipes - The Hummingbird Cake

This is a cake that requires a certain amount of care. It's not rocket science, but you must know how to actually read and obey directions. Do not take short cuts by thinking you can just add everything into one bowl at once and expect it to work. It won't.

You must also know how to accurately measure flour using the dip level method. I actually even spoon the flour into my measuring cup rather than ever dipping it into the flour.

Sift together the dry ingredients, and YES I mean sift them together.
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

In a separate bowl, beat the wet ingredients until incorporated. I use my kitchen aid mixer at this point.
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanila
3 eggs

Combine the wet and dry ingredients and gently mix together.

Then stir in the following items.

1 can crushed pineapple, 8 ounces
1 cup chopped pecan
2 cups sliced banana (usually 2 medium sized ripe bananas)

Pour batter into 2 greased/floured 8 inch cake pans. Do your best to divide the batter evenly between pans. It isn't always easy.

Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in pan on wire racks for 10 minutes. Then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. Note, if you try to frost this cake before it's cooled completely, you will have a slippery slimy mess.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 sticks room temperature butter
2 packages of room temperature cream cheese (I used the 1/3 less fat Neufatel from Philly)
2 tsp vanilla extract
Confectioner's Sugar to taste.

Use your mixer again and beat together the butter and cream cheese until it is smooth. Add vanilla.

Then begin to add the powdered sugar. Most recipes I see call for 2 pounds of sugar, but dear God, that's sweet. So, I add by the cup until it's the way I like it. I like it a bit more on the tart side. If you want an estimate, usually I use one 16 ounce box of powdered sugar. It's up to you.

When frosting the cake, I frost the center and then add some pecans to help hold the top layer in place. Then I frost the top layer. I'll add perfect pecans in a circle around the edge and sometimes chopped pecans in the center. Depends on how I feel.