Southern Hummingbird Cake

Before I share my favorite recipe for a Southern-style Hummingbird Cake, today is Day 4 of the countdown to Thanksgiving.

Today, I am thankful for my younger sister, Jordan, who inspires me to be a better, more caring person.

This recipe is one I got from Paula Deen.  Although her love of butter irks me sometimes, in some instances, it just works out for the better and I have to close my eyes to what I'm doing.  :)  This is the recipe that continues to win over anyone who has tried it:

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter (for greasing)
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flours (plus more for dusting)
1 cup pecan pieces
3 ripe bananas, chopped
1/2 cup diced pineapple
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 large eggs (at room temperature)
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil

Frosting:

2 - 8 oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
12 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.  Butter 2 (8- or 9-inch) round cake pans and line with parchment paper.  Butter and dust the parchment paper with flour.

Toast the pecans on a baking sheet for about 8 minutes, until fragrant.  Let them cool, then chop and toss together with the chopped bananas, pineapple, and 1/2 cup flour in a small bowl.

Whisk the remaining 2 1/4 cups of flour with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  Beat the eggs and granulated sugar in a separate bowl with a mixer on high speed until thick and light, about 5 minutes.  Gradually beat in vegetable oil.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg mixture and fold until a thick batter is formed.  Fold in the pecan-fruit mixture and transfer the prepared batter into the cake pans, equally.  Bake until the cakes are firm, about 50-55 minutes.  Cool in pans on a rack for 25-minutes, then invert cakes onto the rack to cool completely.

To Make the Frosting:

Beat the softened cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer until fluffy, then gradually beat in the butter until combined.  Sift the confectioner's sugar over the mixture until smooth.  Add the lemon zest and vanilla, and beat until light and fluffy.  

Place the first layer on your serving plate and frost.  Then add your top layer and frost the top and around the sides. 

I like to garnish my finished cake with cinnamon toasted pecans, coconut, or little sugar pearls.  It is up to you!

Enjoy!