Southern Style Hummingbird Cake

Happy Anniversary Angie & Rhett! I made this cake for my good friends Angie and Rhett. Hummingbird cake has the the sweetness of the banana and coconut and even though it's layered with cream cheese frosting it retains the lightness of well...a hummingbird. It's officially the ambrosia of the cake world and if you are a banana bread fan- it's your epitome of decadent by comparison.

To make this cake you will need:

• 3 cups flour (which ever kind of four you like for cake baking)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• dash of salt
• 1 3/4 cup sugar (I like the organic Florida crystals) 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger 
• 3 eggs 
• 1 cup coconut oil 
• 8 oz undrained crushed pineapple 
• 3 ripe to overripe bananas
• teaspoon vanilla or almond extract (either would work in this cake) 
• 1 1/2 cup pecans (optional) (divided half for cake, half for top) (you could also substitute with raw hazelnuts) 

Frosting:

• 1 1/2 sticks of sweet cream butter, softened 
• 12 oz (1 1/2 packages) cream cheese (I often substitute a neufchatel cheese found in the same area of your grocery store)
• 2 cups of powdered sugar (you could use less to make less sweet) 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Preheat oven to 350. 

In a large bowl combine the first 7 ingredients with a large fork or spatula - you don't want this cake to be done with a an electric mixer. Add eggs an oil stirring gently and vanilla. Fold in remaining ingredients to mix thoroughly.  

Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9 inch round baking pans. To cook the three evenly you can place the racks at 1/3 and 2/3 of the oven and switch the cakes spots halfway through cooking. However, if you can fit all three in the center, that's great (or bake in batches). Bake at 25-30 minutes on 350. 

Cool on rack and chill in fridge or at least two hours before frosting. Dust top with cinnamon and remaining pecans- I skipped the pecans altogether this time in lieu of edible flowers. 

To make the cream cheese frosting beat the cream cheese and butter softened in an electric mixer slowly adding powdered sugar and finally vanilla extract. 

Frost your cake and Bon Appetit!

-Renee