Hummingbird Cake

Ingredients (serves 20)

• 2 x 340g packets golden butter cake mix
• 1 1/3 cups mashed bananas (see note)
• 440g can crushed pineapple in syrup
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

• Icing

• 250g cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 3/4 cup pecan nuts, roughly chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 4cm deep, 23cm x 29cm (base) lamington pan.
2. Place dry cake mixes, bananas, pineapple (with syrup), eggs, cinnamon and vanilla into a large bowl. Stir with a large metal spoon until just combined. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in pan. Turn onto a plate.
3. Make icing Combine cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until well combined and smooth.
4. Spread icing over cake. Sprinkle with pecans. Serve.

Notes

• 
  3 large ripe bananas should give you 1 1/3 cups mashed bananas.

Ingredients (serves 10)

• 1 cup (150g) self raising flour
• 3/4 cup (115g) plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp Masterfoods ground cinnamon
• 1 cup (160g) brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (65g) desiccated coconut
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 200g butter, melted, cooled
• 2 ripe bananas, well mashed
• 440g crushed pineapple in natural juice, well drained
• 250g cream cheese, chopped, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 cup (150g) icing sugar
• 1/2 cup (30g) flaked coconut, lightly toasted

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 22cm round cake pan and line the base with non-stick baking paper. Sift the flours, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and coconut.
2. Stir in the eggs, butter, bananas and pineapple. Spoon into the pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted. Set aside in the pan for 5 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Use an electric beater to beat the cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar until smooth and creamy. Spread over the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle the top with toasted coconut.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 250g self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 270g brown sugar
• 440g can crushed pineapple, drained
• 50g desiccated coconut
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 250ml (1 cup) sunflower oil

• Cream cheese icing

• 100g cream cheese
• 50g unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 225g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar mixture
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, to garnish (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C.
2. Grease and line the base of a 23cm square cake pan. Sift flour and spices into a large bowl. Add sugar, pineapple, coconut, banana, walnuts, eggs and oil. Stir to combine.
3. Spread into lined pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Place on a rack and set aside to cool.
4. To make icing, place cheese, butter, vanilla and icing sugar in an electric mixer and beat until smooth. Spread on top of cooled cake. Garnish with walnuts, if desired.

Ingredients (serves 12)

• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 3/4 cup self-raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 450g can crushed pineapple in juice, drained, reserving 1/3 cup juice
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 cup mashed banana
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup extra light olive oil
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

• Cream cheese frosting

• 125g cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease 23cm square cake pan. Line base and sides with baking paper.
2. Sift flours, soda, cinnamon and sugar into a large bowl. Stir in pineapple, reserved juice, coconut, banana, egg, oil and 1/4 cup cold water. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
4. Make cream cheese frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add icing sugar. Beat until smooth. Spread frosting over top of cake. Sprinkle with walnuts. Serve.