In other words, i took a Hummingbird cake to be a bright, happy jubilation of 'Spring is Coming!" goodness. so i made my version of that feelings. the cake is rich and warm,
Humming Bird Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
22oz Coconut Yogurt (I used 'So Delicious, Coconut Milk Coconut Yogurt)
5 Cups Banana (approx. 8 medium mashed fruits) 2 Cups Sugar 3 Eggs 10oz can Crushed pineapple 1 1/2 Teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 Teaspoon Rum Extract 4 cup Flour 1 1/2 Teaspoon bakin Soda 1 1/2 Teaspoon salt 2 Teaspoon Cinnamon 1 Teaspoon Nutmeg 2 cups coconut ICING: 2 8oz packages of Cream Cheese 2 1/2 Sticks of Butter 2 Teaspoons Almond Extract 4 Cups Confectioner's Sugar 1 to 2 Tablespoons Half and Half or Milk |
CAKE:
preheat the oven to 425 degrees and grease 4 9" pie pans, (i also had a small bit left that i added to a grease loaf pan and made a sampling of) mash the bananas. mine are normally frozen, (from bunches we couldn't finish in time) if this is your case, leave them out in a bowl while you run to the store or 'putter'. add the mashed bananas, eggs, sugar , pineapple and extracts to the bowl of a mixture. set to medium and incorporate well. whisk your dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda and spices) and then slowly add the flour mix until incorporated. the batter will be slightly bumpy depending on the how finely you mashed the banana and how thick your pineapple chunks were. pour the batter evenly into the pit pans, all but 1/2 inch from the top. this cake is heavy and not a HUGE riser. sprinkle the tops of the cake with coconut bake at 425 for one hour, until a tooth pick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean but not bone dry. (i start checking every five minutes once I hit the 50 minute mark.) be sure to check both your top two cakes and the two on the bottom separately, as they will cook at separate speeds. (my cakes on the bottom cooked more quickly then the ones on the top.) remove from the oven, cool and flip over onto parchment paper. i made these a week ahead, so i wrapped in parchment then foil and froze. if you are going directly to the icing process, place the cakes in the fridge or freezer until cooled down completely. ICING: soften (do NOT melt!) butter and cream cream in 10 second intervals in the microwave....or you could do what i did and place them on the radiator a while before you decided to make the icing place the soften ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer, or bowl you intend on mixing in. add the almond extract, and beat until smooth. slowly add the confectioner's sugar, 1/2 cup at a time until fully incorporated, add milk if the mixture appears to think and add more sugar if it appears to thin. your icing and cake are made and ready, see below on how to layer your cake together. (if you dont want to layer, you can also ice and serve each cake individually. this layering stuff, though? its really not so hard and made a GREAT presentation!) |
feel free to top the cake with more decorative flowers (please nothing poisonous), maraschino cherry and birthday candles.
Ta-Da! you are now a splendid baker! Have fun transporting it!!!!