Hummingbird Cake

Back home in Philly! I can’t believe half of my college career is over. Good thing sophomore summer is coming up or I’d start mourning over the lack of school. Yes, sometimes I like school and work. Sometimes as in AFTER I’m done with finals.

I swear the average person’s lifespan is cut by at least five years if you go to college compared to if you don’t. Being in college really works you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. 101 lists during finals period consists of habits you do not want to be getting into on a daily basis. Eating, sleeping, practically living in the library? Check. Running to the professor’s office to hand in your final paper five minutes before it’s due? Check. Unconsciously substituting coffee for water? Check. Having insanity checks every hour? CHECK.

This recipe for a hummingbird cake is a must try if you are a fan of banana bread and cream cheese icing. A hummingbird cake is just a banana cake traditionally with pecans (I used walnuts) and cream cheese icing. It’s a beautiful layered cake, without too much work—a bang for your buck and time. 

Ingredients

For the cake

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 large eggs, beaten

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 cups mashed bananas

½ cup chopped walnuts

For the cream cheese icing

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Sift the flour, baking soda, sugar, and cinnamon into a large bowl. Add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened.

3. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1 cup walnuts, and bananas.

4. Pour batter into two greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

6. For the cream cheese icing: in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

7. Spread cream cheese icing between cake layers and on the tops and sides of cake. Sprinkle ½ cup chopped walnuts on the sides. Decorate with complete half walnuts if desired.