Hummingbird Cake

By charlotteh371

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
• 1 tsp finely finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 8-oz can crushed pineapple packed in juice, undrained.
• 2 ripe bananas, chopped
• FROSTING
• 2 8-oz packages cream cheese at room temperature
• 16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 to 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped, optional

Preparation

Step 1

make cake; preheat oven to 350. Generously grease and flour 2 9 inch round cake pan that are at least 2 inches deep. Line pans with parchment; grease parchment.

In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar, pecans, zest, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, oil and vanilla. Stir in fruit. Fold into flour mixture. Divide batter between pans, bake, rotating pans halfway through, until cakes are golden and a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 40 mins to 45 mins(i did 40 and it was perfect)

Let cakes cool in pans on a wire rack for 30mins. Run a paring knife around inside edges of pans. Turn cakes onto rack to cool completely.

Make frosting; beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on high speed until light, 3 mins. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl. Reduce speed to low; beat in sugar, then vanilla.

Assemble cake; using a serrated knife, slice cakes in half horizontally to make 4 layers. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. spread with a scant 1 cup of frosting. Repeat twice. Top with final cake layer, bottom side up. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. sprinkle pecans on top and press into frosting on sides if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.