Chopped bananas, chopped pecans and crushed pineapple add a lot to this very moist cake that improves with age.

How to make Hummingbird cake (1978)

The single most requested recipe in Southern Living history. One taste, and the reason is obvious!

Making the best of bananas

Bananas have been a favorite fruit for thousands of years. In fact. two ancient names for this fruit mean “fruit of the wise men” and “fruit of paradise.” ln these recipes, bananas lend flavor to desserts, a salad and bread.

When buying bananas, choose those in a bunch; single bananas are more likely to be bruised or cracked. Here’s a guide to the amount to buy: There are usually two or three bananas in 1 pound, and 1 pound yields 2 cups sliced or 1-1/2 cups mashed bananas.

For best flavor, store bananas at room temperature to ripen. Leave them attached to the crown until ready to use. Once ripe, bananas can be stored in the refrigerator several days to slow overripening. Although skins may darken, flavor and texture will stay the same.

Ingredients

For the cake

Wax paper
Shortening
3 cups of all-purpose flour
2 cups of sugar
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
1 cup of vegetable oil
2 cups of mashed bananas
1 cup of chopped pecans
1 (8-ounce) can of crushed pineapple, undrained
1-1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

For the cream cheese frosting

1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of butter, softened
1 (16-ounce) package of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions

For the cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with shortening; then line the pans with waxed paper and grease paper, Dust with flour, shaking out the excess.

2. Combine the 3 cups of flour and next 4 ingredients (2 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon); add the eggs and oil, stirring until the dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not beat.)

3. Stir in the bananas, 1 cup of pecans, pineapple with liquid, and vanilla extract. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.

4. Bake at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Cool the cake layers in their pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Then, remove the cakes from the pans, and cool them completely on the wire racks.

5. Spread the cream cheese frosting between the layers, as well as the tops and sides of each of the cakes. Store in the refrigerator.

For the cream cheese frosting

Beat the cream cheese and butter at a medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating at a low speed until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract. Makes about 4 cups.

Hands-On Time: 41 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 16 minutes — including time to make the cream cheese frosting

Makes 12 servings

Popular ‘bird cake’ recipe returns for command appearance

by Nancy Coale Zippe – The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware) July 1, 1987

Every once in a while, a truly outstanding recipe makes an appearance in What’s Cooking. Topping the list of the most distinguished is the doctor bird cake. It made its debut in this column in September 1981, and returned in March 1984 under its alias, “hummingbird cake.”

No fewer than 45 readers submitted the recipe for those two columns. Several had been photocopied from Southern Living magazine and included the editorial comment: “We’re not sure what hummingbirds have to do with this cake, but it certainly caught our readers’ attention in the February 1978 issue. In fact, we’d rate it as our all-time most-requested recipe.”

Here’s the tale of the tie that binds. The doctor bird is a streamer-tailed hummingbird. It is the national bird of Jamaica and is native to the Blue Mountains of that Caribbean island. It is also the symbol for Air Jamaica, and the recipe for the cake originated in the airline’s kitchens.

When Margaret Garris of Hurlock, Md., recently wrote to request the hummingbird cake recipe, I recalled the popularity of those past columns. I normally avoid repetition through persona correspondence, but in this case I decided that a true winner is always worth repeating.

First, a new request: Barbara Smith of Wilmington wants a cheddar cheese pie crust recipe for quiches.

Hummingbird cake

Anne Gore wrote, “On a scale of 0-10, this cake is a 10-plus.”

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 can (8-ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups chopped bananas

Cream Cheese frosting:

1 package (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 pound powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Combine first 5 ingredients in large mixing bowl, add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not beat. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1 cup pecans (some prefer walnuts) and bananas.

Spoon batter into three greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans or into one 10-inch tube pan. Bake the three layers at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then remove from pans to cool on racks. Bake the tube pan at 325 to 350 degrees for 1-1/4 hours, or longer, until cake tests done. Cool on a rack in the pan.

For frosting: Combine cream cheese and butter, beating until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy. Yield: enough frosting for one 3-layer cake. Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; then sprinkle 1/2-cup chopped pecans on top.

The printed recipe came with the cream cheese frosting. Other readers suggested “a thin white icing sprinkled with coconut,” “a dusting of confectioners’ sugar,” “a brandy custard” and “a brandy glaze.”

Brandy sauce (custard) for the hummingbird cake

This suggestion was originally shared by Janet Grimmel.

Ingredients

3 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons brandy

Directions

In a medium saucepan, beat egg yolks; add sugar, vanilla and milk and combine thoroughly. Cook over medium heat, stir- ring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Mix cornstarch and water until smooth; add to milk mixture and continue to cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened. Add brandy and mix. Serve hot or cold with hummingbird cake baked in tube or Bundt pan. Makes about 2 cups of sauce.

Brandy glaze

Linda Crocker submitted this recipe in 1981.

Ingredients

2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons hot milk
1-1/2 tablespoons brandy
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 tablespoon salt

Instructions

Put sugar in medium-size bowl. Gradually beat in hot milk, then remaining ingredients. Beat until smooth. Let stand until desired spreading consistency is reached. Glaze cake in tube or Bundt pan.