Recipe: Hummingbird Cake

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

FOR THE CAKE:
3 cups self-rising flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
2 very ripe large bananas, mashed
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, with juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 large eggs, beaten
FOR THE ICING:
1 (1 pound) box confectioners' sugar
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk, or more, if needed
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (for garnish)

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (8-inch) round cake pans.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, oil, pecans, bananas, pineapple, vanilla, cinnamon and eggs. Stir well with a spoon until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.

Bake for 26 to 28 minutes, until the tops spring back. Cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then loosen from the pans and invert onto wire racks to cool completely.

TO MAKE THE ICING:
Mix the sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until the icing is smooth. If needed, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to achieve the proper spreading consistency.

Ice between the cake layers, and on the sides and top of the cake. Sprinkle the top with the pecans. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 12
Source: It Ain't All About the Cookin' by Paula Deen