It’s been solely too lengthy since our final excellent layer cake. You understand, the sort that’s moist, sturdy, candy and spiced with beneficiant strains of practically an excessive amount of cream cheese frosting between cake layers? Sure, that form of excellent cake.
I had mistakenly thought {that a} traditional carrot cake would scratch any itch I had for a spiced layer cake however, I’m not afraid to confess I used to be solely mistaken as a result of – Hummingbird Cake .
I at all times considered Hummingbird Cake as a Southern traditional. Its origins hint again to Jamaica the place, within the 1960’s, the Jamaican Tourism Board distributed a banana-pineapple cake recipe to unfold the nice phrase concerning the island’s produce. No method like cake to unfold the excellent news. The layer cake can be studded with pecans and topped with swirls of cream cheese frosting. With a touch of cinnamon, all-spice, and nutmeg – it’s delicate however strong and makes for an ideal springtime slice.
Now that I’ve discovered my ideally suited model of this cake – there’s actually no want to check it to a carrot cake. It’s extra like the very best banana bread, made lighter, and made a layer cake with a lot vanilla cream cheese frosting. And! This cake has a secret ingredient: Duke’s Mayonnaise. YES – mayo in cake. It’s retro, however it’s perfection. Let’s get into it!
Listed below are the components you’ll must make this three layer Hummingbird Cake:
• all-purpose flour
• baking soda and baking powder
• kosher salt
• floor cinnamon, floor allspice, floor nutmeg
• Duke’s Mayo to exchange plain’ ol vegetable oil
• giant eggs
• crushed pineapple, juice and all
• ripe bananas (not as ripe as you would possibly use for banana bread however gentle and candy)
• vanilla extract
• nuts are an essential component of this cake. Go for pecans although walnuts are additionally scrumptious. Toast the chopped nuts within the oven till simply aromatic fo add much more taste to the cake.
• cream cheese for the swoopiest frosting
• softened unsalted butter
• powdered sugar, sifted is greatest
Okay however… why use Duke’s Mayonnaise within the cake batter?
It might appear wild so as to add our favourite egg salad condiment to our layer cake however mayo works wonders on this cake! Duke’s mayo is wealthy with egg yolks and oil and only a trace of vinegar for that attribute twang. The egg yolks and oil add a lsuciousness to this cake that we gained’t get from oil alone. The result’s an extremely tender however sturdy cake that stays moist for days on finish. The flavour is impartial (nobody will know you reached for the mayo jar for this cake except you inform them), however the outcomes are beautiful.
In a big bowl (or you possibly can drag out the stand mixer with a paddle attachment) whisk collectively mayonnaise, mashed banana, canned pineapple and the pineapple juice, two further eggs to make sure the construction of our cake layers, and sugars. Whisk till effectively mixed although it should nonetheless be fairly lumpy.
Whisk collectively the dry components: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Don’t skip the allspice on this cake! It’s probably the most effectively rounded spice on this cake.
Mix the moist components with the dry till the 2 are simply mixed. Stir within the chopped pecans. Hummingbird cake batter will likely be thick and simply pourable with bits of pineapple, banana, and pecan.
Divide the batter between three cake pans. Each 9-inch and 8-inch cake pans works effectively for this recipe.
It’s value a bit of additional effort to totally prep the cake pans earlier than baking. Spray the pans with nonstick cooking spray. Add a parchment paper spherical the dimensions of the underside of the pan (sure, I lower these out by hand). Grease and flour the edges of the pan and paper-lined backside. It’s a fuss however the muffins will come out completely clear each time.
Bake till a toothpick inserted into the middle of every cake comes out clear or with a couple of moist crumbs (not moist batter). Enable to chill within the pans for 20 minutes or so earlier than inverting onto a wire rack to chill utterly. I like to chill the cake layers, wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze strong. I discover it best to frost frozen cake layers (so long as they had been frozen flat).
Whereas the hummingbird cake layers chill or freeze, make the cream cheese frosting. For the smoothest, most stretchy frosting, right here’s my 5 Ideas To Make The Finest Cream Cheese Frosting.
Alternate the cake layers with frosting and certain, that sounds tremendous easy. Right here’s How To Frost a Cake if you need an in depth pep discuss!
Dot the cake with edible flowers like these pansies or candy little chamomile flowers together with a a sprinkle of chopped pecans. It’s tropical and flippantly spiced. It’s candy and gentle and an ideal cake for spring!
I feel this cake is greatest served chilled from the fridge so a strong 4 hour relaxation within the fridge is greatest. And a slice of leftover cake with espresso for breakfast the subsequent morning? Absolute perfection.
My Favourite Hummingbird Cake Has A Secret Ingredient
Prep Time: half-hour
Prepare dinner Time: 25 minutes
Whole Time: about an hour plus time to chill the cake layers and chill the assembled cake
Yield: 1 9-inch cake, Serves 8-10 1x
Class: cake, birthday
Methodology: baking
Description
Tremendous moist cake layers flavored with bananas, pineapple and pecans, coated in vanilla-studded cream cheese frosting
Elements
Scale
For the Cake:
For the Frosting:
To Adorn:
Directions
- Place racks within the higher third or heart of the oven and preheat oven to 350 levels F. Flippantly grease (or spray with nonstick baking spray) three 9-inch spherical cake pans. Line the underside with parchment paper rounds and flippantly grease the paper as effectively. (Prepping the cake pans positively feels labor intensive however I promise it should repay in the long term with muffins that may simply launch from the pans.)
- In a big bowl whisk collectively flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
- In a separate medium bowl, mash bananas. Add sugars, Duke’s mayonnaise, eggs, vanilla extract, and crushed pineapple (with the juices from the can) and whisk collectively effectively.
- Pour the moist components into the dry combination and use a rubber spatula to totally mix. Be certain that there aren’t any hidden streaks of flour hiding on the underside of the bowl. Stir within the chopped pecans.
- Divide the batter between the three ready pans. Place the three muffins on two rack within the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or till a toothpick inserted within the heart of the cake comes out clear or with a couple of moist crumbs. If the toothpick comes out of the cake moist with batter, give the cake one other jiffy within the oven. Take away from the oven and permit the muffins to chill for 20 minutes earlier than inverting the cake layers onto wire racks to chill utterly.
- As soon as the layers are utterly cooled, wrap every in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze in a single day. The layers are best to frost when chilled.
- When able to frost, make the cream cheese frosting. Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a big bowl with electrical hand beaters), beat cream cheese till it’s softened and unfold across the bowl. Scrape down the edges of the bowl and add the butter. Beat till simply mixed. Add the vanilla extract (or paste) and powdered sugar and beat on medium velocity till effectively mixed and easy. Add a small splash of milk if essential to make the frosting extra spreadable.
- To assemble the cake, place one chilled cake layer top-side-up on a cake spherical of cake plate. Unfold with about 3/4 cup of frosting all the way in which to the sting of the cake spherical. Place one other cake layer top-side-up and repeat with about 3/4 cup of frosting. Place the final cake layer bottom-side-up on prime of the cake and frost the highest and sides in a beneficiant layer.
- Sprinkle the highest rim of the cake with toasted pecans and dot with a couple of edible flowers. Chill for at the very least 4 hours earlier than serving. Retailer any leftovers effectively wrapped within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
