Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake
- 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (675 mL)
- 1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped (250 mL)
- 2 cups mashed ripe bananas, about 3 medium sized (500 mL)
- 1 8oz can crushed pineapple, drained (250 mL)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (5 mL)
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (2 mL)
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger (2 mL)
- 1-1/4 tsp baking soda (6 mL)
- 1/2 tsp salt (2 mL)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature (3)
- 1-3/4 cups sugar (425 mL)
- 1 cup canola oil (250 mL)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature or non-hydrogenated margarine (60 mL)
- 8oz cream cheese, room temperature (250 mL)
- 3 2/3 cups icing (confectioners) sugar (900 mL)
- 1 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest (15 mL)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 mL)
Hummingbird Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Butter two 8 inch (20 cm) round cake pans and line with parchment. Butter the parchment and dust with flour.
2. Whisk flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs and sugar in the bowl of a mixer on high speed until thick and light, about 5 minutes. Gradually add in canola oil.
4. Sprinkle flour over the egg mixture gently folding to make a thick batter. Fold in pecans, bananas and pineapple. Transfer to prepared pans.
5. Bake until the cakes are firm and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, 50-55 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 10 minutes invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the pans and parchment paper, and then cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and cream cheese, on low speed, until very smooth with no lumps. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until fully incorporated and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the lemon zest and vanilla extract until smooth.