Hummingbird Cake

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Three 9-inch round cake pans
• •Stand mixer or hand mixer
• •Offset spatula for frosting
• •Wire cooling racks
• •Cake turntable (helpful but not essential)
• •Serrated knife for leveling layers

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the pecans

   Spread pecans in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until fragrant and a shade darker. You'll smell them before you see the color change. Watch carefully because they turn from toasted to burnt in about sixty seconds. Let cool completely before chopping.

   Toasting transforms pecans from pleasant to essential. Raw pecans taste flat and slightly tannic. Toasted pecans bring a depth that makes this cake memorable.
2. 2

   Prepare pans and preheat

   Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 350°F. Generously butter three 9-inch round cake pans, dust with flour, and tap out the excess. Line the bottoms with parchment rounds for insurance. Nothing ruins a triumphant baking day like a cake stuck to the pan.

3. 3

   Combine dry ingredients

   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until thoroughly combined. This dry mixture is your foundation. The spices should distribute evenly so every bite carries warmth.

4. 4

   Mash the bananas

   Choose bananas with plenty of brown spots on the skin. The starch has converted to sugar and the flavor has intensified. Mash them with a fork in a bowl until mostly smooth with some small chunks remaining. A few lumps add pleasant pockets of banana throughout the finished cake.

   If your bananas aren't ripe enough, roast them in their skins at 300°F for 20 to 30 minutes until blackened. The heat accelerates the ripening process.
5. 5

   Mix wet ingredients

   Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just combined. Do not reach for your mixer. This batter should not be beaten or whipped. Overmixing develops gluten and produces a tough, chewy cake instead of the tender crumb you want.

6. 6

   Fold in fruit and nuts

   Add the crushed pineapple with all its juice, the mashed bananas, and one cup of the toasted chopped pecans. Reserve the remaining half cup of pecans for decoration. Fold gently until the fruit and nuts are evenly distributed. The batter will be thick and fragrant.

7. 7

   Divide and bake

   Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans. A kitchen scale helps here: weigh each filled pan and adjust. Even layers make assembly easier and the finished cake more beautiful. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until the tops spring back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging.

   The layers may dome slightly in the center. This is normal and easily corrected with a serrated knife after cooling.
8. 8

   Cool the layers

   Let the cakes cool in their pans for 15 minutes. The structure sets as they cool, preventing crumbling. Run a thin knife around the edges, then invert onto wire racks. Peel away the parchment. Cool completely, at least one hour, before frosting. Warm cake melts frosting into an unappealing slick.

9. 9

   Make the frosting

   Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together in a large bowl using a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed. Beat for a full 3 minutes until completely smooth, scraping down the sides twice. Lumps of cream cheese will haunt your finished frosting. When the mixture is silky and uniform, reduce speed to low and add the sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add the vanilla and salt with the final cup. Once incorporated, increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes until fluffy and spreadable.

   Sifting powdered sugar seems tedious, but it prevents lumps that refuse to blend out. Five minutes of sifting saves twenty minutes of frustration.
10. 10

    Level the layers

    If your cake layers domed, use a long serrated knife to trim them level. Place each layer cut-side down on your work surface and slice horizontally with a sawing motion, keeping the blade parallel to the counter. Save the scraps for snacking. The cook's privilege.

11. 11

    Assemble the cake

    Place the first layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Dollop about one cup of frosting on top and spread evenly to the edges using an offset spatula. Add the second layer, pressing gently, and repeat with another cup of frosting. Top with the final layer, placing it bottom-side up for the smoothest surface. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting to the top and sides, just enough to seal in loose crumbs. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to set this base coat.

12. 12

    Frost and decorate

    Apply the remaining frosting generously to the top and sides of the chilled cake. Use sweeping strokes with your spatula, or create rustic swirls for a homey appearance. Press the reserved chopped pecans around the bottom edge of the cake, and arrange pecan halves on top in whatever pattern pleases you. This is your cake. Make it beautiful in your own way.

    For the neatest slices, refrigerate the finished cake for at least one hour before serving. Use a sharp thin knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between cuts.

Chef Tips

• •Use oil with a neutral flavor like canola or vegetable. Olive oil will assert itself where it doesn't belong. The oil keeps this cake moist for days in a way butter cannot.
• •Your cream cheese and butter must be truly soft for smooth frosting. Set them on the counter two hours before you plan to make the frosting. Cold cream cheese creates lumps that no amount of beating will fix.
• •The cake layers can be baked, cooled, wrapped tightly in plastic, and frozen for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting. This makes birthday preparations far less stressful.
• •If you prefer less sweetness, reduce the powdered sugar in the frosting to six cups. The texture will be slightly softer but still spreadable, and the tanginess of the cream cheese will shine through more prominently.
• •Toast extra pecans while you're at it. They keep for weeks in an airtight container and elevate salads, oatmeal, and late-night snacking.

Advance Preparation

• •Cake layers can be baked up to 2 days ahead, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature. For longer storage, freeze wrapped layers for up to 2 months.
• •Frosting can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature and beat briefly before using to restore spreadable consistency.
• •The fully assembled and frosted cake keeps beautifully refrigerated for up to 5 days. The flavors actually improve after a day as everything melds together. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving for the best texture.
• •Toast pecans up to 1 week ahead and store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 155g)