This cake is truly the sweetest import from the South, and although the true origin of the cake is a mystery, the first published recipe for Hummingbird Cake was in the February 1978 issue of Southern Living magazine. Louis won the booby prize for his Hummingbird Cake—he forgot the baking soda. His prize was a cookbook about how to bake cakes. I made this cake for Larry Munson, the voice of the Georgia Bulldogs, leaving out the coconut. He had never heard of it. He thought the name was crazy, and he wasn’t sure about even tasting it. He liked it so much that three days later, he called to get the recipe for his sister in Minneapolis. She had never heard of it either and wanted to try it because Larry had raved so much about it.
CAKE
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
½ cup buttermilk
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, not drained
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 5 or 6)
1 cup coconut (optional)
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (16-ounce) package confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat the oven to 350°. For the cake, in a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cinnamon. Add the eggs, oil, and buttermilk, stirring until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not beat. Stir in the vanilla, pineapple, pecans, bananas, and coconut if using. Pour the batter into three greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 15 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool completely on wire racks.
For the frosting, in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer beat the butter and cream cheese. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla. Stir in the pecans. Spread between the layers and on the sides and top of the cake.
YIELD: 1 (3-LAYER) CAKE
Teresa Bish
Watkinsville, Georgia