Hummingbird Cake

On my travels around the blogosphere I saw a beautiful cake that my very sweet blogger friend “Happy Cook” @ My Kitchen Treasures had baked. Known to me as H.C. she has a beautiful blog and has an immense passion for cooking and baking. The range of her food is diverse from Indian, Chinese, Italian and Belgian and amongst all this a sprinkling of other cultures. Also H.C. is hosting a brilliant event at the moment for Homemade Christmas Gifts. If you desire to participate or just view the gorgeous edible gifts for Christmas ideas do take a peek here .

Thank you H.C. for sharing such a great bake :)

Another great blogger Aparna @ My Diverse Kitchen is celebrating her first year of blogging. To celebrate, she is asking bloggers and non-bloggers to celebrate with her by sending in celebratory fare. I thought this cake would be a lovely addition to this celebratory event. I had to include a candle on top of the cake in Aparna’s honour. You have until the 30th November 08 to submit your entry.

Hummingbird Cake ~ adapted from Happy Cooks recipe

Ingredients
1½ cups of self-raising flour
1 cup of caster sugar
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp cinnamon
¾ cup of flavourless oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Few drops of vanilla extract
¾ cup pecan nuts, chopped
2 large ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
½ cup of pineapple from a tin, drained and chopped finely
Cream Cheese Frosting
60g Cream cheese
30g butter, softened at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1½ cups of icing sugar
Edible food colour of choice (optional)
A few sprinkles (optional)

You will need a 20cm (8 in) round springform tin, lightly greased with a little butter and based lined with non-stick baking paper or greaseproof paper.

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan oven 150°C/325°F/Gas mark 3.

Sift the flour, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs, vanilla extract, oil, nuts, banana and pineapple and stir until just combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour or until firm to the touch in the centre of the cake or a skewer inserted into the centre come out clean.

Leave the cake to stand in its tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Remove the paper from the base of the cake and place onto a cake stand or plate to serve.

Place all the ingredients for the frosting into a bowl and beat until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. * I added my edible food colouring at the end when the frosting was all combined*.

Spread the cream cheese filling over the top of the cake and decorate if wished with sprinkles etc.