I found this recipe waaaay back in August and printed it out because it struck me as being amusing; I’m all for any cream cheese frosting-carrier that doesn’t contain raisins.

I finally bought the key ingredients (bananas, canned pineapple, and a new bottle of vanilla extract) last Monday, and – that’s right bitches – I got it in the oven today!

The part of the recipe where they suggest you “pour” the batter into the prepared pans is a joke. This batter could be used for bondo, I am not kidding you. You could stand a three-foot fork up in this batter. This batter actually freaked me out a little, because I had to knead it like dough because it was too thick to stir and because I’m more of a cook than a baker and I don’t know enough about cake batter to know from reading a recipe if it will work out or not.

The cake still cooling, but it looks cakey enough. We’ll see if it’s food or not when it’s cooled and frosted.

Hummingbird Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups chopped bananas
Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not beat.) Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1 cup pecans, and bananas.

Pour batter into three greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top. Store in refrigerator.

Yield: 16 servings

CALORIES 642; FAT 34.2g ; SODIUM 312mg; CHOLESTEROL 71mg
Southern Living, JANUARY 1999

My very dark basement kitchen