Be warned the frosting is very sickly - if you want a toned down version just frost between the layers - this also makes is slightly more kid safe (they will only go loopy for 1/2 hour not the full hour!)
HUMMINGBIRD CAKE.
Three 20cm cake tins base lined with greaseproof paper
Ingredients:
300g caster sugar
3 eggs
300ml sunflower oil
270g peeled bananas mashed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus extra to decorate
300g plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
100g tinned pineapple chopped into small pieces
100g shelled pecans (or walnuts) chopped plus extra to decorate.
Preheat the oven to 170 C
Put the sugar, eggs, oil, banana and cinnamon in a freestanding electric mixer with paddle attachment (we don't have one so a handheld whisk works fine!) Beat all the ingredients until they are well mixed (don't worry if it looks split). Slowly add the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and vanilla extract and continue to beat until well mixed.
Stir in the chopped pineapple and pecan nuts by hand.
Pour the mixture into prepared cake tins and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Leave to on a rack to cool completely then stick layers together with frosting and frost over the whole cake. Decorate with pecans and a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Cream Cheese Frosting
600g icing sugar sifted
100g unsalted butter at room temperature
250g cream cheese, cold
Beat the icing sugar and butter together.
Add the cream cheese until its smooth and silky - careful not to overbeat as it will become runny.
