Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake

Makes one 3-layer 9-inch cake

For the cake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 large eggs, beaten lightly
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 oz canned crushed pineapple, drained well
• 1 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans, plus 1/2 cup toasted pecan halves, for garnish
• 2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (2 to 3 medium) 

For the frosting:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 8 ounces (1 cup) cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar

Chopped pecans, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three round 9-inch cake pans.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together several times. Put into a large bowl and set aside.
3. Add the eggs and oil to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are evenly moistened. Stir in the vanilla, pineapple, and the pecans. Add the bananas and stir just until combined. The batter will be very thick.
4. Divide the batter equally between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a small knife around the pan, loosening the edges of the cakes. Turn out onto a cooling rack, and let the cakes cool completely before frosting. 
5. To make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Beat at medium-high speed until the mixture has a very smooth consistency; pause occasionally to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition, until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. 
6. Place one cake layer, flat side up, on a serving plate; spread 3/4 cup of frosting on top. Leave a half-inch margin all around, as the weight of the second cake layer will push the frosting to the edges. Repeat with the second layer. Place the third cake layer, flat side up, on top of the frosted layers. Frost the sides and then the top; garnish by sprinkling more chopped pecans around the top edges of the cake.  
7. Serve at room temperature. Because the cream cheese frosting is sensitive to heat, store lightly covered in the refrigerator for up to three days; let come to room temperature before serving.