Hummingbird Cake

Instructions

Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease and flour four 9-inch pans lined with parchment paper.
2. Beat the sugar, oil, and bananas in the bowl of a stand mixer on low speed until bananas are broken down, about 3 minutes.
3. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add the vanilla and beat well.
6. Combine the cake flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl and mix with a wire whisk.
7. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture slowly and beat until well blended.
8. Scrape the sides of the bowl and incorporate any unmixed batter if necessary.
9. Beat the batter for 7 minutes on medium speed.
10. Add the crushed pineapple and chopped pecans to the batter and mix until well blended.
11. Divide the batter evenly between the four prepared pans. Tap the pans on the counter to ensure there are no air bubbles.
12. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Test doneness by touching a cake top. If it springs back, it is done. If the indentation stays, it needs 2 to 3 minutes longer.
13. Cool the cakes for at least 10 minutes on a cooling rack before removing from the pans

Icing

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer for 3 minutes. At the end of the 3 minutes, scrape the bowl extremely well.
2. Add the vanilla extract and beat for 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, beating on low to ensure the sugar does not fly out of the mixing bowl.
4. After each addition of confectioners’ sugar, scrape the bowl extremely well.
5. Once all the confectioners’ sugar is incorporated, beat on low speed for 3 minutes.
6. Spread icing between the cake layers and then on the top and sides of the stacked layers.