I’ve been wanting to make this cake for some time now, but the only thing that put me off making it was that it has bananas in it, and my mum doesn’t eat bananas. But I couldn’t take it anymore and I made it today! (sorry mum, you won’t be taste testing this one).

The thing that caught my eye about the recipe was that it not only had bananas but also crushed pineapple and cinnamon. It sounded like a delicious combination.
Although I think I should have included the syrup in the can of pineapple instead of draining it. I think there would have been a nicer pineapple flavour throughout the cake if this was the case. However, the end result was fantastic. The cream cheese frosting really compliments the fruitiness of the banana and pineapple.

I followed the recipe but found I ended up with way too much cream cheese frosting, almost double than I actually used.

Hummingbird Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Taste Website

Olive oil, to grease
20g (1/3 cup) flaked coconut
265g (1 & 3/4 cups) self-raising flour
200g (1 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
45g (1/2 cup) desiccated coconut
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 x 440g can crushed pineapple in natural syrup
3 small ripe bananas, peeled, mashed
185ml (3/4 cup) extra light olive oil
2 eggs, lightly whisked

cream cheese frosting:
1 x 250g pkt cream cheese, at room temperature
100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
450g (3 cups) icing sugar mixture
3 tsp milk

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Brush a round 22cm (base measurement) cake pan with olive oil to grease. Line the base and side with non-stick baking paper. Spread the flaked coconut over a baking tray. Bake for 5-8 minutes or until toasted.

2. Combine the flour, sugar, desiccated coconut, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add the pineapple, banana, extra light olive oil and egg and stir until well combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake in oven, covering the cake with foil if it browns too quickly, for 1 hour 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in the pan for 10 minutes to cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

3. Meanwhile, to make the cream cheese frosting, use an electric beater to beat the cream cheese and butter in a bowl. Add the icing sugar and beat until well combined. Add milk and beat to combine.

4. Place the cake on a plate. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the top and side of the cake. Sprinkle with toasted flaked coconut and serve.