Sunday, April 12, 2009

you'll hum when you eat it


I almost always make this wonderfully moist cake for Easter at the
manor. It's similar to carrot cake, only lighter and fluffier. It's a
perfect finish to a dinner of roast rosemary leg of lamb and asparagus.
Yummity-yum-yum-yum!! It is said that this cake takes it's name
from the fact that it tastes so good that you'll "hum" when you eat it!
(disregard random bookish background rubble)


Willow's Hummingbird Cake

[cake]
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1 3/4 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 4)
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp vanilla extract

[frosting]
1 1/2 cups coconut
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese softened
2 sticks butter softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 pounds powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350. Butter and flour three round 9 inch cake pans.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and
salt. Add eggs and oil, stirring until moist; do not beat. Stir in
pineapple with juice, bananas, walnuts and vanilla.

Divide batter evenly among cake pans. Bake 20 minutes. Cool
10 minutes in pan, then invert on wire racks to cool.

Frost between all layers, as well as sides and top of cake.
Top with coconut. You can make this cake a day or two ahead, as it
ages well, and actually moistens with age.

Hope all of you are enjoying the day~!

PS... Abe Lincoln (yes, that's his real name, and yes, he is related
to the Abraham Lincoln) gave me an extra kind mention on his blog,
Brookville Daily Photo, yesterday. Stop by his place, actually, he has
three lovely blogs, and say hello.
.

66 comments:

  1. Yum! Wish I could have a cup of tea with you at the manor and a big ol' piece of Hummingbird cake. Happy Easter ! And we're tres happy to hear that the pasta primavera was a hit.
    xo S & les gang

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  2. Willow's Hummingbird cake - I think it looks so deliciously divine that I am calling it WIllow's wicked cake!! Hope you had the happiest of days, xv.

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  3. Looks divine....I'll be over for a piece as soon as I finish up our coconut cake! ha-ha!

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  4. I can't wait to try that out! Happy Easter!

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  5. three of your five portions of fruit or veg per day! (-:

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  6. Yum!!!! I will bake this. I like carrot cake but am a fan of fluffy.

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  7. Oh good heavens....I sooooo want to visit you!

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  8. Happy Easter!

    Yummy the cake looks absolutely delicious. I'll have to make it when I know I'm going to have company or all the walking in the world won't be any help.

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  9. That looks fabulous! The ingredients will be easy to use. I often see US recipes I fancy making but I haven't a clue about what half the ingredients are.

    Thanks so much for this. My grandchildren will love it.

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  10. it should be you'll yum when you eat it. sounds like a delicious meal. Happy Easter.

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  11. Oh, it does sound delectable! (Even without the pictures, I can just imagine how it tastes!)
    I was rather curious when you mentioned it at "Keepsakes".

    We're having Irish Coffee Pie for dessert at The Hyggehus. Mmmm!

    Kat

    P.S. Watching "Easter Parade" this evening. I love "We're a Couple of Swells" (or is it, "Up the Avenue")?

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  12. This cake looks SO good! Thanks for sharing.

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  13. Humming while eating..... I love when it tastes THAT good!

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  14. Oh, thank you! I love a good recipe. I will have to wait until the current sugarfest is over though.

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  15. Yummm...I just sent my mom a link to your post, as her carrot cake is a favorite of mine...and when I taste this...it might just win top honors :-)

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  16. willow, i rarely follow through on recipes like this, but you've convinced me totally! i am downloading the recipe, foregoing my diet for a future day, and i will indeed don my baking apron!

    i hope you've had a hoppity hop day.

    xo
    kj

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  17. Looks delicious! Don't think I'll be able to wait until next Easter to try it.

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  18. that looks divine....
    ok, i am going to his place , and saying 'hi' for you !! xx

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  19. Thanks for the posted link. I do so appreciate it. The carrot cake looks fantastic.

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  20. gee thanks, just finished dinner and already hungry again. looks great!

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  21. I printed this one out. It sounds really good.

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  22. Willow, this looks scrumptious! If I hadn't just got back from an 18th birthday party, full to the top of my neck with cake and other glorious food, I'd insist on having a slice right now!

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  23. I am not even going to say what I was going to say. So let me say that this looks sooo good,a and I am happy that I have some cake in the kitchen because I am going to log off and eat it all!

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  24. OMG! Pineapple and bannana? I am certain it is as moist as it looks. Yummy!

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  25. Ohhh the recipe sounds divine... pineapple & walnuts... yummm.

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  26. Oh my gosh, I hummed just looking at the photograph.

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  27. Coconut and cream cheese and cinnamon? A girl after my own heart!

    Did I mention how much I love your new banner photo; have a small collection of kerosene lamps.

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  28. Oh that brings so many memories Have not baked such a cake for a long time..only us 2 empty nesters for Easter so no grand cakes onthe agenda...wish I could have a nibble of that with the tea! In my favorite Polish Pottery--Bolsw...can't spell it right now.

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  29. Looks very delicious. I'm going to need some really great recipes very soon. I'll tell you why on Tuesday or Wed. on my blog. Thanks for this one. Kim

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  30. Dear Willow, A Happy Easter to you and yours.
    That cake does sound truly delicious.
    I am baking some traditional yeast cakes today redolent of saffron.

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  31. I have never tasted Hummingbird Cake and have always wondered about it. Now I can see the inside of one!! And it looks sooo delicious. I bet it's fun to make too!

    Thinking of you this Easter and hoping it was a very Happy one for you and yours!!

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  32. Great recipe and super tradition!!

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  33. oh it looks gorgeous. CAN'T we SOMEHOW meet in cyber space for a tea party and have some????

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  34. I am absolutely exhausted...but I would like a piece of that delicious cake please. I'll wait for the knock on the door.
    Wouldn't it be fun to get together and cook? I'm always alone. You should have seen my Easter outfit - a flour dusted 'Meet the Beatles' tee shirt and bare feet. I have to have the Beatles on holidays...any holiday. Good night!
    Catherine

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  35. Yummity Hummity is right! Another recipe I will be saving...

    ...and I truly wish I could have had rosemary lamb and asparagus instead of the ham and green beans that my family insisted on...

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  36. Your sidebar states: "chatter and lots of laughter"...goes well with Hummingbird cake!! Sounds as if everyone had a great day at Willow Manor!

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  37. oh this cake looks absolutely divine and perfect for Easter, Willow !
    i'm not really good at converting cups into grams but i'd love to give it a try!
    love the name of it too...
    Happy Easter Willow !!

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  38. This looks so good, I printed out the recipe to try sometime soon.

    Hope your Easter was great, can see the desert was.

    Thank you for sharing.

    Can this be adapted to make carrot cake with it. I love carrot cake.

    God bless.

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  39. Bananas, pineapples and coconuts -
    I can see how this great looking cake is a winner all the way to its inner core! :-)

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  40. Oh, I must try. I think that rich, black coffee might go beautifully with this!

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  41. That looks yummy, if very sweet with all that frosting! :)

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  42. i'll be thinking of ya when i make this lovely cake! :D carrot cake is my fave.. so this lighter version sounds sooooooo yummy!!!
    thanks for sharing!

    have a wonderful day,
    -Tracie

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  43. I say yummy! Looks very delicious:-)

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  44. Hi! Willow,
    I hope that you and your family had a very nice Easter holiday!..hmmm..the cake looks great!...Oh! yes, I have printed out the recipe, too!
    Thanks, for sharing!
    Deedee;-D
    Willow said,"(disregard random bookish background rubble)"
    No way!...That don't look like
    "rubble" to me!...

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  45. Willow.........I had this cake many years ago! It was wonderful!
    You will never guess who baked it?
    Tammy Wynette!

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  46. Wow, that really looks something special!

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  47. On my agenda for this week? Hummingbird cake.

    I love coconut and I love cake.

    Y U M!!

    Hope your Easter was wonderful.

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  48. Sounds delicious, Willow. I haven't made a hummingbird cake in years. But I'm a sucker for traditions, and love that it's one of yours. Hope your Easter was wonderful!

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  49. What a great tropical combo...if you added some rum it would be a pina colada cake. Looks yummers.

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  50. Oh Willow! 54 comments! A fellow could starve, just getting here!!
    :0) I must admit, I'm not a fan of sugar frosting but the cake sounds yummy.

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  51. I may die from tbe butter in the frosting, but hey, we all have to go sometime!..and I always thought it would be killer chocolate..you never know!

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  52. I only wish I had time to bake more. It looks fabulous!

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  53. I have often wondered if there was any connection to the name of this cake, and the famous L&N train called The Hummingbird. It was once the train one could take out of Birmingham to New Orleans, and from New Orleans to Chicago. Though there seem to be many variations of the cake, no one is certain of its origins.
    It is a favorite in the South.
    I'll bet yours is luscious!
    Books and cake? Looks like a great combo to me!

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  54. loved the recipe till I got to the walnuts which I am allergic to! Looks absolutely yummy

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  55. mommanator, you can replace the walnuts with pecans, or just forget the nuts completely. It would be fine without them.

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  56. Sadly I started YET another diet today, so no can do, despite it's ovious deliciousness!

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  57. Humm!Really many thanks for that!Sure it must be delicious!

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  58. Hi Willow!
    Hope your Easter was lovely! Your cake is very similar to my Butter Pecan Banana Bars. They taste as delicious as yours looks! :)
    Sarah

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  59. hey willow, i made this cake - my first cake from scratch in my fifty-two years of existence!! it's so good!

    even better - after i made it, i found out that i'm the only one in the house who likes pineapple in a cake so the whole humungous thing is mine!!!
    steven

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  60. Steven! So happy to hear you made the cake and are enjoying it. And lucky you, to have the whole thing to yourself! It stays nice a moist for about a week, so enjoy.

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)