Is My Blog Burning: Cake Walk -- The Hummingbird Cake
click on the link to see the Luke Approved! Hummingbird Cake
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I don't think much about what I eat, other than wondering "will it taste good?" But for my precious little nephew, Luke, eating is a dangerous proposition. Luke suffers from severe food allergies -- milk proteins and tree nuts are the culprit. They are in everything. Its not hard to imagine then what a daunting prospect that can be for cooking; for baking it sometimes seems downright impossible.
The Hummingbird Cake is a delicious answer for all of us. Luke gets to enjoy the yumminess of a moist cake, and we can eat dessert without ever having to worry about whether our indulgence will result in a trip to the emergency room for him. Anything we prepare that is safe for Luke to enjoy, we've lovingly declared Luke Approved!
The Hummingbird Cake is a old Southern tradition. It's name comes from the sweetness, which is supposed to be reminiscent of the sweet liquid that attracts hummingbirds to their feeders. This recipe, adapted from the January 2004 edition of Martha Stewart Living, updates the ingredient list. The result is a moist, almost spice-like cake that cuts the cloying sweetness. The icing recipe comes from my beloved food allergy cookbook: What's to Eat? Food Allergy Cookbook, by Linda Marienhoff Coss.
Luke Approved! Hummingbird Cake with Dried Pineapple Flowers
Adapted from Martha Steward Living, ©2002 copyright, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.
All vegetable shortening to grease pans and wire racks
3 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large)
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple drained
1 cup chopped dried figs
1 cup flaked coconut
Posie Frosting (recipe follows)
Dried Pineapple Flowers (optional) (recipe follows)
Makes 1 nine-inch layer cake.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans with vegetable shortening. Line the bottom of pans with parchment paper. Grease the paper and dust pans with flour, tapping out any excess; set pans aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat oil, vanilla, and sugar until combined, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Beat at a medium speed until mixture is pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, mix together, banana, figs, pineapple, and coconut. Add to egg mixture; stir until well combined. Add flour mixture; blend well.
- Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until golden brown, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking.
- Transfer pans to a greased wire rack. Let pans cool 15 minutes. Run a knife around edges to loosen. Invert onto racks; reinvert, top side up. Cool completely. Assemble cake, or wrap each layer well and freeze (thaw before using).
- With a serrated knife, trim and discard rounded top off one layer (It is ok if the second layer is a bit rounded, for it becomes the top of the cake). Place trimmed layer on serving platter. Using an off-set spatula, spread the top of layer with 1/4-inch of frosting. Top with the untrimmed layer. Lightly coat the assembled cake with a thin layer of frosting to protect against crumbs in the frosting. Finish with remaining frosting. Decorate with dried pineapple flowers, if desired. Serve at room temperature. (Cake can be refrigerated up to 3 days.
Luke Approved! Posie Cream Fosting
From What’s to Eat?, © 2002 Copyright By Linda Marienhoff Coss
This is especially good for use in a decorating bag, for cake decorating. Please note that it is essential that you use electric beaters for this recipe – the consistencey will be terrible if you mix it by hand.
2 cups dairy-free 100% vegetable shortening
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups sifted powdered sugar, divided use
¼ cup dairy-free margarine, room temperature
1-12/ teaspoons vanilla extract
Food color, optional
Place shortening, salt, 1 cup of the powdered sugar, margarine and vanilla in mixing bowl. Beat with electric beaters at medium speed until mixture is smooth. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar until of spreading consistency. If desired, tint with food color.
Makes enough frosting to frost a 9-inch double-layer cake or a 9" x 13" single layer sheet cake, with enough left over for decorating.
Dried Pineapple Flowers
Makes about 2 dozen
2 large pineapples or 4 small pineapples (the recipe works best if the pineapples are not quite ripe).
1. Preheat oven to 225°. Line baking sheets with Silpats (French nonstick baking mats) or parchment paper.
2. Peel pineapples and remove "eyes" using a very tiny melonballer, or paring knife. Cut crosswise into very thin slices and place in a single layer on prepared baking sheets. Bake until tops look dry, anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. Using tongs, flip slices over and continue to cook until completely dried out, 25 to 30 minutes more. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
(Note: baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the slices; for an added decorative touch, remove from oven and allow to cool draped over a popover tin or muffin pan. This will give the "flower" added dimension.).
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