Hummingbird Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

• - 3 cups all-purpose flour
• - 1 teaspoon baking soda
• - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• - 1/2 teaspoon salt
• - 1 cup vegetable oil
• - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• - 2 cups sugar
• - 3 large eggs
• - 2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 large)
• - 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
• - 1 cup chopped pecans
• - 1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

Icing:

• - 1 pound (16 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
• - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• - 1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
• - 2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour four Easy Layers round cake pans or loaf pans.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat oil, vanilla, and sugar until combined, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Beat at medium speed until mixture is pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together banana, pineapple, pecans, and coconut. Add to egg mixture; stir until well combined. Add flour mixture; blend well.
5. Divide batter between pans. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes.
6. Transfer pans to a wire rack. Once cooled, invert cakes onto racks; reinvert, top side up. Cool completely. While cake is cooling, make frosting.

For the frosting:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese and vanilla until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. With mixer on medium speed, gradually add butter, beating until incorporated. Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add sugar, beating until incorporated. Use immediately to frost and layer the cake.

NOTES:

This frosting is rich and fairly loose. To help keep your cake edges clean, refrigerate the cake throughout the icing process to help it set up.