Hankering for Hummingbird

 

Growing up I can always remember lazy summer days, sitting in the kitchen and looking out the window at all of the birds coming to the feeder. As far back as I can remember, hummingbirds were my favorite. I was intrigued by how fast their wings moved and how swiftly they could come and go. Now that I am in an apartment, I don’t get to enjoy watching the hummingbirds, but I know it’s something to look forward to when I visit home along with many other things of course!

But obviously this isn’t a blog about birds, but instead a blog about food, so how does that tie together with hummingbirds you ask? With the one-of-a-kind hummingbird cake of course! :-)

Even I questioned how a cake and a hummingbird have a similarity, but supposedly this confection descended from Jamaican roots and the hummingbird is one of the national symbols. Regardless  of where it came from or how it got its name, there’s no arguing that this fruit-filled sweet is definitely something you want to try if you haven’t already!

Hummingbird Cake

*Recipe adapted by me*

Ingredients:

3  cups  all-purpose flour

1  teaspoon  baking soda

1  teaspoon  salt

2  cups  sugar or Splenda

1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon

3  large eggs one large egg + 2 egg white, beaten

1  cup  vegetable oil 1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 1/2  teaspoons  vanilla extract

1  (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained

1/2 c  chopped pecans

2  cups  chopped bananas

Cream cheese frosting:

1  (8-ounce) package  fat-free cream cheese, softened

1/2  cup  butter or margarine, softened

1  (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted

1  teaspoon  vanilla extract

 

Directions:

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add eggs and applesauce, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not beat.) Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1/4 cup pecans, and bananas.

Pour batter into three greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped pecans on top. Store in refrigerator.

*I sprinkled these on top instead of pecans*

-Sweet plantain chips-

As you may have noticed, I tried to lighten this up a bit by using applesauce in place of the oil, and a few other substitutes. Here are some secrets of eggs concerning baking lighter:

• Packaged cake mixes usually contain ingredients that help with texture, tenderness, etc. so using only egg white often works fine.
• One large whole egg has 70 calories, 5 grams fat, and 213 mg cholesterol. 2 egg whites have 30 calories and no cholesterol.
• When reducing eggs in a from-scratch recipe, substitute 2 egg whites or 1/4 c egg substitute. It’s best to leave at least 1 whole egg.

Have you tried hummingbird cake?

p.s. Get your hands on this cookie if you can!

Nana’s Peanut Butter Cookies

(Disclaimer:free product)

*It’s sweetened with fruit juice sweetener, but you’d never be able to tell if I didn’t tell you! ;-)

*Fresh-baked and super cake-like.

*Great peanut butter flavor.