Hummingbird cake

FOOD | Julianne Glatz

In the pantheon of glorious southern cakes, none is more beloved than hummingbird cake. And probably none has more variations, not so much in the actual cake itself (although the proportions can vary) or in the cream cheese frosting; the variations come in how and with what it is garnished.

Hummingbird cake is basically a carrot cake in which banana replaces grated carrots. In fact, I’m sure I could simply swap bananas for the carrots in the carrot cake recipe I’ve used for years and it would turn out fine.

Wonderful as carrot cake is, for me, those bananas put hummingbird cake a notch above. Carrots provide as much moistness as bananas, but not nearly as much flavor.

I’ve no idea which came first, modern carrot cake or hummingbird cake, or even if one is actually a variation on the other. I do know that the genesis of hummingbird cake is clear; not often the case with cakes that have been passed down through generations.

Despite its iconic status, the hummingbird cake isn’t that old. In the context of chicken-or-egg-first, sweet carrot cakes clearly came first. They’ve been made for hundreds of years; carrots added sweetness when sugar was an expensive, even rare, commodity. But the carrot cakes that are so popular today began appearing in the 1960s.

Food historians believe that hummingbird cake was invented in the 1960s in Jamaica. Originally it was called the “doctor bird cake,” after a Jamaican species of hummingbird known as the Red billed Streamertail, so-called because the hummingbirds’ long beaks probing flowers was reminiscent of a doctor inspecting a patient.

But how does that relate to a banana and pineapple cake? One theory is that the cake was so sweet it would attract nectar-eating hummingbirds; another is that the yellow hue of bananas was similar to the Red-billed Streamertail’s feathers.

When the Jamaican tourist board put together press kits for the American market in 1968, they included a few recipes in the packets. One was for the “doctor bird cake.”

While there seems to be no evidence that the cake made much of an impression in the rest of the country for the next decade, references and recipes for the cake began appearing in southern local papers, community cookbooks, county fair reports and cake competitions under various monikers, including “the cake that doesn’t last.”

In 1978, a recipe for hummingbird cake made by Mrs. L. H. Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina was featured in Southern Living magazine. According to food historians, that was the first time the cake had been labeled as such in print.

The American South still claims hummingbird cake as its own; it is Southern Living magazine’s all-time most requested recipe. But the moist, deeply flavored fruit and nut-filled treat has become popular throughout the United States and beyond. I had a stellar version at Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor, Michigan last year. And British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver recently featured his version of hummingbird cake on his newest cooking show, “Comfort Food.” As Oliver says, it’s truly “a cake that cannot fail to put a smile on your face.”

Its scrumptiousness isn’t the only reason hummingbird cake is so popular. It’s a snap to make, with no fussy sifting or delicate folding. In fact, the ingredients should be mixed just enough to combine them. It also keeps well; its flavor improves the day after it’s made.

There are numerous tasty and decorative garnishes. Coconut is common. It can be toasted or not, shredded or flaked, covering the entire cake or just the sides. Other possibilities include pecan halves, sweetened dried pineapple rings, banana chips and caramelized pineapple rings. Oliver’s version adds 2 tablespoons grated lime zest and a tablespoon of lime juice to the icing. He also makes a fabulous pecan brittle topping; the recipe is below.

Hummingbird cake

For the cake:

• 3 c. all-purpose flour

• 2 c. granulated sugar

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp. salt

• 2 c. mashed ripe bananas – the riper the better

• 3 large eggs

• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 c. vegetable oil

• 2 c. chopped pecans, lightly toasted

• Crushed pineapple (packed in juice) from a 20 oz. can, thoroughly drained For the icing:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

• 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1 lb. confectioners’ sugar, sifted (about 4 1/2 c. sifted) Preheat the oven to 350 F. Using waxed or parchment paper, cut out circles to fit the bottoms of 3 9” cake pans. Lightly butter the bottoms of the pans, then press the paper circles into them. Butter the sides and paper-lined bottoms of the pans, then coat them with flour. Turn each pan upside down (doing this over a garbage can or onto a paper towel or parchment or wax paper helps avoid a mess) and rap sharply to remove excess flour, leaving just a thin coating.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (if using) or a large bowl, beat together the mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla until the mixture is thoroughly smooth. Add the dry ingredients and pour the oil on top of them. (This keeps the flour mixture from “exploding” out of the bowl if you’re using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer.)

Mix the ingredients together just until combined, on low speed if using a mixer, or using a large spatula or spoon if mixing by hand. Stir in the pineapple (make sure that the bits are separated and aren’t in clumps) and the pecans.

Divide the mixture evenly between the three cake pans and smooth the tops. If you are using both oven racks, rotate the pans in approximately the middle of the baking time. Bake until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the centers of the pans comes out clean, about 25 – 35 minutes.

Place the cake layers in their pans on wire racks and let cool for 10 minutes. Turn the layers upside down on the racks and remove the pans and waxed or parchment paper. Carefully turn the cake layers right side up and let cool completely before icing.

To make the icing: Whip together the cream cheese and butter, then stir in the vanilla. Mix in the sifted confectioner’s sugar a few spoonfuls at a time, combining thoroughly between each addition. When all the confectioner’s sugar is mixed in, beat on high if using a mixer or whip vigorously by hand until the mixture is light and fluffy. Serves 12 or more.

Hummingbird cake can also be made in a deep 9”X13” baking pan. Baking time is 35 - 45 minutes. It can also be made into approximately 36 cupcakes, which should be baked for 20 - 25 minutes.

Pecan brittle topping

• 1/2 c. sugar

• 1 c. broken pecans

• Pinch of salt Lightly butter a large sheet of grease-proof paper, such as parchment paper or a marble surface or metal sheet pan. Also butter a heatproof spatula or mixing spoon. Set aside.

Put the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a heavy bottomed pan. Place over medium high heat and swirl gently, keeping the pan on the burner until the sugar has dissolved.

Let the mixture cook, without stirring, until it turns a light golden color. Stir in the pecans and salt and continue to cook, again without stirring, until the caramel is a golden amber color.

Pour the brittle mixture onto the oiled paper or surface and spread it around with the oiled spatula or spoon. Cool completely.

Remove the brittle from the paper or surface in chunks. Smash it into small pieces or, if you prefer, into almost a powder. Store in a sealed container if not using immediately. To retain maximum crunchiness, sprinkle the crumbs onto the iced cake just before serving.

Contact Julianne Glatz at realcuisine.jg@gmail.com.