Hummingbird Morning Cake

Hummingbird Morning Cake

This recipe appeared in our newspaper.  It is a Southern classic created by a home baker in North Carolina.  This is an updated classic with many of the calories cut.

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Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup mashed bananas

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, well drained

3 tablespoons Demerara sugar or Sugar-in-the-raw

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Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat the bottom and sides of a 9x9 square pan with non-stick cooking spray.  

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In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

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In a seperate bowl, combine the butter and the granulated and brown sugars.  With an electric mixer set at medium speed, bea together until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then beat in the vanilla, bananas, and buttermilk, just until combined.  With the mixer set on low speed, beat the flour mixture into the banana batter, in two additions, just until combined.

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With a rubber spatula, fold in 3/4 cup of pecans (reserving the remaining 3/4 cup pecans and Demereara sugar for the topping), the coconut and the pineapple.

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Spread the batter into the prepared pan in an even layer and sprinkle with the remaining Demerara sugar and 3/4 cup pecans.  Bake until firm and golden brown and a skewer inserted in the cnter of the cake comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes.

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Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.  Cut in squares and serve.  Serves 9