Hummingbird Cake (Kay Hillje)

Submitted by: Kay Hillje

Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 ½ cups canola oil

3 eggs

1 (20) oz can crushed pineapple, drained

Reserve 2-4 oz pineapple for filling

2 large mashed bananas

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 (8oz) pkg lite cream cheese, softened

¼ lb butter (1 stick),softened

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 t. vanilla

1 jar maraschino cherries, halved

Extra chopped walnuts for sides Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 – 9 inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray or grease and flour pans.

2. Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, eggs, pineapple (minus reserved amount), bananas, and nuts. Slowly add in flour mixture. Mix thoroughly. Will make a stiff batter. (Mix by hand if needed.)

4. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove and cool.

5. Prepare frosting by blending together the cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Evenly spread thin layer of frosting on the bottom layer of cake, sprinkle with reserved pineapple. Top with second layer and frost sides and top of cake. Decorate cake with chopped/crushed walnuts on sides and cherry halves on top.