Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake - Gluten Free

If you like carrot cake then you’re going to love this one.  A Hummingbird Cake is a southern classic that combines crushed pineapple, bananas and pecans to make a moist delicious spice cake that is similar to a carrot cake without the carrots.  The cream cheese icing is irresistibly delicious with the flavors of the cake.  

I've lightened up the recipe with less sugar, and low fat Greek yogurt in the cake batter.  I’ve also used low fat cream cheese in the frosting so you won’t have to feel nearly as guilty when indulging in a slice of this hummingbird cake.  

When I made the cake, since I only had a couple of people at the house I had a good bit left over.  Before I found myself over indulging, I decided to individually wrap and freeze small slices.  The cake freezes very well.  The leftovers will have you smiling for days.  I promise.

Hummingbird Cake

Prep time:  20 min

Cook time:  28 min

Ingredients list

·   2 ½ cups G F Bisquick (regular instructions in notes)    

·   1 ¼ cups of sugar

·   1 tsp cinnamon

·   1 cup pecans, chopped (plus more to garnish)

·   ½ cup butter, melted

·   ½ cup low fat Greek yogurt

·   2 eggs, beaten

·   2 ripe bananas, mashed

·   1 cup crushed pineapple, undrained

·   1 tsp vanilla

·   FOR THE ICING:

·   16 oz of reduced fat cream cheese, well softened

·   ½ cup butter, well softened

·   2 cups confectioner’s sugar

·   1 tsp vanilla

Video Tutorial:

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (or 175 °C) and grease two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans with gluten free nonstick spray.
2. In a medium bowl stir together the Bisquick, sugar and cinnamon and set it aside. 
3. In a large bowl stir together all the rest of the cake batter ingredient until they’re well combined then add the dry ingredients and mix well. 
4. Evenly divide the batter between the two pans, the batter will be much thicker than regular batter so it might need to be spooned into the pans.  Use a rubber spatula to spread the batter into flat even layers.
5. Bake it for 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool the cakes for ten minutes before removing them from their pans then cool completely and chill the layers before icing.
6. To make the icing cream together the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar and mix until smooth and creamy.
7. To ice the cake, place the first layer on your serving dish with the flat side up, then apply an even layer of frosting and refrigerate it for twenty minutes to chill and solidify that layer of icing before adding the next chilled cake layer. 
8. Frost the top layer of the cake then the sides and once you have the cake well covered garnish with additional pecans or edible flowers if you want.  Chill the cake well before serving for neater slices. 

Notes:  If you’re not following a gluten free diet you can substitute the gluten free bisquick with (2 ½ cups of flour, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt).