It was about 20 years ago, I first came across Hummingbird Cake when one of my colleagues brought in her homemade Hummingbird Cake to share. She gave me a copy of the recipe that she found in a magazine. The recipe has been lost, but I made my own recipe based on ‘My Legendary Carrot Cake’. This cake can be baked in a larger cake tin.


Makes

12 Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 & 1/2 cups Self-Raising Flour
1/2 cup Caster Sugar OR Brown Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1/2 cup Walnuts *coarsely chopped
1/2 cup Desiccated Coconut
1 Ripe Banana *mashed
1 can (450g) Crushed Pineapple *drained
*Note:You would need about 1 cup crushed OR chopped Pineapple
2 large Eggs
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil *I used Sunflower Oil
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Cream Cheese Frosting
125g Cream Cheese *softened
50g Butter *softened
1 cup (120g) Icing Sugar *sifted
2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
1/4 cup Thickened Cream *whipped
*Note: Thickened Cream is optional, but you need it to make the amount of Frosting enough to decorate 12 cupcakes.

Method
  1. Preheat oven to 180℃. Line a 12-hole medium-size muffin tin with paper cases.
  2. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Spoon the mixture into the cases and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until nicely browned and cooked through.

  3. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
  4. To make Cream Cheese Frosting, place softened Cream Cheese, softened Butter and Lemon Juice in a bowl. Using a whisk, beat until well combined. Gradually add sifted Icing Sugar and beat until smooth.
  5. Whip Thickened Cream in a separate bowl until soft peaks form, then mix with the Cream Cheese mixture. If too soft to use, leave it in the fridge to firm up. Decorate the cooled cupcakes with the Frosting.