Mile-High White Chocolate Hummingbird Cake

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Mile-High-White-Chocolate-Hummingbird-Cake
The Hummingbird Cake remains our most-requested recipe of all time. The origin of the name is unknown, but its signature ingredients—mashed banana, pineapple, coconut and pecans—assure its continued popularity. Eight layers and a spoon-licking white chocolate-cream cheese frosting make this updated version more spectacular than the original. But it’s easy as can be because of convenience products such as cake mix, instant pudding mix, and canned pineapple

Ingredients

  • 1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple in juice
  • 2 18.25-ounce packages white cake mix (we tested with Duncan Hines)
  • 2 3.4-ounce packages vanilla instant pudding mix
  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups milk, divided
  • 2 cups canola oil
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 4-ounce white chocolate baking bar, finely chopped (we tested with Ghirardelli)
  • 1 cup flaked sweetened coconut
  • 2 cups chopped pecans, toasted
  • 2 cups chopped banana (about 3 medium)
  • White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Garnish

  • Toasted pecans

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Drain pineapple, reserving juice for another use. Squeeze pineapple well using several thicknesses of paper towels to remove excess moisture.
  3. Combine cake mix and next 7 ingredients in an 8-qt. mixing bowl. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes; beat at medium speed 3 minutes. Fold in pineapple, white chocolate, and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into 4 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
  4. Bake at 350° for 34 to 36 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely. Wrap and chill cake layers at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
  5. Using a serrated knife, slice cake layers in half horizontally to make 8 layers. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on cake plate. Spread with 1/2 cup White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. Repeat procedure 6 times. Place final cake layer on top of cake, cut side down. Spread remaining frosting on top and sides of cake. Cover; chill in refrigerator overnight. Garnish, if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Notes

  1. Cover cake in an airtight container and freeze up to 1 month in advance. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before serving.
  2. To prepare a 4-layer White Chocolate Hummingbird Cake instead, use half of all ingredients in both cake and frosting recipes. Follow cake recipe as directed in Steps 1 through 4, except use only 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. In Step 5, slice the 2 cake layers in half horizontally to make 4 layers. Follow White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting recipe as directed except microwave white chocolate morsels in Step 1 for only 1 1/2 minutes. Assemble cake as directed. Both the 8- and 4-layer versions of this delicious cake slice best after they have chilled overnight.

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

  • 3 cups white chocolate morsels
  • 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 7 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Microwave white chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 3 minutes; stir until smooth.

2. Combine cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add melted chocolate, beating well. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Beat at medium speed until mixture reaches desired spreading consistency.

Fudge Pie

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Fudge Pie
Adapted from a recipe in Encore! Nashville, this simple, decadent chocolate pie filling can easily be used in your favorite purchased or homemade pie crust.

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup evaporated milk
  • 1/2 (12-oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 (9-inch) frozen unbaked pie crust shell
  • Ice cream

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 375°. Microwave first 3 ingredients in a large microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, whisking at 30-second intervals.
  2. Whisk sugar and flour into chocolate mixture. Add eggs, 1 at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition. Whisk in vanilla and salt. Stir in pecans. Pour mixture into pie shell.
  3. Bake at 375° for 35 to 40 minutes or until set. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Serve with ice cream.

Hummingbird Cake

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Hummingbird Cake
The ultimate recipe for Hummingbird Cake. It’s the most requested recipe in our Texas Nutshellers Recipes history and frequents covered dish dinners all across the South, always receiving rave reviews.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 cups chopped bananas
  • Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preparation

  1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not beat.) Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1 cup pecans, and bananas.
  2. Pour batter into three greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
  3. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top. Store in refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

  1. Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
  2. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy.
  3. Stir in vanilla.

Chocolate Baklava

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Chocolate Baklava
This is a simply amazing recipe—layers of crisp phyllo interspersed with mixed nuts and hazelnut-chocolate spread, with just enough butter to enhance the flavor yet keep the sat fat low. Baklava is a classic Mediterranean dessert that traditionally features layered phyllo dough, nuts, and syrup or honey. In this version, creamy chocolate-hazelnut spread adds rich, decadent flavor to this nutty, crowd-pleasing pastry. Because phyllo sheets are thin and delicate, handle with care so you won’t tear the sheets. Keep the sheets you are not working with covered so it won’t dry out.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
  • 1 cup hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella)
  • 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped
  • 1/3 cup blanched toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
  • 1/3 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • Cooking spray
  • 24 (14 x 9-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted

PREPARATION

  1. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat; stir until honey dissolves. Increase heat to medium; cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 230° (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; keep warm. Discard cinnamon stick.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°.
  3. Place hazelnut-chocolate spread in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds or until melted.
  4. Combine hazelnuts and next 5 ingredients (through salt).
  5. Lightly coat a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray.
  6. Working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), place 1 phyllo sheet lengthwise in bottom of prepared pan, allowing ends of sheet to extend over edges of dish; lightly brush with butter. Repeat procedure with 5 phyllo sheets and butter.
  7. Drizzle about 1/3 cup melted hazelnut -chocolate spread over phyllo. Sprinkle evenly with one-third of nut mixture (about 1/2 cup).
  8. Repeat procedure twice with phyllo, butter, hazelnut-chocolate spread, and nut mixture.
  9. Top last layer of nut mixture with remaining 6 sheets phyllo, each lightly brushed with butter. Press gently into pan.
  10. Make 3 lengthwise cuts and 5 crosswise cuts to form 24 portions using a sharp knife.
  11. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until phyllo is golden.
  12. Remove from oven. Drizzle honey mixture over baklava.
  13. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cover; store at room temperature.

NOTE

Because phyllo sheets are thin and delicate, handle with care so you won’t tear the sheets. Keep the sheets you are not working with covered so it won’t dry out.

Toasted Butter Pecan Cake

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Toasted Butter Pecan Cake
If you like butter pecan ice cream, you’ll love this cake. Loads of nuts are folded into the batter, and more are sprinkled over the delectable frosting.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
  • 2-2/3 cups chopped pecans
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup 2% milk

FROSTING:

  • 2 packages (one 8 ounces, one 3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 2/3 cup butter, softened
  • 6-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons 2% milk

Directions

  1. In a small heavy skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add pecans; cook over medium heat until toasted, about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  2. In a large bowl, cream sugar and remaining butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Beat just until combined. Fold in 2 cups reserved pecans.
  3. Spread evenly into three greased and waxed paper-lined 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
  4. For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with remaining pecans. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 12-16 servings.

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

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Chocolate-Dipped StrawberriesMelt chocolate in your microwave, give strawberries a quick dip, and then add a Southern touch by rolling them in chopped pecans.

Ingredients

  • 2 quarts fresh strawberries
  • 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels
  • 1/4 cup whipping cream

Preparation

  1. Rinse strawberries, and pat completely dry with paper towels (chocolate will not stick to wet strawberries). Set aside.
  2. Microwave chocolate morsels and whipping cream in a 1-quart microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 3 1/2 minutes. Stir until smooth.
  3. Grasp strawberries by the stem, and dip into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip. Place on wax paper, and let stand until chocolate hardens.