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.

Hummingbird Pancakes

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Hummingbird Pancakes
This showstopping stack has the same flavor profile as the original Hummingbird Cake recipe, and the cream cheese frosting is transformed into a lip-smacking Cream Cheese Anglaise to drizzle on top.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
  • 1/2 cup drained, canned crushed pineapple in juice
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
  • Cream Cheese Anglaise
  • Garnishes: sliced bananas, chopped fresh pineapple

Preparation

  1. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Whisk together buttermilk and next 5 ingredients in another bowl.
  3. Gradually stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in toasted pecans.
  4. Pour about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto a hot buttered griddle or large nonstick skillet.
  5. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look dry and cooked.
  6. Turn and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until done.
  7. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet, and keep warm in a 200° oven up to 30 minutes.
  8. Serve with Cream Cheese Anglaise.

Notes

  1. When using a griddle, heat it to 350°.
  2. For tender pancakes, don’t overmix the batter; it should be lumpy.

Cream Cheese Anglaise

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Hummingbird Pancakes
Make any morning a special occasion with Cream Cheese Anglaise on the table. Serve this decadent sauce over Hummingbird Pancakes.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
  • 1/2 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

  1. Process half-and-half, cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt in a blender until smooth.
  2. Bring mixture to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute.
  3. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter and vanilla.
  4. Serve immediately.

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.