Hummingbird Cake

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoon butter
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pans
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (like McCormick roasted cinnamon)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger (like McCormick roasted ginger)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 + 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple with juices (unsweetened)
• 2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 5 bananas)
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 cup sour cream (not fat-free)
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Frosting:
• 8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 16 ounce bag confectioners' sugar, sifted
• coconut flakes or chopped nuts, for garnishing the top

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350° F. Line the bottoms of three 9" round cake pans with parchment paper (or 2 pans and line a 6 cup muffin pan with paper liners for cupcakes). Grease each pan with butter and dust with flour, tap out excess.
2. In a large bowl sift the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt together. Stir in the pecans and set aside.
3. In a a separate large mixing bowl beat the sugar, brown sugar, and eggs together on high speed until smooth. Add the pineapple and juice, bananas, oil, and vanilla and mix until combined. Add the pecan mixture and mix on low speed until evenly combined.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
5. Bake about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center.
6. Transfer cakes to wire racks and let sit for 15 minutes then turn out each cake and allow to cool.
7. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter and cream cheese together on low speed 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add the confectioners' sugar a cup or two at a time mixing on low speed until all of it is incorporated. Beat on medium speed 5-6 minutes until light and fluffy.
8. Frost cake and sprinkle with coconut flakes or chopped nuts.