This gorgeous Coconut Hummingbird Cake is surprisingly light considering it has pineapple, bananas and coconut inside the sponges. With its tropical flavours, it will make you think of summer days and holidays as you enjoy a slice with a cuppa!
I am always on the lookout for new ways of using up fruit that is either going fast its best, or waste well received with my fussy eaters. This tasty Coconut Hummingbird Cake actually uses bananas and pineapple so it is a great way of not only using up any leftover fruit, but it is also incorporating more fruit into a cake which, if like me your children do not like pineapple normally, with a cake like this it is a way of getting them to eat it but in disguise!
This cake came about because the other week I made a sweet and sour dish which used the pineapple juice from a tin of pineapple. Obviously, I could have added the pineapple chunks to the dish, but as stated above pineapple is not something my family eat. Anyway, I was left with a tin of pineapple, minus the juice, and I wanted to find a dessert or cake that I could use that up in.
An obvious choice was a pineapple upside down cake, but I thought that was too much pineapple on show. Therefore,I googled pineapple in cakes and came across the Hummingbird Cake. Now I have heard of this cake before, in fact I think someone made it on an episode of the GBBO, but I had no idea what it actually was in terms of its ingredients. Plus it is such a pretty name for a cake, don’t you think?
I based my recipe on one created by Jamie Oliver, however, as is normal in my kitchen, I have adapted slightly and I have included coconut in place of pecans (and used less sugar). I was surprised that considering how much fruit is in the cake batter, the cake itself is light and not dense which I was worried it would be.
The coconut frosting really takes this cake to another level, and all the flavours together really remind me of something tropical and delicious!
I gave this cake to the local playgroup who I often bake for, and I was told it went down very well and was highly rated with the parents who ate it.
If you fancy giving this cake a try, then here is the recipe:
- 250 ml olive oil, plus extra for greasing
- 350g self-raising flour
- 50g desiccated coconut
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 300g caster sugar
- 3 medium very ripe bananas, peeled
- 1 x 425 g tin of pineapple chunks, drained and finely chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- *For the coconut frosting*
- 200g icing sugar
- 150 g unsalted butter , (at room temperature)
- 200 g cream cheese
- 2 tbsp desiccated coconut
- *decoration*
- desiccated coconut
- pre heat the oven to 180oC / 160oC
- Grease and line 3x 8 inch cake tins
- Place the bananas into the bowl of a stand alone mixer, and using the paddle attachment mash them up roughly.
- Add the pineapple to the bananas along with the oil, eggs and vanilla extract.
- Mix until combined.
- Add the flour, coconut , cinnamon and sugar and fold into the cake mixture.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 3 prepared tins.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until risen, and cooked right through
- *Coconut Frosting*
- Beat the butter in the stand alone mixer until soft
- Add the icing sugar and beat until well mixed
- Now add the cream cheese and coconut and beat well one last time
- *Assemble the cake*
- Once cold, sandwich the cakes using the coconut frosting and the cover the top sponge with more of the frosting.
- Serve and enjoy
Pin for later x
Bake of the Week
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Welcome to a new Bake of the Week. Thank you to everyone who linked up last week, over with Helen. Here they are:
Thanks to:
Helen with her scrummy Lemon and Ginger No Bake Family Cheesecake
Cat with her comforting Oaty Rhubarb & Port Crumble
Kat’s pretty Chocolate Orange Baked Doughnuts
Amanda’s amazing Summer Styles Painted Cookies
Jess’s gorgeous Chilli Chocolate Pavlova
Jess has also shared her recipe for a ROASTED BANANA GELATO
Nickki’s tempting Jammie Dodger Blondies
Kate’s super cute Rhubarb and Custard Layer Cakes
I think you will agree that this collection of bakes are fantastic!
So my choice for Bake of the Week? Well it has to be these Jammie Dodger Blondies – I cannot resist a Jammie dodger! Well done Nickki. x
The new linky opens every Thursday with a new Roundup, hosted by myself and Helen . The bakes linked up will be shared widely across Twitter, Pinterest, Stumble Upon, Facebook (when possible) & G+ . Also, all linked up bakes will have a link in the following week’s roundup and comments. If you can, please visit a couple of other entrants and let them know where you found them by leaving #BakeoftheWeek.
Furthermore, there is now a Bake of the Week Facebook group . Anyone with an interest in baking is invited to to join. We hope to build a real community of like-minded bakers from all areas. You don’t need to be a professional – Newbie questions are totally welcome. It is a safe place where no question is too basic or advanced. The link to add yourself is HERE
Please do link up your new #BakeoftheWeek here.
Linking to:
That looks so good. Must give this a go x
Thank you Susan x
I’ve wanted to try hummingbird cake for ages now, yours looks so light and fluffy. I’m afraid I’m not a fan of coconut but I’m sure I could use another tropical inspired frosting x
Thank you Cat, I was surprised at the lightness of the sponge myself. I am sure a different frosting would work – maybe rum or cherry? x
Thank you so much for choosing my blondies, that’s made my day! Your hummingbird cake looks absolutely amazing! I would love a slice right now, yum! x
You are very welcome- they were so amazing to look at! thank you,the cake was lush x
Aww thank you It certainly looked lush x
This looks soooo light.I too have heard of this cake but never made one,and my children would never eat a chunk of pineapple…. will def make one soon pinned x
Thanks Jen – it was light, which I was amazed at tbh! I hope you all enjoy it when you make it x
This sounds delicious! I love pineapple and coconut and have heard of this cake before but never tried one.
Thank you Corina – it was worth a try! x
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What a yummy looking cake, I love baking with coconut
Thank you Kat x
Oh wow Jenny this looks and sounds amazing! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Thank you Kirsty x
This sounds lovely. Don’t think I have used tinned pineapple in a cake before – must give it a go
it worked really well x
I’ve never made a Hummingbird Cake, although heaven knows why….. it looks and sounds amazing….. and unlike your brood, we do like a pineapple in our house (although it does have to be fresh unless adorning the underside of an upside down cake)! x
thank you Kate. I wish my two would eat pineapple – fresh or tinned! ah well, maybe one day x
This cake sounds fantastic. I’m not a fan of pineapple on it’s own but love it in cakes and love coconut bakes. I have heard of Hummingbird Cake before but never even ventured in that direction as hubby doesn’t do pineapple in any way, shape or form lol (there is always the one 😉 ) I love how light and fluffy the cake looks and would happily devour huge slice! x
Thank you Jo. I was very relieved when the sponge came out so light and not dense from all the fruit. x
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