Smoky Mountain Hummingbird Cake
CATEGORIES
INGREDIENTS
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup Buttermilk
  • 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained
  • 1 cup coconut
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1-3/4 cups mashed bananas
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • Cream Cheese Frosting
DIRECTIONS
  1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add eggs, buttermilk and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not beat. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, coconut, raisins, 1 cup pecans, and bananas. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Stir 1/2 cup pecans into Cream Cheese Frosting, if desired, or reserve them to sprinkle over top of frosted cake. Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.
RECIPE BACKSTORY
I don't know why it's called a hummingbird cake. But this came down in our family from way back in the Cove in the Smokies. The Clouses were Wheelrights there. Pineapples, coconuts & bananas was a rare treat then, so if you were luck to get them, you made this cake. Pecans grew in the yard. Lard was use instead of veg, oil. And a boiled white frost or a sugar glaze was a treat.