Humming with Delight

When my roommate's birthday came around earlier this week, I decided that it was time to explore the wonderful world of baking for a second time this month. Her favorite treat is Hummingbird Cake, which is a popular choice in the South and tastes like a combination of banana bread and pineapple upside down cake, topped with cream cheese icing. I was up for what sounded like an interesting challenge.

After reading that the cake can be very sweet and rich, I made some adjustments. I substituted unsweetened applesauce for oil, skipped one cup of sugar, and used whole wheat flour. Making do with what I have in my New York City pad, I used two rectangular pans instead of three rounds, ending up with two small double layer cakes.

In they go!

Heaven in the form of cream cheese icing

Happy Birthday, Laura!

Layers of yum

For those of you who have never heard of this delight, do give it a try. It turned out delicious, light, and flavorful. Using whole wheat flour made it much more bread like, but the applesauce kept it moist as can be. Next time I would use double the pineapple for more fruit bites and go overboard on the icing. Other possible additions: raisins, carrot, and nuts in the cake or dusted on top. I'm happy to add this treat to my short and sweet recipe collection.