Hummingbird Cake

I am a picky eater. I mean a really really picky eater. I don't eat any vegetables (well potato but I don't think that counts) and apples are about the only fruit I'll eat on their own. But I will eat some fruit and tomatoes if they're mixed in with something, such as pasta sauce or cake. Which is why I have no problem with this hummingbird cake. Give me a banana on its own and I won't touch it. Mix it into a cake and I'll eat it all up. Same with pineapple, won't eat it on its own but in this cake I loved the flavour. I wasn't all that pleased with the chunky-ness of the pineapple but I'm sure less picky eaters will love it (as my taste-testers did!)  

I found some great recipes in the blog world this week to highlight for Sunday Baking. Here is a small selection to inspire. 

• Tartelette shares a great tradition with her Brioche des Rois
• Ambers Delectable Delights has some Honey Yeast Rolls to try
• There are some irresistible Fudge Puddles over at Amanda's Cookin'. Also check out her son's Lemon Bars. We love seeing kids in the kitchen!
• And a little more chocolate at Sweet treats with Brownie Bites with Mocha Glaze
• Finally, some great personalized cupcake decorating at Baked Perfection
  

Hummingbird Cake

Another recipe from the Australian Women's Weekly Bake

Ingredients

450g (1lb) can pineapple in syrup

1 cup plain flour

1/2 cup self-raising flour

1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

1 cup mashed banana

2 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

Icing

2 cups icing (confectioners) sugar

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons pineapple syrup

Method

Preheat oven to 190 degrees C (375 F). Grease deep 23cm-square cake pan (9 inch); line base with baking paper. 

Drain pineapple over medium bowl, pressing with spoon to extract as much syrup as possible. Reserve ¼ cup syrup.

Sift flours, soda, spices and sugar into large bowl. Stir in drained pineapple, reserved syrup, coconut, banana, eggs and oil. Pour mixture into pan.

Bake cake about 40 minutes. Stand cake in pan 5 minutes; turn, top-side, onto wire rack to cool.

Make frosting; spread cold cake with frosting.

Frosting: Sift icing sugar into a bowl, stir in vegetable oil and syrup.