Hummingbird Bread

I don't know why, but ripened bananas always brings out the frugality in me.  I have this urge to save them, to bake with them.  I hate to throw away bananas!  My Hubbers and son love banana bread so I make it quite often.  It freezes well, too, so I usually have a loaf in the freezer.  But I get tired of baking the same ole thing. Every now and then I have to mix things up! This hummingbird bread is just a little variation from regular banana bread.  The addition of crushed pineapple and coconut gives it more of a tropical vibe. In fact, many breads called Hawaiian bread or tropical bread are basically this same recipe.

Hummingbird Cake is a classic southern cake.  I have no idea why it's called what it is but as a lover of hummingbirds, I approve of the name!  The cake recipe is Southern Living magazine's most requested recipe of all time; it's that popular.  I've made the cake a time or two; it's a 2-layer cake filled and topped with cream cheese frosting.  It takes an army to eat all of it!  The same ingredients, made into a loaf bread, is a little more manageable!  Of course, you can't omit the cream cheese frosting.  I swear that stuff makes anything taste good! I took this bread to the office and we all enjoyed it with our morning coffee and tea.

Hummingbird Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups mashed, ripe bananas (about 3-4 medium bananas)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 oz. can crushed pineapple (with juice)
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chopped pecans for garnish, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour (I use baking spray) a 9x5 loaf pan.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla and mix well.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Add to the butter mixture, stir until just combined.

Add in the pineapple, coconut and pecans; mix until combined.  Add mashed bananas and mix until combined.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a cake tester or skewer comes out clean.  Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes, then remove from pan to cool completely.

For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter together until fluffy.  Add in vanilla extract and mix again.  Add in powdered sugar and mix until well combined. 

Spread frosting over cooled bread and sprinkle with chopped pecans, if desired.

I use an old-fashioned potato masher to mash my bananas!

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

 As I've said before, I get bored cooking and baking the same things.  I'm always trying new recipes.  My Hubbers, on the other hand, has his favorites and prefers that I include them in the rotation on a regular basis.  Every now and then, he gets his wish! He loves pineapple upside-down cake.  For dinner one night last week, I made halibut with a topping of tropical salsa which resulted in some unused pineapple.  I put it in a bowl and started to put it in the fridge for another day. But those pineapple slices were calling me, telling me I needed to bake a cake. I listened, my Hubbers got his cake.  I now have unused brownie points to be redeemed for my next household project!  It all works out in the end!

This recipe is a little lighter than traditional pineapple upside-down cakes as the egg whites are beat separately from the yolks and lightly folded in. After turning out the cake, the buttery-brown sugar mixture oozes down the sides.  It's decadent, yummy, old-fashioned food!

If you will notice I ran out of maraschino cherries. No one noticed, the cake was gone in a flash!

Pineapple-Upside Down Cake

1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 can (20 ounces) sliced pineapple **
3 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Maraschino cherries, if desired

** Or fresh pineapple slices and 1/3 cup pineapple juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  While preheating, melt butter in an ungreased 9-inch square baking pan. When butter is melted, remove pan from oven and stir in brown sugar until combined. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/3 cup juice.  Arrange 9 pineapple slices in a single layer over sugar mixture (refrigerate any remaining slices for another use). Place a cherry in center of each pineapple slice, if desired.

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored.  Gradually, add sugar, beating well.  Blend in vanilla and reserved pineapple juice.  Combine flour, baking power, and salt; add to batter, beating well.

In a small bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form; fold into batter.  Spoon into pan.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.