Hummingbird Cake

Wow. And WOW! I've never made to his cake before. In fact, until a couple of weeks ago I don't think I'd even heard of Hummingbird Cake (and why is it called hummingbird cake exactly?!). This recipe was the alternative choice in our baking challenge this month. I have to say I thought that pineapple and banana sounded a slightly odd combination, but certainly worth a whirl. I had a huge bag of bananas from the reduced section at the supermarket, so made one cake for home and another to take to work. The compliments flowed (always lovely to be appreciated) and two of the boys *may* have gone back for thirds!!

Hummingbird Cake
3 cups plain flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple, well drained
1 cup chopped pistachios
2 cups roughly mashed banana

Cream cheese frosting
1/2 cup cream cheese
2 tbsp butter
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp each lemon zest and lemon essence
Half cup pistachios, chopped, to sprinkle on the top

Preheat oven to 170°C. Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon together into mixing bowl several times. Add eggs and salad oil to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple and 1 cup pistachios. Stir in the bananas. Spoon the batter into 23cm round tin lined with baking paper. Bake for 60 minutes,or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.