Martha's Hummingbird Cake

[jayhay]

I'm thinking of making Martha Stewart's Hummingbird Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting for a birthday party.

Has anyone made it before?

http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?ty...MSL&site=living

http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?ty...rue&resultNo=15

It will have to be made the day before, as I'll be taking it to a cabin several hours away from my home.

We'll be arriving near suppertime, so I would like to frost the cake at home .Do you think the icing will hold up to the drive? I'll put it in a foam cooler, but don't know if that's cold enough.

Edited July 12, 2006 by jayhay (log)

[RodneyCk]

Hummingbird cakes are delicious, athough I have not tried Martha's recipe. I like to use Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting on them. To do so, add to Martha's recipe;

4 cans coconut (3 1/2 oz. cans ea.)

2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

1 cup raisins, chopped (I use golden)

Beat all of Martha's ingredients until smooth, then add the above ingredients. If too thick, thin with milk or buttermilk.

Yummy!!!

[jayhay]

Thanks Rodney, I'd never heard of these cakes before seeing it on Martha's site. Do these cakes usually have a cream cheese frosting? I'm wondering if it might travel better with a plain frosting.

[RodneyCk]

Thanks Rodney, I'd never heard of these cakes before seeing it on Martha's site.    Do these cakes usually have a cream cheese frosting?  I'm wondering if it might travel better with a plain frosting.

←

They usually do, yes, but I am never one to stick with tradition. An Italian meringue buttercream, flavored to your preference, would do just fine. Keeping it tropical is always nice, maybe a mango IMB or just plain vanilla would suffice.

Edited July 13, 2006 by RodneyCk (log)

[shaloop]

Thanks Rodney, I'd never heard of these cakes before seeing it on Martha's site.    Do these cakes usually have a cream cheese frosting?  I'm wondering if it might travel better with a plain frosting.

←

Not Rodney, but yes, Hummingbird cake usually has cream cheese frosting. I've never used this recipe, but the only difference in this recipe and mine are that she used melted butter instead of oil, should be more flavorful, but maybe more dense after refrigeration. I don't drain my pineapple but add juice and all. Makes it more moist and flavorful. I chop my bananas instead of mashing, don't want banana cake. And in my cream cheese frosting I use half butter/half cream cheese.

[SweetSide]

Hummingbird cakes are delicious, athough I have not tried Martha's recipe.  I like to use Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting on them. To do so, add to Martha's recipe;

4 cans coconut (3 1/2 oz. cans ea.)

2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

1 cup raisins, chopped (I use golden)

Beat all of Martha's ingredients until smooth, then add the above ingredients.  If too thick, thin with milk or buttermilk.

Yummy!!!

←

Rodney -- sounds yummy, but... 4 cans of coconut what? Actual coconut? milk? cream of coconut? I only ask because I've never seen coconut in a can, but then again was never looking. I love the idea of a coconut frosting on the cake.

[Jaymes]

Hummingbird cakes are delicious, athough I have not tried Martha's recipe.  I like to use Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting on them. To do so, add to Martha's recipe;

4 cans coconut (3 1/2 oz. cans ea.)

2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

1 cup raisins, chopped (I use golden)

Beat all of Martha's ingredients until smooth, then add the above ingredients.  If too thick, thin with milk or buttermilk.

Yummy!!!

←

Rodney -- sounds yummy, but... 4 cans of coconut what? Actual coconut? milk? cream of coconut? I only ask because I've never seen coconut in a can, but then again was never looking. I love the idea of a coconut frosting on the cake.

←

Not Rodney, but yes, sweetened, shredded coconut does come in a can.

[SweetSide]

Thanks Rodney, I'd never heard of these cakes before seeing it on Martha's site.    Do these cakes usually have a cream cheese frosting?  I'm wondering if it might travel better with a plain frosting.

←

Not Rodney, but yes, Hummingbird cake usually has cream cheese frosting. I've never used this recipe, but the only difference in this recipe and mine are that she used melted butter instead of oil, should be more flavorful, but maybe more dense after refrigeration. I don't drain my pineapple but add juice and all. Makes it more moist and flavorful. I chop my bananas instead of mashing, don't want banana cake. And in my cream cheese frosting I use half butter/half cream cheese.

←

Just checked Martha's recipe against the one I use and the only difference is I use 3/4 c oil instead of butter and I also don't drain the pineapple. I neither chop nor mash the bananas -- I squish them into chunks. Some is mashed some chunks. My cream cheese frosting is very much like hers as well.

[RodneyCk]

Not Rodney, but yes, sweetened, shredded coconut does come in a can.

←

Thanks Jaymes!

If you can not find this in the supermarket, then using real coconut in the same amounts (about 2 cups) should work, even better actually.

[SweetSide]

Not Rodney, but yes, sweetened, shredded coconut does come in a can.

←

Thanks Jaymes!

If you can not find this in the supermarket, then using real coconut in the same amounts (about 2 cups) should work, even better actually.

←

Thanks, never knew that -- all the sweetened, shredded coconut that I've ever seen (noticed) comes in a plastic bag.

[techno foodie]

I've made Martha's recipe many times, and my husband and his sister loooooooooooove it every time it is made. I've always made cupcakes out of the recipe and topped with cream cheese frosting, but that buttercream sounds marvelous, too!