Thursday, January 6, 2011

Southern Banana Cake (a/k/a Hummingbird Cake)

As a self-proclaimed cake-a-holic, I am always looking out for lightened versions of any and all desserts I can find.  This Hummingbird Cake comes from Southern Living's website.  This is the "lightened" version as they put it.  I thought it tasted pretty damn good too (won't even look at the un-lightened recipe).  This is also only my third timing making icing which is not at all diet friendly in my opinion.  It worked though!!

The original recipe called for 3 cake pans for a 3 layer cake but I only own two (for now).  Also, I subbed out 1.5 cups of the all purpose flour with whole wheat and cut out 1/2 a cup of the sugar from the cake mix.

Vegetable cooking spray
1.5 cups plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour, divided
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups mashed banana (about 5 to 6)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8-ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese (unsoftened)
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon light butter (unsoftened)
6 cups powdered sugar (eeeekk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coat 2 round cakepans with cooking spray; sprinkle flour evenly into pans, shaking to coat.

Combine remaining 3 cups flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together eggs, applesauce, and oil; add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not beat.) Stir in mashed banana, vanilla extract, and pineapple. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove layers from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Beat cream cheese and butter at high speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed just until smooth. Stir in vanilla.  Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.
 
Nutritional Information (approximate as I made some substitutions)
Calories:407 (21% from fat)
Fat:9.5g (sat 2.9g,mono 3.2g,poly 2.1g)
Protein:4.6g
Carbohydrate:78g
Fiber:1.7g
Cholesterol:33mg.

If you enlarge that last pic, you can just see how moist this cake is.  Gotta love that!

9 comments:

  1. Does it taste as good as it looks? Even without the sugar? I am always scared to not add the sugar for fear that it will taste... well, not sweet enough :P It looks great and I think that might be a great Sunday dessert.

    Make it a great day!

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  2. Looks yummy!! I love cake, to, but because i live alone, i seldom make it. So much cake for one person...it usually goes bad.

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  3. OH! How wonderful does that looK? LOVE a good moisty cake recipe!

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  4. hmmm can't wait to try this x

    www.thefashionmom.com

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  5. Happy New Year to you & your family, Betty! May all the good things coming to you in year 2011! It's been a hectic season, isn't it! School already reopened over here. Am now busy taking care of my kids. Cream cheese is the best pairing for this cake. Hope you're having a terrific day. Bless you all!
    Best wishes, Kristy

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  6. Happy 2011, Betty. I finally found my low-fat no-coconut hummingbird cake recipe! This is so good. I tried to modified one but didn't do very well for my modification...this is great. Thanks Betty...Thanks so much for sharing!!!

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  7. Hi girls. Thanks for commenting. Gaspe - I think the sweetness of the overripe bananas (and mine were like totally black) took place of the sugar I took out so it was still sweet and satisfying as a dessert.

    Have a great weekend!!

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  8. Oh this cake looks absolutely divine. I'm not surprised it's such a popular recipe on your blog.

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