4/11/2018
Sweet Potato Hummingbird Cake
(for cake)
8 large bananas
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t fine sea salt
2 cups sugar
3/4 t ground cinnamon
5 large eggs
2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups pineapple chunks, drained and chopped
1 T pure vanilla extract
1 cup dried black currants
2 cups roasted unsalted peanuts
2 lbs.(3 medium) sweet potatoes
(for icing)
2 x 8 oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
4 sticks unsalted butter, at temperature
3 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar
1 t fine sea salt
1 t pure vanilla extract
2 cups roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped, for garnish
>how to make<
8 large bananas
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t fine sea salt
2 cups sugar
3/4 t ground cinnamon
5 large eggs
2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups pineapple chunks, drained and chopped
1 T pure vanilla extract
1 cup dried black currants
2 cups roasted unsalted peanuts
2 lbs.(3 medium) sweet potatoes
(for icing)
2 x 8 oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
4 sticks unsalted butter, at temperature
3 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar
1 t fine sea salt
1 t pure vanilla extract
2 cups roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped, for garnish
>how to make<
(for cake)
*Heat oven to 425 degrees.
*Arrange bananas (in their peels) on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the oven until they are soft and black, about 25 minutes.
*Let bananas cool to room temperature.
*Remove and discard peels, and transfer banana flesh and any juices that collected on the pan to a food processor.
*Process until smooth.
*Measure 2 cups of the puree and set aside (reserve any extra puree for another use).
*Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
*Spray three 9" cake pans with nonstick cooking sprat and line with parchment.
*In an extra large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon.
*In a separate large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil and banana puree until well combined.
*Fold in pineapple, vanilla, currants and peanuts.
*Grate sweet potatoes on the large holed of a box grater or with the grater attachment of a food processor.
*Fold grated potatoes into the wet mixture.
*Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until just incorporated.
*Divide batter equally among the three pans and bake until firm and golden brown, about 40 minutes.
*Let cakes cool for 10 minutes in the pans on wire racks, then turn out onto the racks, peel off parchment, and let cool completely.
(for icing)
*In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth.
*Add butter and mix on low speed, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
*With the mixer running on low speed, add sugar by the 1/2 cup until it's fully incorporated.
*Add salt and vanilla and mix to combine.
(for assembling)
*Use a serrated knife to trim the top of each later to make sure it's flat.
*Place a cake layer on a platter or cake stand.
*Using an offset spatula, spread 1 1/2 cups icing over the first layer.
*Top with a second layer and repeat with 1 1/2 cups icing.
*Top with the third layer and use remaining icing to frost the top and sides of the cake.
*Press roasted peanuts on the sides of the cake for garnish.
(The cake, once assembled, can be stores, covered, in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.)
*Serve at room temperature.
(tip)
*For a smaller, 2 layer cake, cut all of the ingredients in half (use just 2 eggs) and divide the batter between two 8" round cake pans. Bake at the same time and temperature.
Note: I adapted the recipe in The New York Times.
Labels: cake recipe, Hummingbird Cake recipe, Sweet potato cake recipe
