This is a firm family favourite and a showstopper so perfect for any occasion.  The pineapple and bananas keep it beautifully moist and the pecan nuts give it a lovely texture.  The cake keeps very well in the fridge for a few days.

Hummingbird  Cake

INGREDIENTS

For the cake

375g self-raising flour

Pinch of salt

300g soft brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

100g pecan nuts, chopped

200g fresh pineapple, chopped into  small pieces

3-4 bananas (approx. 300g), mashed

3 eggs, beaten

200ml vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

For the icing

400g icing sugar

50g unsalted butter

175g full fat cream cheese

To decorate

100g caster sugar

100g pecan nuts, finely chopped

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160C fan.

Grease and line two 20cm Loose-Bottomed Deep Cake Tins

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and nuts. In a separate bowl combine the mashed bananas, beaten eggs, chopped pineapple, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold everything together until the mixture is evenly mixed together.

Divide the mixture between the cake tins and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until golden on top and a skewer inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins on a wire rack for around 15 minutes then remove from the tins and leave to cool completely.

In a clean bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat together the icing ingredients until smooth.

Put the sugar and 2 Tbsp of the water in a saucepan and boil until the sugar is golden brown.  Place the pecan nuts on a lined baking sheet and reserving some nuts for decoration, pour over the caramel.  When the caramel is hardened, blitz it in a processor and set aside.

Spoon one third of the icing into the centre of the first cake and spread evenly, sandwich on the second cake then cover the top and sides of the whole cake with a layer of icing.

Cover the sides of the cake with the pecan croquant and decorate the top with the remaining nuts.