Years ago, I came across a recipe in a European cookbook for Hummingbird cake. I was very disappointed in the results. It was extremely dense. Over the years, I found several “improved” versions; all were disappointing at best, awful at worst. I finally found the original Hummingbird Cake recipe and was disappointed at how it collapsed. So it was time to experiment! And like a mad scientist, I began adding and subtracting and switching and changing and… Well, about the only thing my cake had in common with Hummingbird Cake was there were bananas and pineapple! Of course, once I made the wheat and dairy version, I had to make the gluten-free version and now the vegan version. And the diabetic-friendly version is coming soon.
Bananas, pineapples, coconut, macadamias, lemons and limes are all tropical foods and go together wonderfully. They make for a very sweet cake. The vegan butter and vegan cream cheese have a slightly tangy taste which perfectly compliments the sweetness of the cake. This cake will have you imagining you are vacationing in Hawaii!
See also: Banana Cake with Banana, Pineapple, Coconut, Macadamia Nuts, Crystallized Ginger, Zest and Crushed Anise Seed and with a Dairy-Free Option, Gluten-Free Banana Cupcakes with Banana, Pineapple, Coconut, Macadamia Nuts, Crystallized Ginger and Zest and with a Dairy-Free Option
The Inside Scoop
When both volumetric and weight measures are provided, the volumetric measures should be considered approximations. The standard measure for a cup of sugar, as stated on the package of sugar, is 192 grams. By volume, this measure will be less than 1 cup. Precise measuring is very important with vegan baking; as little as a teaspoon of liquid can be the difference between a successful cake and one that collapses.
This cake tends to stick to the pans, so you will need to line the bottom of your cake pans with parchment paper. To do so, place the bottom of the cake pans on top of the parchment paper. Use a marker to draw around the bottom of the cake pans. Remove the pans and cut out the circles, cutting inside the marker line. Spray or grease the cake pans. Then line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper, placing the circles upside down, so there is no trace of the marker on the cake.
If you are making cupcakes, spray the inside of the cupcake papers with non-stick cooking spray.
Vegan granulated sugar is coarser than non-vegan granulated sugar. Cream the shortening and sugar thoroughly so that the sugar begins to melt. You may also find it helpful to place the mixing bowl with the creamed shortening and sugar over a bowl of slightly hot (not boiling) water for a few minutes to encourage the sugar to melt.
Because this cake is made without eggs, I do not recommend making it only 2 layers; it will not have as beautiful a rise.
Remove the cake layers from the pans after 10 minutes so the layers do not stick to the pans. Keep the parchment paper on the bottom of the layers until you are ready to assemble the cake. The parchment paper will keep the cake layers from sticking to the cooling racks.
The recipe for the icing makes just enough to lightly frost this cake without decorations. I do not recommend a heavy frosting because the vegan butter and cream cheese have a noticeably tangy taste. A little tangy flavor in the frosting complements perfectly the sweetness of this cake. Too much frosting and the tangy flavor of the frosting will overwhelm it.
A vegan cake packed with tropical flavors and topped with a tangy vegan frosting that perfectly counterbalances the sweetness of the cake. This cake will have you thinking you are vacationing in Hawaii! To make the cake: In a medium bowl, combine the coconut milk and vinegar; set aside for 15 minutes. In the oven, place one rack 1/3 of the way from the top of the oven. Place the other oven rack 1/3 of the way from the bottom of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Please note: If using a convection setting, the oven will reset to 350 degrees. Spray 3 9” cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottoms only with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. Note: This can also be made as cupcakes. Spray the cupcake papers with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium size bowl, measure out the 360 grams/ 3 cups of flour; place approximately 1 tablespoon of the flour onto a cutting board. Add the baking soda and salt to the bowl of flour; whisk to combine; set aside. If the coconut is not finely shredded, place the coconut in a small food processor and chop until finely shredded. (The coconut can also be chopped on a cutting board.) Add the coconut to the flour mix. Place the crystallized ginger on the cutting board with the 1 tablespoon of flour. Coat the crystallized ginger with the flour and use a sharp knife to finely mince the ginger; scrape the ginger off the knife as necessary and continue chopping until finely minced. If the zest is not finely grated, add the lemon and lime zest and continue to chop until finely grated. Add the crystallized ginger, lemon and lime zest to the flour mix. On the same cutting board, chop the macadamia nuts into small pieces; place in a small bowl and set aside. On the same cutting board, quarter the bananas lengthwise and then chop into approximately ¼” pieces. Place in a small bowl; set aside. Use a slotted spoon to measure the pineapple; allow the excess juice to drain off. Add the vanilla and pineapple to the coconut milk; whisk until completely mixed; set aside. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the granulated sugar and vegetable shortening until light. By hand or on the slowest speed of a stand mixer, stir in the flour mix and liquids; stir until combined. Gently fold in the bananas and macadamia nuts, folding until the bananas and nuts are evenly distributed throughout the batter. Pour the batter into the 3 cake pans, distributing the batter evenly among the 3 pans. (Pour 23 ½ ounces or 670 grams for each layer.) Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 45 minutes (begin checking for doneness after 40 minutes) or until a metal cake tester, inserted into the middle of a layer, comes out clean. Once done, remove the cake pans from the oven and place on cooling racks. Let cool for 10 minutes, then run the flat side of a knife around the edges of the cake pans to loosen the cake layers, if necessary. Carefully tip the cake layers out of the cake pans and place, parchment side down, onto the cooling racks. Cool completely. To make the frosting, place the softened vegan butter and vegan cream cheese in a medium large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer; beat until completely combined. Add the powdered sugar; on the slowest speed of the stand mixer, or by hand, mix the powdered sugar into the vegan butter and cream cheese until the powdered sugar is completely incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and imitation butter flavoring and mix until incorporated. Once all ingredients have been incorporated; mix on a medium – high speed until frosting is creamy. Please note: this makes enough frosting to cover a 3-layer cake. If you wish to add decorations (e.g., scalloping) you will need to increase the amount of frosting by 25%-50%, depending on the amount of decorations desired. To assemble: Place one cake layer, top side down, onto a cake plate. Remove the parchment paper and spread with ½ cup of frosting on this first layer. Place a second layer on top of the frosting, with the top side down and spread another ½ cup of frosting. Place the final layer (with the parchment paper removed) top side up on top of the other 2 layers. Spread the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Store cake in the refrigerator. Enjoy!Vegan Banana Cake with Banana, Pineapple, Coconut, Macadamia Nuts, Crystallized Ginger and Zest
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