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I generally
equate coconut
cake with Easter. In fact, there
has been the rare occasion that I have eaten coconut
cake outside of Easter or that I did not enjoy coconut cake on Easter. The
two just go together in my mind—like peanut butter and jelly would, if I could
eat it. Cake and holiday meld to one (but not really).
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| RER 3.27.16 |
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This Easter,
however, was one of those rare occasions when coconut cake was not devoured on
the holiday. This year was a little different. Why? Who knows? Perhaps, spring
break sprung and there was so much to do, or a newish job caused sharp ups and
downs, or downtime is the new norm. Perhaps, we have all been more wary of
sweets and what we eat (by all, I mean everyone in my family except for me).
Have no fear; cake was still involved.
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| RER 3.27.16 |
Hummingbird cake has been a hot topic here for the last couple
weeks or so—something about a yoga teacher needing the southern specialty for her
mother’s birthday. The anecdote sparked interest and a Google search (or two),
and eventually, led me to make a lighter
version Hummingbird cake for Easter.
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At first, I was
alarmed by the quantity and the diversity of the fruits that come together to
compose this cake. A lighter version means less oil and more fruits (more
banana and applesauce). Sure, I have had banana
bread and banana
cake, I have made applesauce
cake, and I am mildly familiar with pineapple upside-down cake. But all
three—together— sounded nuts.
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That is until I
ate my first slice. Banana is the only really prevalent flavor in the layers of
not-so-sweet cake. It is not intense, but round and full, reminiscent of the
banana bread I am familiar with. The applesauce vanishes into pure moisture,
holding the dense cake together. And the pineapple pieces are only discernible
when encountered, but the studs are sweet and tangy, like the scrumptious cream
cheese frosting blanketing the cake. This recipe was a breeze (once the bananas
were ripe enough—we put the bananas in a brown paper bag with a super ripe
avocado) and definitely an easy classic.
RER
