July Fourth Hummingbird Cake  

What You Need: 

3 C of flour 

2 C of sugar 

1 1/2 t baking soda 

1 1/2 t cinnamon 

1/2 t salt 

3 large eggs 

3/4 C canola oil 

4 t vanilla extract, divided 

1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple in juice 

2 C of mashed bananas 

1 C pecans, finely chopped 

2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, 

1 stick of unsalted butter 

3 C of confectioners’ sugar 

2 C sweetened flaked coconut 

Red and blue food coloring 

How to Make It: 

Preset the oven temperature to 350 and adjust the oven racks in thirds. 

Coat 3 eight inch round pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with wax paper sprayed with cooking spray. 

Place the flour, sugar, baking soda and cinnamon together in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. 

Place the eggs, oil and 2 t of vanilla together in a separate bowl and whisk until blended together well. 

Fold in the crushed pineapple with its juice, the bananas and the pecans until combined. 

Add the mixture to the flour mixture and stir until the dry ingredients are just moistened. 

Divide the batter evenly between the three pans. 

Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Cook for 10 minutes in the pans on a wire rack. 

Invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the pan and wax paper and cool completely. 

Beat together on medium speed the cream cheese, butter and remaining vanilla until creamy. 

Adjust the mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until completely combined. 

Place the coconut into two separate sealable bags. 

Add red food coloring to one bag and blue food coloring to the other. 

Shake the bags to tint the coconut. 

Place on layer of cake on a platter and frost the top with the frosting. 

Place the second layer of cake on top and frost the top. 

Place the third layer of cake on and frost the top and sides completely. 

Sprinkle the cake with the colored coconut covering the top and sides. 

Serves 16 

This is a red and blue twist to an old favorite.  Normally a dessert served at Easter this cake will wow them with the blue and red topping.  Serve with lighted sparklers on top.