HUMMINGBIRD BUNDT CAKE
Adapted via Southern Living
Serves: 8 to 10

Ingredients
For the Cake:
♦ 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
♦ 3 cups all-purpose flour
♦ 2 cups sugar
♦ 1 teaspoon baking soda
♦ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
♦ 1/2 teaspoon salt
♦ 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
♦ 1 3/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large)
♦ 1 (8-oz.) can crushed pineapple (do not drain)
♦  3/4 cup canola oil
♦ 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Glaze:
♦ 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed and softened $
♦ 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
♦ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
♦ 1 to 2 Tbsp. milk

Directions:
Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

Stir together flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in eggs and next 4 ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Sprinkle 1 cup toasted pecans into a greased and floured 14-cup Bundt pan. Spoon batter over pecans.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 2 hours).

Prepare the glaze: Process cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 Tbsp. milk in a food processor until well blended. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. milk, 1 tsp. at a time, processing until smooth. Immediately pour glaze over cooled cake, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup toasted pecans.

To read more about this cake and my musical pairing, click HERE.