Provided by:      Chris Dabis
Hummingbird Cake
(from scratch)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt cake pan.

Cake:
 3 cups all-purpose flour
 2 cups white sugar
 1 teaspoon baking soda
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
 3 eggs

Mix together, beat until smooth.
Then, carefully stir in the following ingredients.

 1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple, including the juice
 1 cup chopped pecans
 2 cups chopped firm ripe banana
 1/4 cup chopped Maraschino cherries, well drained

Pour into the prepared bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees 60 - 70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn cake out onto a cake plate. Cool the cake completely before icing.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
 1 pound confectioners' sugar
 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Put this mixture into a sealable plastic bag, microwave for 10-15 seconds to make it slightly runny. Cut a corner out of the bag and drizzle the icing over the cake. Sprinkle the pecans and flaked coconut on top (optional).

If you make the cake as a layer cake, prepare this quantity of icing.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
 1 cup butter, room temperature
 2 pounds confectioners' sugar
 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans

Sprinkle with pecans and flaked coconut on top (optional).

Note: Internet sales of this cake begin at $36.00 and go as high as $55.00, plus shipping. Yes, it is a little expensive to make this cake, but far less expensive than to buy as a ready-to-eat cake.