Hummingbird Cake

Bake the cakes. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 160°C. Lightly grease two 20 cm cake tins and line the bases with baking paper. Mash the bananas in a large bowl, leaving a few small pieces. Whisk in the brown sugar, oil, 1 tablespoon vanilla, 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal salt (or 1¼ teaspoons Morton), cinnamon and nutmeg until the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the eggs, then the baking powder, then the flour, mixing only until no dry patches remain.

Bake and split. Share the batter between the tins. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the tops spring back when pressed gently in the middle (the crumb stays moist, so a little longer is safer than a little short). Cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack, peel off the paper and leave until completely cold. Split each cake horizontally so you have four layers.

Toast the pecans. Meanwhile, toast the pecans on a tray for 15–18 minutes, until fragrant and a shade darker. Leave them to cool, then chop them finely. The cakes can sit, loosely wrapped, for a day; the nuts keep in a closed box for up to 4 days.

Cook the pineapple jam. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the lime zest, drained pineapple, 150 g sugar and ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal salt (or ¼ teaspoon Morton), stirring often, for 15–18 minutes, until the fruit looks translucent and almost no liquid is left. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Leave to cool. This jam keeps, covered and chilled, for up to 4 days.

Make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese in a mixer with the whisk until very smooth and fluffy, 8–10 minutes. Add the cream, the remaining 150 g sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal salt (or ¾ teaspoon Morton). Start slowly, then raise the speed, scraping the bowl as needed, until the frosting holds firm peaks, about 5 minutes. Chill it for 15 minutes to 1 hour.

Assemble. Set aside about 2 tablespoons of jam and about 120 ml of frosting for the finish. Put the first cake layer, cut side up, on a stand or plate. Spread about 160 ml frosting to the edges, then spoon on small dabs of jam (about a third of what remains). Repeat with the next two layers. Set the last layer on top, spread about 240 ml frosting thinly over the top and sides to seal the crumbs, and chill the cake for 20 minutes.

Finish. Cover the chilled cake with the rest of the frosting. Pipe the reserved frosting as you like, add the reserved jam in small dabs, and press the chopped pecans around the base, working in batches and nudging them on with a scraper or the back of a knife. Chill at least 30 minutes before cutting. The finished cake keeps, covered and chilled, for a day.