Hairy Bikers Banana and Pineapple Cake

Two moist sponge layers and a lime cream cheese icing make up this Hairy Bikers banana and pineapple cake, with each slice around 580 calories. It is their Hummingbird Cake from Brilliant Bakes, so allow two hours including the icing’s chill time.

“They’ll be queuing up for slices of this,” the book promises, and it is easy to see why. Banana and pineapple keep the sponge moist for days, while lime zest stops all that fruit tasting too sweet.

The icing is where this cake goes wrong for most people, because cream cheese turns runny if you beat it too long. So whip the butter and icing sugar first, add the cheese last with just a few turns, then chill it for an hour.

Hairy Bikers Banana and Pineapple Cake Recipe

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:British American Courses:Dessert

Difficulty:EasyPrep time: 30 minutesCook time: 30 minutesRest time:1 hour Total time:2 hours Servings:10 servingsCalories:580 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

This is the cake Si and Dave save for birthdays and get-togethers, yet the batter needs just one bowl and a whisk. Stack the two sponges with the lime cream cheese icing, then finish with a scatter of chopped pecans.

Ingredients

For the cake

• 250g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• Rasp of nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 3 eggs
• 150g light brown soft sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 lime
• 175ml sunflower oil
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 150g pineapple, finely chopped (canned is fine)
• 50g walnuts or pecans, finely chopped

For the cream cheese icing

• 100g butter, softened
• Pinch of salt
• 150g icing sugar
• A few drops of vanilla extract or zest of 1 lime
• 200g cream cheese

To garnish (optional)

• 50g walnuts or pecans, very finely chopped

Instructions

1. Get ready: Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4, then line two 20-21cm sandwich tins with baking parchment.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: Put the flour, baking powder and spices in a bowl with a good pinch of salt, then whisk briefly so there are no lumps.
3. Make the batter: Whisk the eggs, sugar, vanilla and lime zest until light and airy. Beat in the oil, then fold in the flour mix, mashed bananas, pineapple and nuts, so everything is just combined.
4. Bake the layers: Split the mixture between the tins and smooth the tops, then bake for 25-30 minutes. The sponges are done when they pull away slightly from the sides, so leave them to cool in their tins.
5. Make the icing: Beat the butter with a pinch of salt until pale, then add the icing sugar a couple of spoonfuls at a time. Beat in the vanilla or lime zest and the cream cheese with as little mixing as you can, then chill for at least an hour.
6. Put it together: Spread a third of the icing over one cake and sit the other on top. Cover the top thickly and the sides thinly, working from the bottom up, then scatter over the nuts if you like.

FAQs

Can I use canned pineapple in this cake?

Yes, and the book says so itself, because canned pineapple is soft and easy to chop small. Just drain it really well in a sieve first, since extra juice would make the batter too wet. Fresh pineapple works the same way, though it takes more chopping.

Why did my cream cheese icing go runny?

Almost always because the cream cheese was beaten too long, which breaks it down and turns it soupy. The book tells you to keep mixing to a minimum once the cheese goes in, then chill the icing for at least an hour so it firms up. On a hot day it will be softer anyway, so give it longer in the fridge before spreading.

How do I get both cake layers the same size?

Weigh the mixture as you divide it between the tins, which is a tip straight from the book. Set each tin on the scales and pour half the batter into each by weight, so the layers bake evenly and sit flat when stacked. Guessing by eye usually leaves one layer thicker, and then the cake leans.

Do I have to put nuts in it?

No, both the nuts in the sponge and the ones on top can be left out, so the cake works for nut allergies. You lose a little crunch, but nothing else in the bake changes. If you do use them, chop the garnish nuts very finely so they stick to the icing.

How should I store a cake with cream cheese icing?

It needs the fridge once iced, because cream cheese spoils at room temperature. Kept in a tin it holds for three days, though slices taste best after twenty minutes out of the cold. The un-iced sponges also freeze well, and if you end up with spare ripe bananas, their banana bread uses three more.