Hummingbird cake

This recipe is based on Jamie Oliver’s hummingbird cake (who could resist that name!), but I cut down on the amount of sugar and made my own icing, as I’m not a huge fan of cream cheese icing.  This is basically a posh banana bread in cake form, but the icing and decorating make it a special cake for eating with a cup of Earl Grey in a tropical Sri Lankan garden - or wherever you like!

Hummingbird cake

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
350 g self-raising flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
200 g caster sugar
2 very ripe bananas
400 g tin of pineapple chunks (or you can use fresh pineapple)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
50 g pecans

for the icing

1 tub mascarpone
2 tsp honey
juice of half an orange
zest of half an orange
1 cup fresh cream

for the pecan brittle

100 g caster sugar
50 g pecans

Preheat the oven to 175°C (fan forced).  Grease and line two 23cm round cake tins.

Sift the flour and cinnamon into a mixing bowl, then add the sugar and a pinch of salt.  Mash the bananas with a fork in another bowl. Drain the pineapple well and finely chop it and then add to the bananas with the oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Mix well, and then fold into the flour mixture until smooth.

Finely chop the pecans and fold them in, then divide the batter evenly between the two tins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until risen, golden and the cakes spring back when touched lightly in the centre.  Leave to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

To make the pecan brittle, place the caster sugar and a splash of water in a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Shake flat and DON’T STIR IT, just swirl the pan occasionally until dissolved and lightly golden.  Add the pecans and a pinch of salt, stir very gently to coat them, and when nicely golden, pour onto a sheet of oiled greaseproof paper to set.

To make the icing, whisk together the mascarpone, honey, orange juice and zest.  Add the cream and whisk until stiff peaks form.  Watch it carefully as you don’t want it to turn grainy.

Place one cake on a cake stand and spread with half the icing. Top with the other cake, spread over the rest of the icing, then grate over some more orange zest (and some lime zest if you like).  Chop up the pecan brittle into small chunks and scatter over the top.  Decorate with a few edible flowers, if you have them.  Nasturtiums and marigolds look pretty.  If you don't eat it straight away, keep it in the fridge.