Hummingbird Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper rounds. Spray parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. (The cake is very moist so using parchment in the bottom of the cake pans will ensure they don't stick. I prefer to use the non-stick baking spray that has the flour in it for easy cake removal.)

Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Combine applesauce, vegetable oil, both sugars and eggs in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add in the mashed banana, crushed pineapple and vanilla extract and whisk until thoroughly combined.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Fold in toasted pecans.

Evenly divide the batter amongst the prepared cake pans.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes for until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, remove cakes from pans and level off the tops if needed (mine always bake up really flat so you likely won't need to do this.)

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until nice and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add in one cup of powdered sugar and salt and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add in one cup of powdered sugar and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add in one more cup of powdered sugar and heavy cream, if using. Beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until combined. Once combined, turn the mixer to high and continue beating for 2 to 3 minutes until frosting is perfectly creamy. If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar ¼ cup a time. Too thick, add a little more heavy cream.

Place one cake on your cake stand or plate and frost with cream cheese frosting. Repeat with remaining two cakes. Refrigerate cake for 30 minutes.

Frost the outside of the cake and add decorations you like by piping any remaining frosting. Garnish with more finely chopped pecans if desired.

Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving for best results.