Hummingbird cake with pineapple flowers recipe

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas 1/4, 110°C, fan 90°C. Using a mandolin or sharp knife, cut 8 very thin slices from the top of the pineapple (set aside the remaining fruit for later).
2. Put the pineapple discs on a baking sheet lined with nonstick baking paper and bake for 30 mins. Flip them over and bake for a further 30 mins. Repeat, turning every half hour or so, until the pineapple has shrunk a little, and is dry but not brittle. Transfer to the holes of a muffin tin to encourage the edges to curl into flower shapes and return to the oven for a further 5-10 mins. Leave to cool in the tin.
3. Turn up the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Grease and line a 1kg loaf tin.
4. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric whisk, until light and fluffy. Beat in the golden syrup, followed by the, one at a time. Fold in the flour, allspice, cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda, then add the milk, yogurt and mashed bananas. Finely chop 160g of the reserved pineapple and fold it into the cake mixture.
5. Spoon the cake mixture into the tin and bake for 1 hour 25 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover with foil. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Meanwhile, make the icing. In a large bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla with an electric whisk, until light and fluffy. Once the cake has cooled, thickly spread the icing over the cake and top with the pineapple flowers.

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• As part of a healthy balanced diet, we recommend this recipe for a special occasion or treat.