Bird Cakes Recipes

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
• Grease and line two 23cm round cake tins.
• Sift the flour and cinnamon into a mixing bowl, then add the sugar and a large pinch of sea salt.
• Peel the bananas and mash them up with a fork in another bowl. Drain and finely chop the pineapple and add to the bananas with the oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until combined, then fold into the dry mixture until smooth.
• Finely chop the pecans and gently fold in, then divide the batter evenly between your prepared tins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until risen, golden and the sponges spring back when touched lightly in the centre.
• Run a knife around the edge of the tins, then leave to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, to make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a free-standing electric mixer, add the butter and beat until pale and creamy.
• Add the cream cheese, finely grate in the zest of 1 lime and add a squeeze of juice, then beat until just smooth - it's really important not to over-mix it. Keep in the fridge until needed.
• To make a brittle topping, 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, spoon around to coat, and when nicely golden, pour onto a sheet of oiled greaseproof paper to set (check out the how-to video below).
• Once cool, smash up to a dust (you'll need about half to top the cake - save the rest for sprinkling over ice cream.
• To assemble the cake, place one sponge on a cake stand and spread with half the icing. Top with the other sponge, spread over the rest of the icing, then grate over the zest of the remaining lime.
• Scatter over the brittle dust and decorate with a few edible flowers, such as violas, borage or herb flowers, if you feel that way inclined.
• With a cup of tea on the side, this will make everyone who eats it extremely happy. Serve in a bluebell wood on a fallen tree, as you do.

DOCTOR BIRD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
• Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the flour mixture. Add the mashed bananas, oil, vanilla, eggs and pineapple with juice. Fold in nuts.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on wire rack.

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
• Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the oil, eggs, pineapple, bananas and nuts. Add flour mixture, and mix together by hand.
• Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in center of each pan comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool on racks.
• Prepare the frosting by blending together the cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Evenly spread frosting on middle, sides and top of cake.

BIRD'S NEST EASTER CAKE

Steps:

• Butter and flour 6 four inch pans. (You can use larger pans and just cut the cakes down to size if you don't have 4 inch pans.) Preheat oven to 350F.
• In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and soda.
• Beat the eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla together in a separate bowl.
• Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix until just combined. Stir in the hot coffee last.
• Distribute the batter evenly to the pans. and bake for about 25 minutes or until the centers are baked.
• Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Mix in the confectioners' sugar, cream, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt and melted chocolate.
• Cut the cake down into a nest shape. Cover with buttercream and smooth. Pipe "twigs" with a number 4 tip. Place the chocolate eggs in the nest and serve.

BIRD CAKES

Steps:

• In a large pan start melting the fat.
• When almost melted, take off the heat, add the rest of the listed ingredients and mix well.
• Let the mix cool enough for the seeds to be evenly distributed and not sink to the bottom.
• Fill your molds, cool until set and un-mold.
• IMPORTANT: Do not use old and used fat from your deep fryer because that is not good for the birds.

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Prepare the Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, bananas, and toasted pecans.
• Divide batter evenly among 3 well-greased (with shortening) and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
• Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Assemble Cake: Place first cake layer on a serving platter; spread top with 1 cup of the frosting. Top with second layer, and spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with third layer, and spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange pecan halves on top of cake in a circular pattern.