[Sca-cooks] Favorite Dessert

[Lilinah]

Constanza wrote:
>Oh, that made me think of the dessert my husband's family uses for all of
>their special occasions.  (After 10 years of marriage, I finally got to *see*
>the recipe!)  It's called "Hummingbird Cake".  It is 3 layers of what is best
>described as a spice cake with a homemade cream cheese frosting and sprinkled
>with nuts.  (Maybe after a few more years, I'll be trusted to *have* the
>recipe!!)

Here's a variation i found on-line quite some 
time ago. I have never made it so i cannot vouch 
for it, but it sounds like it is related... this 
one is more fruity, not very spice-cake-y, but it 
has the cream cheese spackle, errr... icing on 
top....

Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM)
the persona formerly known as Anahita

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Ruby-throated hummingbird cake

1 ˆ cup Flour
3 Tb Baking powder
1 pinch Salt
1/3 cup Sugar
ˆ cup Vegetable oil
6 Egg yolks
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple
2 Tb Lemon juice
6 Egg whites
1 pinch Cream of tartar
ˆ cup Sugar

Filling:
ˆ cup Water
1 ˆ Tb Cornstarch
1/3 cup Sugar
2 Tb White rum
1 cup Chopped strawberries

Icing:
ˆ cup Butter
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
1 tsp Vanilla
1 lb Confectioners' sugar
Milk
1 med Sweet red grapefruit
Fresh flowers (rose petals or violets)

Cake:
In a mixer or food processor sift together the 
flour, baking powder, salt & sugar. Blend in oil, 
egg yolk, pineapple & lemon juice & mix well. In 
a separate bowl beat egg whites, cream of tartar 
& sugar until very stiff. Fold the cake mix into 
the egg white mixture & stir until well blended. 
Pour the mixture into an ungreased 10" tube pan & 
bake at 350 for 1 hour. Remove from oven & cool 
upside down on rack. When cooled remove to 
serving plate.

Filling:
Stir cornstarch into the cold water & heat gently 
in saucepan until it starts to thicken. Stir in 
the sugar & rum. Beat until smooth & shiny. Stir 
in the chopped strawberries.

Icing:
In a food processor combine butter, cream cheese, 
vanilla & confectioners' sugar. Process to a 
smooth spreadable paste. Adjust the texture with 
a little milk if necessary.

To assemble:
Spoon strawberry filling into the hollow center 
of the cake. Spread the icing over the cake 
including the sides. Decorate the top with 
grapefruit sections & flowers.