Hummingbird Cake

When my son was seven years old he embarked on a journey of taste and sensational culinary delights. He found out through quietly listening to the adults around him that Hummingbird Cake is his Nana's favorite. He so of course he desperately wanted to try it. This is a very sweet cake and best enjoyed with a strong coffee for the adults.

Ingredients

Cake Mixture
3 cups plain flour
2 cups caster sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp bi-carbonate soda
1 tsp garam masala
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
250 g crushed pineapple (un-drained)
2 cups ripe banana, mashed

Cream Cheese Icing
125 g butter, softened
250 g cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
500 g icing sugar
mango pieces

Method

1. To make the cake combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the eggs and the vegetable oil, mixing until all ingredients are moistened. Do not beat or over mix. 
3. Stir in the vanilla, crushed pineapple and bananas.
4. Spoon the batter into 4 well greased and floured cake tins and bake in a moderate oven for 25-30 minutes until the cake is done. You will have four separate flat cakes to layer with the icing.
5. To make the icing process the butter, cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla together until it is pale and creamy.
6. Combine the mango pieces into 1/3 of the cream cheese icing mixture.
7. When the cakes are completely cool layer them together with the mango/cream cheese icing mixture, and then use the remaining icing mixture to coat or pipe over outside of the cake.