Hummingbird Cake

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It's Thanksgiving time again!

Earlier this holiday season I found myself at the crossroads of Do I or Don't I go 'home for the holidays'. On one hand I was mentally waxing nostalgic about past Thanksgivings at home over the river and through the woods. On the other hand I was thinking I do not have it in me to be away from my current home for upwards of 3+ weeks (when factoring in Christmas/Hanukkah/New Years). 

So to ponder my options I put in the holiday classic To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything Julie Newmar starring the forever missed Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, John Leguizamo, and the most drag queen woman of them all Stockard Channing. How could I go wrong watching this epic of a travel/family story? This lead me down the online shame spiral of reading up on my previous Thanksgivings. I was able to pick my favorite. I won't disclose as to keep the infighting down to a minimum among my friends.  

It was around the time that Patrick Swayze's character, Vida Boheme, was kicking the ass of some abusive, drunk, country husband (while in heels and full makeup) I remembered my Thanksgiving Come To Jesus I had a few years back. My Thanksgiving tradition is change of venue! And this year I was again keeping with tradition. 

This afternoon I will be breaking bread with my hairdresser, her home goods haunted house loving mother, her doomsday prepper of a father, and any and all other cast of characters they have invited. 

To try and blend in with the natives I have decided to bring a Hummingbird Cake. Invented in Greensboro, North Carolina sometime last century I have been told it's a Southern classic. Imagine a giant banana bread cake covered in cream cheese frosting. Now that you have mouth orgasmed let's move on. 

Again with traditions...

To recap this Thanksgiving I am thankful for: 

1. The new friends who have embraced my dead heart and invited me into their homes for the holiday. 

2. The family who I know will always have a place for me when I decide to go home for Thanksgiving. 

3. Patrick Swayze and Stockard Channing teaching us that we are all drag queens.

4. And cream cheese. 

Hummingbird Cake

RECIPE ADAPTED FROM SOUTHERN LIVING

ingredients

1 cup chopped pecans

Vegetable cooking spray

Parchment paper

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups chopped bananas (about 4 medium bananas)

1 (8-oz.) can crushed pineapple in juice

instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Roughly chop pecans and gently roast in saute pan on medium heat until slightly browned.

2. Coat 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottom of each pan with parchment paper; coat paper with cooking spray.

3. Whisk together flour, sugar, ground cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add eggs, oil, and vanilla, and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in bananas, pineapple, and 1/2 cup pecans. (Batter will be very thick, more like banana bread batter than cake batter.) Spoon batter into prepared pans.

4. Bake at 350° for 28 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire rack, and cool completely (about 30 minutes). Peel off and discard parchment paper.

5. Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with one-fourth of frosting. Repeat procedure once. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with remaining pecans.

Cream Cheese Frosting

RECIPE FROM ME AND SOME OTHER FRIENDS

ingredients

2 lbs powdered sugar

2 sticks butter, room temperature

1 - 8oz package cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup shortening

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

instructions

1. In stand mixer or large bowl with hand mixer, mix butter, cream cheese, and shortening until all incorporated.

2. Working one cup at a time, mix in powdered sugar.

3. Add vanilla extract and cream. Mix until smooth.

*note - you may reduce or add more cream to change thickness of frosting.

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WANT TO WALK DOWN THANKSGIVINGS PAST? CHECK OUT MY SHENANIGANS BELOW!

FRIENDS THANKSGIVING AND THANKSGIVUKKAH

TWIN PEAKS, THANKSGIVING, AND TRADITION

AL ROKER AND MY NYC PENTHOUSE THANKSGIVING

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