Hummingbird Cake al Moscato

In February 1978, *Southern Living* magazine printed a recipe for "Hummingbird Cake" submitted by Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina, and it became the most requested recipe in the magazine's history. The cake was older than the printing. It came from Jamaica, where it was known as "Doctor Bird Cake" after the red-billed streamertail, the hummingbird that is the island's national bird and is called locally the "doctor bird" for the erect black crest and long tail feathers that resemble a doctor's coattails. The *Kingston Daily Gleaner* of 29 March 1969 carried a reference to a Doctor Bird cake made from bananas in a press kit of Jamaican recipes modified for American kitchens, and the recipe traveled to the United States in the 1960s and 1970s with Jamaican immigrants and through food columns, where the "Doctor Bird" name became "Hummingbird."

The cake is a moist, spiced layer of banana, pineapple, and pecans, frosted with cream cheese, dense and deeply flavored, and it became a staple of Southern celebrations, Easter, Mother's Day, and spring gatherings. Our Mimosavated version adds a splash of Moscato d'Asti to the cream cheese frosting, the fragrant, lightly sparkling sweet wine of Piedmont, whose peach, orange-blossom, and honeysuckle aromas complement the tropical fruit in the cake.

Ingredients (serves 12):

The Hummingbird Cake: - 10.6 oz all-purpose flour - 2 teaspoons baking powder - 1 teaspoon baking soda - ½ teaspoon salt - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon - 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg - 8 ⅞ oz granulated sugar - 5 ¼ oz vegetable oil - 3 large eggs, room temperature - 10.6 oz very ripe bananas, mashed (about 3 medium bananas) - 8 ⅞ oz crushed pineapple, undrained (one 14 ⅛ oz tin) - 3 ½ oz pecans, chopped (plus extra for decorating) - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

The Moscato Cream Cheese Frosting: - 15 ⅞ oz full-fat cream cheese, room temperature - 3 ½ oz unsalted butter, room temperature - 14 ⅛ oz powdered sugar, sifted - 3 ⅓ tbsp Moscato d'Asti - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - A pinch of salt - Chopped pecans, for decorating the sides

Making the Cake: Preheat the oven to 347°F (350°F). Butter and flour three 7 ⅞ in (8-inch) round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing just until combined. Fold in the mashed bananas, crushed pineapple (with its juice), and chopped pecans.

Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Making the Moscato Cream Cheese Frosting: In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating on low speed until combined, then increase speed and beat until light and fluffy. Add the Moscato, vanilla, and salt, and beat until just combined. Don't overbeat or the frosting will become too soft.

Assembling: If the cake layers have domed, use a serrated knife to level them. Place the first layer on a cake stand and spread with about a third of the frosting. Repeat with the second and third layers. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Press chopped pecans onto the sides of the cake for decoration. Pipe decorative rosettes of frosting around the top edge if desired.

Serving: Slice with a hot, clean knife — dip in hot water and wipe between cuts. Serve at room temperature.

The Mimosa Pairing Logic: Since the frosting contains Moscato d'Asti, pair with a tropical fruit mimosa — mango or passion fruit purée and Prosecco. The tropical fruit echoes the banana and pineapple in the cake. A peach bellini mimosa is also excellent — the peach echoes the Moscato. Avoid heavy or dry mimosas — hummingbird cake is sweet, fruity, and spiced, and you need something equally vibrant and fruity to complement it.

Reference Links: - The History of Southern Hummingbird Cake (1978 Southern Living): Southern Living - Hummingbird Cake Recipe (Jamaican doctor bird cake origins): Southern Living - Hummingbird cake on Wikipedia (Doctor Bird Cake, Jamaica): Wikipedia - Moscato d'Asti wine guide: Wine Folly

Make-Ahead: The cake layers can be baked up to 2 days ahead and stored, well-wrapped, at room temperature or frozen for up to 1 month. The frosting can be made a day ahead and refrigerated — bring to room temperature and re-whip before using. The assembled cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture.

Pro Tips: Use very ripe bananas — the blacker, the better. Overripe bananas are sweeter, softer, and more intensely flavored, and they mash more easily. Don't drain the crushed pineapple — the juice adds moisture and flavor to the cake. Toast the pecans before chopping — toasting intensifies the nutty flavor and adds a crisp texture. The oil (rather than butter) is what gives the cake its characteristic moist, tender texture — don't substitute butter, as it will make the cake drier. Don't overmix the batter once the flour is added — overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough. The cream cheese and butter for the frosting must be at room temperature — cold ingredients will create lumps. Don't overbeat the frosting once the sugar is added — overbeating can make it too soft or grainy. Level the cake layers before frosting — domed layers will make the cake tilt and slide.