Ultimate Blog Challenge (UBC) Day 11 April 11th, 2023

Good morning, welcome back to our series sharing Ultimate Blog Challenge (UBC) Day 11 April 11th, 2023. Today we were told its Dessert Time which is fine with me. You can never have enough dessert for you? When I was a child, my favorite dessert was German Chocolate Cake even though most children don’t care for Coconut.

The funny thing this is also David’s favorite cake. Until I introduced David to Italian Cream Cake which quickly became mine and David’s favorite cake. Until we had dinner at Cotton Patch. We tried their Hummingbird Cake which we both feel in love with. Cotton Patch taken Hummingbird Cake off the menu. Which they’ve replaced the Hummingbird Cake with Carrot Cake. Which Charlie likes and David will eat but not me.

I thought I would share a recipe at the end of this post with you then you can try this amazing cake on your own. Although, I am not sure I will make it and not a German Chocolate Cake which is what I had wanted for Easter but couldn’t find one. We ended up purchasing a Italian Cream Cake from Albertsons. No, they didn’t have a Hummingbird Cake.

Dessert Time

What’s the best dessert you’ve ever eaten?

If you’re a cook, share a photo of it on your blog! And share the recipe, too.

You could take this idea and talk about your favorite restaurant, cooking show, or something food related.

Or, you could go for allegory (a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one) and talk about what the “icing on the cake” is for you in a particular experience, like the best customer service you’ve received, best gift you’ve purchased or received, etc.

If you don’t think this applies to you, try this: blog about the last time you had your favorite dessert?

Don’t forget to share your Day 11 post first on your own website, and then head over to the Facebook group at: and share the URL of your post with the group.

If you are tweeting, use the #blogboost to let folks know you are part of the community!

I thought I would share a recipe for Hummingbird Cake with you:

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 c. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 c. canola oil
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 8-oz. cans crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
• 2 ripe bananas, chopped
• 1 c. chopped pecans
• Nonstick baking spray with flour

FOR THE FROSTING

• 3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 4 c. powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt 

FOR DECORATING

• 1 c. toasted pecan halves

Directions

1. For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°. 
2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir in the oil, eggs, vanilla, and pineapple until evenly combined. Mash the bananas then add to the bowl with the pecans. Stir to combine. 
3. Spray 2 (8-inch) round baking pans with nonstick baking spray (or butter and flour the pans). Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with just a few small crumbs, 33 to 37 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the wire rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.
4. For the frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar then mix at low speed just until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the vanilla and salt. Beat frosting on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
5. Place one of the cake layers on a serving plate and top with about 1 cup of the frosting, spreading evenly to the edge. Top with the second cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake. 
6. To decorate the cake: Press the pecan halves along the base of the cake and around the top of the cake to create a ring. Slice and serve. 

I have a question for you. Have you ever had a slice of Italian Cream Cake? German Chocolate Cake or Hummingbird Cake? If so which cake have you had. What did you think of the cake and why?

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates