A Conversation Over Hummingbird Bundt Cake

I knew I'd be baking something today. Measuring out the sugar, standing on my tip toes to reach the vanilla extract, wiping my hands on my favorite apron, and showing the toddler how to crack eggs (and having to scoop out the bits of shell) are all cathartic for me. It's what I needed today--to be surrounded by delicious smells with my counter tops snowy with powdered sugar. My granddad passed away this morning.

And I thought, hummingbird bundt cake. I don't know why, but it seemed Southern and comforting, and just the thing to bake.

I wasn't planning on cutting a slice for myself. I was going to wait until after dinner. And then I thought, Why not? I knew the hubbs wouldn't touch it because it had pecans on it. And so I cut a pretty hefty piece for myself.

And I sat down in the peace and quiet of my kitchen. I had James Taylor playing and it was perfect.

For .002 seconds.

"Mooommmmmaa! Mooommmmaaa! Chair? Up!"

Sigh. "Okay, okay, you can sit up here with me."

I pulled up a chair for the toddler. He climbed up and pulled the chair as close to the table as he could.

"Do you want some cake?"

"Cake! Cake! Happy birthday!"

That made me smile. And in no time at all, the toddler grabbed my fork and started helping himself to the delicious cake.

"I guess I better go get another fork, huh?" "Yeah," was his instant reply.

And so, while we raced each other for prime pieces of deliciousness, I said, "I'm gunna' tell you about your great granddad." And I did. I talked to him while he stuffed the warm cake into his mouth, all proud to be sitting at the table using a grown-up fork, and I told him the stories I could remember.

But he quickly snatched up my fork, and wielding both utensils, I watched defenseless as he downed the rest of the cake.

"Was that yummy?"

"Mmmmmm! Yummy! Deeeeelicious! More cake?" I laughed. "No, no more cake."

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Hummingbird Bunt Cake

For the cake batter:

• 1 1/2 cups of chopped pecans
• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 tsp. of baking soda
• 1 tsp. of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. of salt
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 large bananas, mashed
• 1 (8 oz) can of crushed pineapple (don't drain)
• 3/4 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract

For the glaze:

• 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. of vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp. of whole milk

1. Prepare cake batter: Preheat oven to 350. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 minutes, stirring halfway through.

2. Stir together flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in egg and next 4 ingredients. Sprinkle 1 cup of toasted pecans into a greased and floured 14-cup bundt pan. Spoon batter over pecans.

3. Bake at 350 for 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool for thirty minutes and flip.

4. Prepare glaze: Process all four ingredients and immediately pour over cooled cake. Sprinkle with remaining pecans.

*I got this recipe from Southern Living, and tweaked a few ingredients.