Hummingbird Cupcakes

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°. On a baking sheet, spread the pecans in a single layer. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Let cool while preparing the cake.

Step 2

Line two cupcake tins with cupcake liners.

Step 3

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg.

Step 4

In a large measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until moistened. Do not over mix. Gently fold in the bananas, pineapple, and pecans. The batter will be thick.

Step 5

Evenly divide the batter into the prepared cupcake tins, filling each about 2/3 full.

Step 6

Bake cupcakes for 12-15 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Step 7

Cream the first three ingredients on medium speed using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer until smooth, about 2-3 minutes on medium speed.

Step 8

Add the powdered sugar and mix at low speed for about 1 minute. Then increase speed to medium and mix for 2-3 minutes until the frosting is very light and fluffy.

Step 9

Refrigerate for 10-15mins before frosting the cake. This makes the frosting easier to use for piping.

Step 10

Frost each cupcake with the frosting and garnish as desired.