• First and foremost: ensure all of your ingredients are at room temperature.

Hummingbird Cake:

• In a large mixing bowl (or in a stand mixer), add the butter and shortening and cream on slow speed until smooth.
• Pour in the granulated white sugar. Continue to cream mixture until smooth.
• Next, add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
• In a separate bowl, mash the overripe bananas, then combine with the crushed pineapple and crushed nuts.
• Add the banana, pineapple, and nut mixture into your large mixing bowl and stir.
• In a separate bowl combine the sifted flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
• Now, alternate adding the dry ingredients and wet ingredients, adding small amounts of buttermilk in between. Mix using a handheld mixer or stand mixer on medium speed.
• Next, grab three 9-inch cake pans. Grease with butter or baking spray, or line with parchment paper.
• Bake each cake for 30 minutes on 350 F until done (use a toothpick to test for doneness).
• Remove the cakes from the oven and let them sit for 15 minutes before removing them from the pan.
• Remove the cakes from the pans and let the cakes cool completely on wire cooling racks.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Note: the ingredients listed are for a double batch of cream cheese frosting to accommodate a triple-layer hummingbird cake.
• Cream the cream cheese and butter together using a handheld mixer or stand mixer on medium speed.
• Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla; mix until smooth.
• Once cooled, apply a layer of cream cheese frosting between each of the three layers of hummingbird cakes. Watch my video tutorial for a visual.
• Let the cake rest for at least an hour before serving/cutting. (You can chill the cake in the fridge, but the icing shouldn't be too firm.)
• Enjoy!