Little Hummingbird Cakes

So, I’m not too happy with how these look.  I found icing them really hard and they ended up looking childish rather than the sophisticated wonder I envisioned them to become.  I was thinking the icing would resemble silky smooth white chocolate spun artistically around the cakes.  Hmm, not quite the case aye Melissa?  It might have been because it was quite cold when I made them; maybe the icing would have spread better at a warmer temperature.  However, I do like the way they taste so I thought I would still share the recipe with you.  The pecan and pineapple bits through the cake are moreish.  If I make these again I think I will just ice them like normal cupcakes.

Makes 24.

3 ¾ cups self-raising flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup caster sugar
2 ripe bananas
½ cup sunflower oil
2 eggs, beaten
150g pecans, chopped
440g can crushed pineapple, drained
6 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans, to decorate

For the lemon cream:
115g butter, softened
3 ¾ icing sugar
2 tablespoons whipping cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Grease two 12 hole muffin pans.
Sift the flour and cinnamon into a large bowl.  Stir in the sugar.
Put the bananas in a bowl and mash well with a fork.  Add the bananas to the dry ingredients with the eggs, oil, pecans and pineapple.  Stir until the mixture is just combined.  Spoon the mixture into the muffin pans.
Bake in the oven for 30 – 35 minutes, until golden brown and risen.  Leave in the pan to cool for 5 minutes then transfer to wire racks.  Leave to cool completely.

To make the lemon cream, put the butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until creamy.  Gradually beat in the icing sugar, then beat in the cream, lemon juice and vanilla extract.  Beat well until light and fluffy.
Invert the muffins and spread with the lemon cream.  Sprinkle a few chopped pecans over the top of the muffins to decorate.