BEST HUMMINGBIRD CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl and mix until combined.
• In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. 
• Pour the batter into two 8-inch round prepared pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 350°F, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out mostly clean (not wet).
• Cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Steps:

• For the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans with oil. Line bottoms with parchment rounds; brush with oil. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt to thoroughly combine. In another bowl, whisk together oil, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, and pineapple. Stir wet mixture into flour mixture just until no dry flour remains (if you overmix, the cake will be tough). Fold in carrots and coconut.
• Divide mixture evenly between prepared pans, smoothing tops. Bake until cakes are puffed slightly and golden, and a tester inserted into centers comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in pans on a wire rack 20 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack, remove parchment, and let cool completely.
• For the Frosting: In a bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add confectioners' sugar so it incorporates evenly and continue mixing until smooth. Beat in vanilla.
• To Assemble: Split cakes in half horizontally with a long, thin-bladed knife to create 4 layers. For an evenly stacked cake, place a bottom layer, bottom-side down, on a cake plate with edges lined with parchment strips (to catch excess frosting). Spread a scant 1 cup frosting over it. Place a top layer, top-side down, over frosting. Spread with a scant 1 cup frosting.
• Repeat with second top layer and more frosting. Stack last layer on top, bottom-side up. Spread a thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake to create the "crumb coat," which prevents crumbs from getting into the final frosting layer. Refrigerate remaining frosting and cake until crumb coat is firm, 20 minutes.
• Smooth remaining frosting evenly over cake with an offset spatula. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days. Press pecans evenly into bottom third of frosting. Pull away parchment; discard. Top with candied carrot curls.