Hummingbird cake

This moist, luscious cake from the American Deep South translates as delicious in anyone's language. You need approximately 2 large overripe bananas for this recipe.

• 450g can crushed pineapple in syrup
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/2 cup self raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 cup mashed banana
• 2 eggs, beaten lightly
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to moderate. Grease deep square cake pan, line it with baking paper.
2. Drain pineapple over medium bowl, pressing with spoon to extract as much syrup as possible. Reserve 1/4 cup syrup
3. Sift flours, soda, spices and sugar into large bowl. Using wooden spoon stir in drained pineapple, reserved syrup,coconut,banana,egg and oil; pour into prepared pan.
4. Bake cake in moderate oven about 40 minutes. Stand cake 5 minutes, then turn onto wire rack, cool.

Serves 12

Source: Australian Women's Weekly