Hummingbird Cake Bites

Cake Bites: Sized for two delicious bites, these little cakes are perfect for parties and socials. Great-Aunt Thelma’s Hummingbird Cake, with its moist, dense texture, is perfect! From dallasnews.com's Recipe of the Day -- By Kitchen Scoop/Alicia Ross -- Published: 01 June 2012. -------- NOTE: 30 minute prep time includes cooling time after cupcakes are baked; 20 minute cook time is for one batch/pan of cupcakes! If using two pans, total cook time for 48 cupcakes (two batches) is 40 minutes!

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Yields: 48 mini cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  cup sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2  eggs (lightly beaten)
• 1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil
• 3⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 cup crushed pineapple (with juice)
• 1⁄2 cup pecans (toasted and finely chopped)
• 1  cup banana (very ripe and mashed)

• Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4  ounces low-fat cream cheese (softened, Neufchatel preferred)
• 4  tablespoons butter (softened)
• 1  cup powdered sugar (sifted)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F Line mini-muffin tins with 48 paper liners; set aside.
2. Toast pecans in a medium-heat iron skillet, on the stove top, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir in eggs, oil and vanilla just until dry ingredients are moistened; do not beat. Fold in the pineapple (and juice), pecans and banana.
4. Gently spoon batter into the cups, filling each about 2/3 full. Do not overfill. You will have just enough batter for all 48 cups.
5. Bake 20 minutes; if using two pans at once, rotating the top and lower pans at the 10-minute mark for even baking. (If you have a convection oven, this is not necessary.) Bake in two batches if you have only one pan!
6. Cake bites are done when they are dark golden brown and gently crowned on top. Remove from oven and cool at least 20 minutes before frosting.
7. Swirl a small amount of icing over each cake bite in a decorative fashion. Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve. (Wooden picks can be inserted in a few of the bites to keep plastic wrap from smearing the tops.).
8. Makes 48 cake bites.
9. Cream Cheese Frosting Directions:
10. In a small mixer bowl combine 4 ounces softened cream cheese, 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, 1 cup sifted powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract ~ beat with mixer until smooth.
11. Place in a zipper-top plastic bag with one corner snipped (or use a cake decorating bag).