Hummingbirds & Cake How Divine 🐦 🎂



Well, the last few days have been Humm Drum 😒 mixed with a bad case of Insomnia😴, not a good mood boost to say the least. As always a good book can get you through😀. The latest book I've "read" listen to borrowed from OVERDRIVE is THE SECRET TO HUMMINGBIRD CAKE Celeste Fletcher McHale. Now anyone who knows me knows this my favorite bird is the hummingbird and well cake pretty go too😋 So when I saw this title, on Book Bub I had to know more, so I checked out a digital audio from my library. Libraries📚 are one of the greatest things ever🙌


So here's the synopsis:


“Why won’t you just tell me what’s in that cake?” I’d been trying to get Laine’s recipe for years. We all had.


When all else fails, turn to the divine taste of hummingbird cake.


In the South you always say “yes, ma’am” and “no, ma’am.” You know everybody’s business. Football is a lifestyle not a pastime. Food—especially dessert— is almost a religious experience. And you protect your friends as fiercely as you protect your family— even if the threat is something you cannot see.


In this spot-on Southern novel brimming with wit and authenticity, you’ll laugh alongside lifelong friends, navigate the sometimes rocky path of marriage, and roll through the outrageous curveballs that life sometimes throws . . . from devastating pain to absolute joy. And if you’re lucky, you just may discover the secret to hummingbird cake along the way.


This book has a Steel Magnolias with a side of Fried Green Tomatoes feel to it.

I'm guessing the author is a fan of those authors books. So if you like that type of books/movies than this books for you.  The plot was a very moving good idea story. However, the first half of the book the character development was over done and situations that could be easily wrapped up quickly was long suffering😣. I was thinking can't quit now it got to get better and pick up pace thankfully it did, or I would have DNF it🙅 I'm so glad I keep going because the storyline was strong enough that I gave it 3.75 stars out of 5.☺ If the plot would have been weak it would have been a 2 star main character was to whinny and not likable most of the time. Although the book didn't have a recipe for Hummingbird Cake, I want to share mine with you. My Hubby absolutely love 💙 it, so enjoy read The Secret to the Hummingbird Cake and enjoy a slice of the cake.


Hummingbird Out,🐦

Angie




Hummingbird Cake

Prep Time15 minTotal Time1 hr 55 minServings15
Ingredients

Cake

1can (8 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained

1jar (10 oz) maraschino cherries, well drained, finely chopped (1/2 cup)

1box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ lemon cake mix

1cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 medium)*

1/2cup vegetable oil

1teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 Eggs

Homemade Vanilla Glaze OR

1cup powdered sugar

1to 2 tablespoons milk

1/2teaspoon vanilla or clear vanilla

Easy Vanilla Glaze

1/2 Cup Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting

Directions

1 Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Generously grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with shortening; lightly flour or spray with baking spray with flour.2 Drain pineapple in colander set over a bowl, pushing pineapple against side and bottom of colander with back of spoon to squeeze out as much juice as possible; reserve juice. Drain chopped cherries on paper towels; pat dry.3 Add enough water, if necessary, to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1/3 cup. In large bowl, beat cake mix, pineapple, bananas, oil, cinnamon, pineapple juice mixture and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 2 minutes. Stir in cherries. Pour into pan.4 Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour.5 To make the Homemade Vanilla Glaze, in medium bowl, mix powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and the vanilla. Stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and consistency of thick syrup.6 To make the Easy Vanilla Glaze, spoon frosting from container into microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on High about 15 seconds or until frosting can be stirred smooth and is thin enough to drizzle. (Or spoon frosting into 1-quart saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until thin enough to drizzle.)7 Spread glaze over top of cake. Store cake loosely covered at room temperature