Hummingbird Pudding Cake

Ingredients

• For cake:
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large ripe banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 can crushed pineapple in syrup
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2/3 cup pecan halves, chopped, plus extra for garnish
• For cream cheese frosting:
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon dark rum, or milk

Directions

1. For the cake, set a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9- by- 9-inch baking pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, salt, banana, oil, and vanilla until the mixture is fully blended. Add the pineapple, including its liquid, and whisk again until incorporated. Put the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and chopped pecans into the bowl, then whisk just until everything is evenly mixed. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the surface has set and a toothpick poked into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few damp crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Move the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool all the way, about 2 hours. Wash the bowl.
2. For the cream cheese frosting, use the washed bowl to stir the cream cheese and sugar together until combined. Whisk it briefly so it turns smooth, then gently whisk in the rum or milk. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and finish with the reserved pecan halves.