HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

 3 teaspoons butter, softened

3 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

11/2 cups vegetable oil

3 eggs, well beaten

6 ripe bananas, peeled and coarsely mashed

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1f2 teaspoon coconut extract

FROSTING:

2 pkgs. (8 oz) cream cheese

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon coconut extract

6 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

 Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease each of three 9­inch round cake pans with 1 teaspoon of the butter. Dust each with 1 tablespoon of the flour, tapping out excess, and set aside.

Combine the remaining 3 cups flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a large bowl Add oil and eggs, and mix well Add bananas, pineapple, coconut, pecans, cinnamon, and vanilla, almond and coconut extracts. Mix well Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside to cool briefly. Remove cakes from pans and set aside to cool completely.

Frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla, almond and coconut extracts in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth. Reduce speed to medium-low and gradually beat in sugar.

Assemble and frost cake, spreading 1 1/2cups of the frosting between the two layers of cake and using the remaining to frost (completely).