be still, my heart

Hummingbirds are pretty incredible little creatures, and I think I'd like to be reincarnated as one. First and foremost, they can fly backwards. Secondly, all they eat is nectar. Finally, I just read that their hearts can beat as many as 1260 times per minute. That's a lot. Clearly, they have some fierce metabolism.

They're living the good life...until they fly into a window or get snatched by a cat.

Who cares about hummingbirds, you ask? Yes, they're fun to watch flit to and fro and they're very pretty critters, but my favorite thing about them doesn't really have anything to do with them--it's the cupcakes to which they lend their name.

This interesting blend of flavors and textures makes me wonder who first decided to throw them all together. It's all a little bit tropical, and it all works together beautifully. The proportions are just right, and the resulting cake is so moist and so magical and so darn tasty that it makes my heart flutter to even recall my last bite. If you've never tried hummingbird cake, you should make it a point to do so!

As far as I know, this is her first and only kill. I'm horrified and strangely proud at the same time.

I-Wish-I-Had-the-Metabolism-of-a-Hummingbird Cupcakes
(from good ol' Martha)

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (a little extra wouldn't hurt...)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 large)
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
cream cheese frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla, and sugar until combined, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Beat at medium speed until mixture is pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
In a medium bowl, stir together banana, pineapple, walnuts, and coconut. Add to egg mixture, mixing until combined. Stir in flour mixture.
Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake.