Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird cake is a classic Southern dessert made with mashed ripe bananas, crushed pineapple, cinnamon, and chopped pecans. The layers are traditionally frosted with rich cream cheese frosting, and the top and sides are decorated with more chopped pecans. It's surprisingly simple to make and perfect for special celebrations like birthdays, weddings, and holidays. The cake's unique flavor makes it stand out from "the crowd" of more traditional desserts.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword hummingbird cake

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 40

Chill Time 1

Total Time 2 25

Servings pieces

Calories 1471kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

Cake layers

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups granulated sugar
1 ¼ cup vegetable oil
12 oz crushed pineapple lightly drained
3 ripe bananas mashed
3 large eggs room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

Cream cheese frosting

8 oz cream cheese room temperature
1 cup salted butter room temperature
1 pound powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons warm water optional
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Make cake layers

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray 3 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl.
Stir together the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, crushed pineapple, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla extract in a larger mixing bowl. Gradually stir the flour mixture and pecans into the pineapple mixture. Pour the batter into the cake pans.
Bake for 40- 50 minutes until a toothpick can be inserted into the center of the cake and comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

Make cream cheese frosting

In the bowl of your mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. If your frosting is too thick, you can slowly stir in a tablespoon of warm water at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Mix in the vanilla extract. Allow the frosting to keep mixing until light and fluffy.

Assemble and decorate

Place one cake layer onto your cake stand and spread an even layer of cream cheese frosting over the cake. Repeat this with a second cake layer and then top with the last layer. Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese frosting around the outside of the cake and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the frosting to set.
Frost the cake with the remaining buttercream frosting. Gently press some of the chopped pecans around the bottom edge of the cake. Sprinkle the remaining pecans around the top edge of the cake.

Notes

Frosting options. You can use vanilla buttercream instead of cream cheese frosting.
Toast the pecans before using them in the recipe to make them extra crispy and crunchy and bring out and intensify their nutty flavor.
You can use pecans or walnuts. If using walnuts, do not toast them.
Should I add water to my frosting? This depends on your desired consistency; some people like their frosting to be thinner, while others like it thicker. If it seems a little too thick, add a little bit of water at a time until you get to that consistency you like.
Make cupcakes instead of a whole cake! Bake them at the same temperature; reduce the baking time to 18-22 minutes, and check with a toothpick to ensure it is done. Allow them to cool before piping the icing onto the top and sprinkle with pecans.
If you have only two cake pans, you can bake it in two instead of three. You will need to increase your baking time to make up for the thicker cake layers.
Storage tips. Store the cake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
What to serve with Hummingbird Cake? Serve it with coffee, tea, lemonade, or sweet dessert wines like Moscato, Sauterne, Ice Wine, or sparkling wine. You can top the cake with vanilla or coconut ice cream, pecan ice cream, or whipped cream. Other add-ons include caramelized bananas, coconut flakes, or toasted pecans.

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