Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird cake is a moist spice cake packed with bananas, pineapple, and pecans, and iced with cream cheese frosting. If you love carrot cake, this is a great recipe to try!

Ingredients for Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird cake

• All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure correctly and level the measuring cups.
• Baking powder – Leavening agent to help the cake layers rise.
• Baking soda – Another leavening agent for rising.
• Salt – Brings out all the flavors in the cake.
• Cinnamon – Adds a bit of warmth to the cake.
• Brown sugar – Light brown sugar adds sweetness and a subtle molasses flavor.
• Granulated sugar – For sweetness.
• Vegetable oil – You can also use canola oil or another neutral baking oil.
• Eggs – Room temperature.
• Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract adds great vanilla flavor.
• Banana – Mashed. Approximately 4 to 5 bananas.
• Pineapple – Crushed pineapple, drained. One 20 ounce can.
• Pecans – Chopped pecans.

Cream cheese frosting

• Unsalted butter – Room temperature for easy creaming. You can also use salted and omit additional salt.
• Cream cheese – Room temperature.
• Powdered sugar – No need to sift unless it is lumpy.
• Salt – To contrast the sweetness.
• Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.

How to Make the Hummingbird Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and parchment circles.
2. Combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
4. Add in mashed banana and pineapple and mix until well combined.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix using a spatula until well combined. Fold in pecans.
6. Portion the cake batter into prepared baking pans. Use a kitchen scale to create even layers.
7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes until the cakes bounce back when gently touched or a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool the cakes for about 20 minutes in the pan. Remove the cake layers from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting

To make the cream cheese frosting, you can use a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or an electric hand mixer.

1. Whip the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
2. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on low. Then add the remaining half and continue to mix on low speed.
3. Add in the salt and vanilla extract. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is well mixed.
4. Turn the mixer to medium-high and whip for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.

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Hummingbird Cake

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Assembly Time 45 minutes mins

Yield: 16 servings

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Hummingbird cake is easy to make and super delicious! A spice cake packed with bananas, pineapple, and pecans and iced with cream cheese frosting.

Equipment

• 3 7-inch round cake pans
• Stand mixer or electric hand mixer

Ingredients 

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US CustomaryMetric

Hummingbird Cake

• ▢ 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 1 tsp baking soda
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
• ▢ 1 cup light brown sugar
• ▢ ½ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 3 eggs room temperature
• ▢ 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 cups mashed banana approximately 4-5 bananas
• ▢ 20 oz crushed pineapple drained
• ▢ 1 cup chopped pecans

Cream Cheese Frosting

• ▢ 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
• ▢ 7 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ ½ tsp salt
• ▢ 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Hummingbird Cake

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare cake pans using cooking spray and parchment circles.
• In a mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla, and whisk together until fully combined.
• Add in mashed banana and pineapple and mix until well combined.
• Add in the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until the dry ingredients and wet ingredients are combined.
• Fold in the chopped pecans until well dispersed throughout the batter.
• Divide batter evenly between your cake pans. Use a kitchen scale to ensure that the batter is equally divided.
• Bake cakes for approximately 30-35 minutes in the oven until the cakes spring back when gently touched or toothpick comes out clean. *Please note that baking times may be slightly different for different size pans.
• Remove cakes from the oven and allow them to cool in the pans on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Remove the cake layers from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add room temperature butter and cream cheese. Whip on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.
• Add half the powdered sugar and mix on low speed. Add the remaining half of powdered sugar. and continue to mix on low until combined.
• Add salt and vanilla extract.
• Turn the mixer on high speed and whip for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Assembling the Hummingbird Cake

• Level the cake layers with a serrated knife. Place one cake layer on a cake board or plate. Add desired amount of frosting to the top of the layer and spread evenly.
• Continue to repeat this process until the layers are stacked.
• Spread a very thin layer of frosting all over the cake (crumb coat). Chill your cake for 30 minutes until the cream cheese frosting is slightly firm to the touch.
• Frost and decorate the cake with the remaining cream cheese frosting. Add additional pecans if desired.

Notes

Hummingbird cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Serve at room temperature.

Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

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