Hummingbird Cake is a soft, moist, and tender spiced cake filled with banana, pineapple and toasted pecans. All topped with a silky cream cheese frosting that is classic, tangy perfection!
Hummingbird cake is a dream of a layer cake (with roots in Jamaican and Southern history) featuring loads of flavor, moistness and decadence all swathed in a blanket of tangy cream cheese frosting. Do you like banana bread? Carrot cake? Then you will love this hummingbird cake! Sweet, spiced and full of flavor thanks to crushed pineapple, fresh bananas and toasted pecans, this cake comes together very quickly and couldn’t be simpler to assemble. Plus, it’s DELICIOUS.
She joins the ranks of other timeless Southern dishes, like these Southern buttermilk biscuits, banana pudding, ambrosia salad, or Southern-style chicken sandwiches. They never go out of style!
Table of contents
Why you will love this dessert:
- Dense, moist cake layers that taste like banana bread 2.0. You know from my banana bread muffins, banana bars, nutella-swirled banana bread (and many others), that we are a biiiig fan of banana bread on this blog! So I know what I’m talking about!
- Tons of flavor and textures. A lightly cinnamon spiced banana-pineapple cake with toasted pecans studded throughout and balanced out with a tangy, indulgent cream cheese frosting. You can’t go wrong!
- A Southern Living classic recipe adapted by a professional pastry chef. This recipe is very similar to the original printed in Southern Living, however, I have adjusted the ingredients and completely altered the mixing method.
Professional Tips
- Toast those pecans. Don’t skip this! Southern Living agrees with me! The pecans will taste richer from toasting, and it also helps them stay crunchy after baking.
- Go with the classic liquid fat cake mixing method. This is a similar mixing method that I use to make my blueberry cake recipe!. I rewrote this recipe to emulsify the oil into the beaten whole egg. This creates a moist, fluffy and tender cake. Whisking everything together in one bowl means less clean-up, but with this recipe it also risks a dense and oily cake.
- Blend the banana and pineapple together before adding. Want your hummingbird cake to be lighter and more tender than any other? I recommend blending the ripe bananas and canned pineapple (with its juice) together before adding them to the dry ingredients. This makes the cake lighter, so you can have a bigger slice!
What does hummingbird cake taste like?
Hummingbird cake tastes like a spiced banana cake with hints of pineapple, pecans and vanilla. It is typically paired with a cream cheese frosting, which adds a nice creaminess and a slight tang.
Ingredients
- Pecans: You can always buy pecan pieces, not only will the toast be faster than whole pecans but they are often less expensive! These are great for crunch and flavor. Get extra for decorating!
- Dark Brown Sugar: I use dark brown sugar for that added molasses flavor but you can use light brown sugar or even all granulated sugar.
- Granulated Sugar
- Allspice: Allspice is a powerful spice. She will take over all the other spices if you let her. I always use allspice and fresh nutmeg with a light hand.
- Cinnamon: I use Saigon cinnamon but any ground cinnamon will do.
- Vegetable Oil: When it comes to vegetable oil, canola oil makes the most moist cake! Substitute with coconut oil if desired but not butter.
- Canned Crushed Pineapple: You are going to use the whole can of pineapple and its juice.
- Ripe Bananas: Not mushy, but good and spotted. Save the very ripe bananas for this vegan banana bread or cookie butter banana bread!
- All-purpose flour: I use all-purpose flour because that is what most people have on hand. You could also use cake flour but you’ll need to sift it!
- Baking Soda: Baking soda reacts with the acid in the canned pineapples, which creates a more powerful reaction than the same amount of baking powder. You can use baking powder instead but use 2 teaspoons.
- Kosher Salt
- Whole Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Cream Cheese
- Unsalted Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Lemon Zest
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Soak your cake. As I mentioned in a comment on this chocolate guinness cake recipe, you can never go wrong with a solid soak. Make simple syrup by boiling equal parts water and sugar then cooling to room temperature (or refrigerated). Flavor it with rum, lemon juice, orange juice or your favorite booze. This is an easy way to have a flavor explosion!
- Flavor the buttercream. If you read about the spiced rum glaze on my eggnog bread, you know I’ve definitely spiked my buttercream recipes before. Just add 2 tablespoons of your favorite alcohol! You could also add an extract or use orange juice in place of the lemon zest, like I do for this coconut cake!
- Use a different buttercream entirely. You probably noticed when I made red velvet cupcakes: I’m in love with my cream cheese frosting. If you have a flair for the dramatic, pile on this marshmallow frosting and toast it! The frosting from my lemon poppy seed cake would also be complementary and refreshing, or you could use a Swiss meringue buttercream flavored with homemade lemon curd.
- Make a sheet cake. You can also bake the whole thing in a rectangular baking pan (9 x 13 inches), cover the top with an epic amount of cream cheese frosting and spend a long time creating an intricate mosaic or design on top! Artsy!
How to Serve Hummingbird Cake
This cake tastes great served fresh, or I’ve also seen people chill it in the fridge for at least one hour after assembly. This lets the frosting set a bit and makes the cake easier to slice. I love to serve slices with easy salted caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream, but it looks stunning plated with a spoon of lemon curd or crème anglaise! I also am a fan of a dollop of coconut whipped cream and toasted coconut (like from my banana coconut cream pie) or a side of grilled pineapple for some added warmth.
How to Make Hummingbird Cake
Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below!
Make & bake the cake:
Step 1: Spray and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Be sure to spray the sides of the pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F conventional.
You can purchase cake rounds or make your own by tracing the bottom of the pan on parchment paper. Cut inside the circles for a perfect fit.
Step 2: Arrange 1 cup of chopped pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until golden brown and you begin smelling the “pecan” scent. About 7-10 minutes. Allow pecans to cool completely. Chop them if you use whole pecans.
Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice until combined; set aside.
Step 4: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs until beaten.
You can also do this step in a large bowl. I did that in my hummingbird cake video tutorial!
Step 5: Slowly whisk the oil and vanilla into the eggs until emulsified.
Step 6: Whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar followed by the pineapples (with their juices) and bananas.
Depending on the texture you’re looking for, I use a hand blender or regular blender to mix my pineapples and bananas together before adding them to the batter. This homogenizes the pieces and helps with a consistent texture.
Step 7: Fold in the flour mixture until just combined followed by the toasted, cooled pecans. Divide between the three prepared pans. Bake until the edges are golden brown and a cake tester toothpick or bamboo comes out with only a few clinging crumbs but no wet batter streaks. Approximately 25-30 minutes.
You can eye-ball how much batter to put in each pan or use a kitchen scale.
Step 8: Cool 10 minutes in the pans. Turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely upside down.
Make the frosting:
Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the softened butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until smooth.
Step 2: Add the lemon zest, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat well.
If the frosting got too warm during mixing or waiting for your cakes to cool, just pop the whole thing along with the attachment in the refrigerator for 30 – 60 minutes. Beat until smooth.
Assemble the cake:
Step 1: On your favorite cake stand, cake plate or platter, place the first layer of cake. Add about 1 cup of the frosting on top, and spread out in an even layer with an offset spatula.
Step 2: Place the second layer on top and add about half the remaining buttercream on top. Spread out with a large offset spatula, allowing it to fold over the edges. Repeat this with the third layer.
Turn the top layer upside down so the bottom of the cake is now the top of the cake. This ensures a perfectly flat top without having to actually level the cake or waste a crumb.
Step 3: Smooth a thin layer of buttercream over the sides of the cake. It will be wiggly-jiggly, so this will be a little challenging. You could end here with a naked cake or you can pop the whole cake in the refrigerator for an hour or two until the frosting has set. Like I mentioned in my devil’s food cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, I find refrigerated cake layers easier to frost.
This is called a “crumb-coat” because it catches all the crumbs so none of those unsightly pieces end up in the final layer of buttercream!
Step 4: Spread the remaining buttercream over the sides and top. I swirled the top using my cake stand like a turn-table and the tip of my large offset spatula. Then I smoothed the edges using a bench scraper.
Step 5: Decorate! You can press chopped pecans to the sides of the cake. I like to top the cake with halved pecans.
Place whole pecans, banana chips, pineapple chips and dried pineapple in a pattern that you find pleasing like I did on this peach cake. I’m also a fan of just putting the garnishes around the edges, like I do with sprinkles on this classic yellow cake with chocolate buttercream frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can store hummingbird cake in a closed container or covered cake stand at room temperature for 1 day, but the cream cheese buttercream does require refrigeration for longer storage. Store, covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for 2 months. Allow the cake to thaw in the refrigerator overnight for the best results.
Some say you can use fresh pineapple for this cake, but since crushed pineapple usually contains more juice than the fresh variety (and the juice is so important for the flavor and tenderness of the cake), I don’t recommend it. In this case, canned is best.
Yes, you can! The pecans do lend some flavor to the cake, but I find they are most important for added texture. The cake is just fine without them. Whether you have nut allergies or just don’t like pecans, you can certainly leave them out of the cake and results will be similar.
This cake was first created in Jamaica. There, the national bird is the scissors-tail hummingbird. Locals call this the Doctor Bird cake, which is their nickname for that very bird! Ten years after a 1968 export from Jamaica’s Tourist Board of local Jamaican recipes (including this dessert), Southern Living printed the hummingbird cake recipe. It took flight! (Pun very much intended.) This cake became Southern Living’s voters’ favorite recipe in 1990. And you can be sure that included a magnificent cream cheese frosting!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below! I love hearing from you and your comments make my day!
Hummingbird Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 ounces crushed pineapple, undrained
- 2 cups ripe bananas, finely chopped, about 4 medium bananas
For the frosting:
- 1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting
- pecans, for decorating (optional)
Instructions
- Spray and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Be sure to spray the sides of the pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F conventional.
- Arrange 1 cup of chopped pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until golden brown and you begin smelling the “pecan” scent. About 7-10 minutes. Allow pecans to cool completely. Chop them if you use whole pecans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice until combined; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs until beaten.
- Slowly whisk the oil and vanilla into the eggs until emulsified.
- Whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar followed by the pineapples (with their juices) and bananas.
- Fold in the flour mixture until just combined followed by the toasted, cooled pecans. Divide between the three prepared pans.
- Bake until the edges are golden brown and a cake tester toothpick or bamboo comes out with only a few clinging crumbs but no wet batter streaks. Approximately 25-30 minutes.
- Cool 10 minutes in the pans. Turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely upside down.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the softened butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until smooth.
- Add the lemon zest, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat well.
- On your favorite cake stand, cake plate or platter, place the first layer of cake. Add about 1 cup of the frosting on top, and spread out in an even layer with an offset spatula.
- Place the second layer on top and add about half the remaining buttercream on top. Spread out with a large offset spatula, allowing it to fold over the edges. Repeat this with the third layer.
- Smooth a thin layer of buttercream over the sides of the cake. It will be wiggly-jiggly, so this will be a little challenging. You could end here with a naked cake or you can pop the whole cake in the refrigerator for an hour or two until the frosting has set.
- Spread the remaining buttercream over the sides and top. I swirled the top using my cake stand like a turn-table and the tip of my large offset spatula. Then I smoothed the edges using a bench scraper.
- Decorate! You can press chopped pecans to the sides of the cake. I like to top the cake with halved pecans.
Notes
- Yield – 1, 3 layer 8 inch cake. Can also bake 2, 9-inch layers. However, they will be thicker and the bake time will need to be increased.
- Flavor Tips – If you can’t find an 8-ounce can of crushed pineapple, use a kitchen scale and measure out 8 ounces of crushed pineapple + some juice in a bowl. I do not recommend using fresh pineapple, as it may not have enough moisture for the cake.
- Technique – I recommend blending the ripe bananas and canned pineapple (with its juice) together in a blender or with an immersion blender before adding them to the dry ingredients. This ensures an extra moist and light cake.
- Storage – Store at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerate for up to 7 days. Wrap and freeze cake for up to 2 months.
- Recipe originally adapted from Southern Living.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!Before You Go
I hope you enjoyed this professional chef tested recipe. Check out our other delicious, chef-developed cake recipes. I personally cannot get over this chocolate chip cookie dough-stuffed pound cake!
Hi, Im trying to change the ingredients to metric and I cant change them for the UK. Can you help? Thank you
Molly, If you click on the “M” next to Units in the Recipe, it will show you the metric measurements for the recipe!
Never heard of this cake! Will definitely try and make these! Might add some cranberries too! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
This looks great! Can it be made in a bundt pan instead as a layer cake?
Cindy, Great question! You certainly can, but note that the bake time will increase significantly — probably up to an hour. Just keep an eye on it and test for doneness with a toothpick that should come out clean once fully baked. Hope that helps!