November 16, 2023
Review RecipeThe Best Hummingbird Cake Recipe
The super moist hummingbird cake is a decadent layered delight brimming with fruity flavor that will be requested over and over again.
Jump to Recipe
Table of Contents
- What Is Hummingbird Cake?
- Hummingbird Cake Ingredients
- Tips And Tricks For The Best Hummingbird Cake Recipe
- How To Make A Hummingbird Cake
- What To Serve With Humming Bird Cake
- How To Keep A Moist Hummingbird Cake
- Why You’ll Love This Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake Recipe
- Humming Bird Cake FAQs
- More Recipes You’ll Love
- JUMP TO RECIPE
- More Dessert Recipes
A classic Southern recipe, hummingbird cake is known for its tropical flavors. This deliciously spiced layer cake is insanely moist and topped with velvety cream cheese frosting and crunchy toasted pecans, which enhance the sweet flavors of pineapple and banana in the cake.
What Is Hummingbird Cake?
Hummingbird cake is a pineapple banana spice cake that originated in Jamaica and is a popular dessert in the South.
Hummingbird Cake Ingredients
You’ll need:
For The Cake Layers:
- 1¾ cups of chopped pecans
- 3 cups of all-purpose flour
- 2 cups of granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 2 cups (3 to 4) of ripe mashed bananas
- 1¼ cups of vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 (8-ounce) can of crushed pineapples, undrained
- 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
PRO TIP:
Bananas get sweeter as they ripen and are easier to mash. Choose bananas that don’t have any green showing on the peel. You can ripen bananas faster by placing them in a paper bag with the top loosely folded down. They should be nice and ripe in a day or two.
Cream Cheese Frosting for Moist Hummingbird Cake
- 2 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup salted sweet cream butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
- 3½ cups of powdered sugar
Tips And Tricks For The Best Hummingbird Cake Recipe
FLOUR: Gluten-free flour can be used in place of all-purpose flour in a 1:1 substitution.
Cake flour, which has a lower gluten content but is not gluten-free, can also be substituted with one cup plus two tablespoons of cake flour for every cup of all-purpose flour.
COCONUT: Add one cup of shredded coconut to the batter or press the coconut to the top and sides of the cake after frosting.
NUT-FREE: You can omit the nuts altogether from the batter or top of the cake without requiring a substitute, or you can add one cup of sultana or golden raisins to the batter for another fruity surprise in place of the pecans.
ALCOHOL: Some Southern cooks like to add a splash of bourbon or spiced rum to the frosting or the cake batter.
LOWER-FAT VERSION: Reduce the oil to ¼ cup and add ¾ cup of applesauce.
How To Make A Hummingbird Cake
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
STEP TWO: Evenly spread the chopped pecans on the prepared baking sheet.
STEP THREE: Roast the pecans for six to eight minutes, keeping a close eye on the pecans to ensure they do not burn.
STEP FOUR: Remove the pecans and allow them to cool completely. Once the pecans are cooled, divide them into 1 cup for the cakes and ¾ cup for garnish.
STEP FIVE: Increase the oven temperature to 350°F. Line the bottom of three 9-inch round cake pans and lightly spray with cooking spray. Set them aside.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
You can buy pre-cut parchment paper rounds to make lining the pans easier.
STEP SIX: Using a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, sugar, ground cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set flour mixture aside.
PRO TIP:
For a spicier tasting cake, you can increase the cinnamon to 2 teaspoons and/or add ½ teaspoon of ground allspice.
STEP SEVEN: Using a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, vegetable oil, eggs, undrained crushed pineapple, and pure vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
PRO TIP:
Do not drain the pineapple when adding to the batter. The pineapple juice will add to the moistness of the cake.
STEP EIGHT: Carefully whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Fold in one cup of the cooled pecans.
STEP NINE: Evenly divide the cake batter between the three prepared pans.
STEP TEN: Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
PRO TIP:
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
PRO TIP:
For an even moister cake, tightly cover the cooled cakes, before frosting, with plastic wrap and allow it to sit overnight.
STEP ELEVEN: Cream together the softened cream cheese and the softened butter for 1 to 1½ minutes.
You can do this either in the bowl of a stand mixer or a medium-sized mixing bowl with a hand mixer, on medium-high speed.
STEP TWELVE: Lower the mixer speed to low, add the vanilla extract and the powdered sugar.
Keep the mixer on low speed until the powdered sugar starts to combine, increasing the speed to medium, and mix for another 1 to 1½ minutes until smooth.
STEP THIRTEEN: Remove the first cake from the pan and place it onto a serving plate.
Using a silicone spatula or an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting over the top of the cake.
STEP FOURTEEN: Place the second cake on top of the first layer and repeat the thin layer of frosting.
PRO TIP:
Make sure to keep the frosting between the layers nice and thin.
STEP FIFTEEN: Place the third cake on top of the second layer.
STEP SIXTEEN: Mound a thicker layer of frosting on top of the third layer.
Use the silicone spatula or the offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly across the top and around the sides of the cakes.
STEP SEVENTEEN: Once the cake is completely frosted, spread the remaining chopped pecans around the top edge of the cake.
What To Serve With Humming Bird Cake
This old-fashioned hummingbird cake recipe would be the ultimate choice for dessert on a special occasion such as a birthday or Easter.
The cake’s richness means that you can slice smaller portions, making it stretch farther for a family gathering. Add a creamy scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.
You could also leave the icing off and serve this as a breakfast cake or cupcake.
For other irresistible cakes, try our banana cake, Kentucky butter cake, or coconut poke cake.
How To Keep A Moist Hummingbird Cake
IN THE FRIDGE: You can keep this delicious cake covered in the refrigerator for five to seven days.
Take the cake out at least an hour before serving to allow it to reach room temperature.
IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze the unfrosted cake layers for up to three months.
Allow the frozen layers to come to room temperature before frosting.
Why You’ll Love This Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake Recipe
This is the best hummingbird cake around and will make your taste buds hum with delight. It is a rich layer cake loaded with plenty of tropical banana and pineapple and topped with velvety icing that never disappoints.
Humming Bird Cake FAQs
Why is my hummingbird cake dry?
There are three ways to avoid your cake turning out dry. First, make sure you are using vegetable oil.
Second, don’t drain the pineapple before adding it to the cake batter. You’ll want those extra juices.
Finally, make sure your bananas are very ripe, as they will increase the moistness of your cake.
Can I make this cake as a 9×13 cake instead of a layer cake?
While we haven’t tried to make this cake in a 9×13 pan, you are welcome to give it a try and let us know how it turns out!
Does hummingbird cake have to be refrigerated?
Since this Southern cake has cream cheese icing, it is best kept in the fridge.
Why do they call it hummingbird cake?
Some people believe the cake was named hummingbird cake because it was sweet enough to attract hummingbirds, while others say that it is because the yellow streaks resemble hummingbird feathers.
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Moist Hummingbird Cake
The super moist hummingbird cake is a decadent layered delight brimming with fruity flavor that will be requested over and over again.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 26 minutes
Total Time 36 minutes
Servings 11
Ingredients
Cake
- 1¾ cups pecans, chopped
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups ripe mashed bananas (3 to 4 bananas)
- 1¼ cups vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 8 ounces crushed pineapples, undrained
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup salted sweet cream butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Evenly spread the chopped pecans on the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast the pecans for 6 to 8 minutes, keeping a close eye on the pecans to ensure they do not burn.
- Remove the pecans and allow them to cool completely. Once the pecans are cooled, divide them into 1 cup for the cakes and ¾ cup for garnish.
- Increase the oven temperature to 350°F. Line the bottom of three 9-inch round cake pans then lightly spray with Baker’s Joy or a generic version. Set them aside.
- Using a large mixing bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, sugar, ground cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set it aside.
- Using a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, vegetable oil, eggs, undrained crushed pineapple, and pure vanilla extract until completely combined.
- Carefully whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Fold in 1 cup of the cooled chopped pecans.
- Evenly divide the cake batter between the 3 round prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
- Using either a stand mixer, or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the softened cream cheese and the softened butter for 1 to 1½ minutes.
- Lower the mixer speed to low, add the vanilla extract and the powdered sugar. Keep the mixer speed on low until the powdered sugar starts to combine, increasing the speed to medium, and mix for another 1 to 1½ minutes until smooth.
- Remove the first cake from the pan and place it onto a serving plate.
- Using a silicone spatula or an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting over the top of the cake.
- Place the second cake on top of the first cake layer and repeat the thin layer of frosting.
- Place the third cake on top of the second layer.
- Mound a thicker layer of frosting on top of the third layer, using the silicone spatula or the offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly.
- Evenly spread the rest of the frosting around the sides of the cakes.
- Once the cake is completely frosted, spread the remaining chopped pecans around the top edge of the cake.
Notes
- Bananas get sweeter as they ripen and are easier to mash. Choose bananas that don’t have any green showing on the peel. You can ripen bananas faster by placing them in a paper bag with the top loosely folded down. They should be nice and ripe in a day or two.
- You can buy pre-cut parchment paper rounds to make lining the pans easier.
- For a spicier tasting cake, you can increase the cinnamon to 2 teaspoons and/or add ½ teaspoon of ground allspice.
- Do not drain the pineapple when adding to the batter. The pineapple juice will add to the moistness of the cake.
- Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
- For an even moister cake, tightly cover the cooled cakes, before frosting, with plastic wrap and allow it to sit overnight.
- Make sure to keep the frosting between the layers nice and thin.
Nutrition
Calories: 813kcal | Carbohydrates: 118g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 529mg | Potassium: 391mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 84g | Vitamin A: 932IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 3mg
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Comments
Gloria says
Love this!!!!
Marion says
Can this be made in a 9 x 13 cake pan?
Layne Kangas says
I haven’t tried it that way, so I’m not sure how it would turn out! Please let me know if you try it.
Patti says
Maybe a bunt cake pan!
Phyllis says
Can imitation vanilla extract be used instead of pure?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Phyllis – that would probably be fine. Enjoy!
Phyllis says
This cake was delicious. I followed the recipe, except I used imitation extract and it came out amazing! I will use this as my holiday and special occasion cake! Thanks 😊
Layne Kangas says
YAY, great news. Thanks for letting me know. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!