Hummingbird Cake is a dense and moist southern cake flavored with bananas, pineapple, and cinnamon and covered in a rich cream cheese frosting topped with toasted pecans.
What Is Hummingbird Cake?
The first Hummingbird Cake recipe was published in Southern Living magazine in 1978 after being submitted by a reader from Greensboro, North Carolina. It became the most requested recipe in the magazine’s history. It’s a classic southern cake that’s perfect for a special occasion like Easter, Mother’s Day, a Graduation or Thanksgiving.
Typically dense and moist and very rich and sweet, this cake is a great dessert for parties and get togethers. It will fill you up in a hurry and should be cut in small slices. It is known to induce tummy aches if eaten in too large a quantity.
What Flavor Does It Have?
Hummingbird Cake almost tastes like banana bread and carrot cake had a baby together. The banana flavor overshadows the pineapple, but the pineapple no doubt helps create a moist cake and the little pieces of pineapple help give Hummingbird Cake its unique texture.
Does Hummingbird Cake Have Coconut?
Occasionally, Hummingbird Cakes will have coconut in them, probably because coconut is such a natural fit with banana and pineapple. The mashed banana, crushed pineapple, and Vegetable oil keep the cake very moist and the pecans provide some crunch and texture contrast.
Cream Cheese Frosting
The technique for making the cream cheese frosting is from America’s Test Kitchen and I love it. Instead of starting the frosting by beating together softened butter and softened cream cheese, you beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together and then add 1-ounce pieces of CHILLED cream cheese. The end result is a thicker, firmer cream cheese frosting that holds its form better when you spread it between the cake layers, making the cake much easier to frost.
Plus it just seems to taste better right from the get go because the cold cream cheese chills the frosting some. I’ve never found room temperature cream cheese frosting to taste very good.
You would think that the cream cheese would have trouble blending in evenly with the rest of the ingredients, but it magically and instantly gets completely absorbed into the frosting. You will have a hard time not sticking your finger in for a taste or two.
Recipe Tips
- Use a very ripe banana. A very ripe one will add more flavor and moisture to the cake.
- You can use walnuts instead of pecans or leave the nuts out altogether.
How Long Does This Cake Last?
Since there is cream cheese in the frosting, it should be stored in the refrigerator. You can let it sit at room temperature for an hour or two before serving. It will keep in the refrigerator for 5 or 6 days. Be sure to wrap it weel in plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out. It also freezes really well.
Recommended Equipment
- Electric Stand Mixer– I like to use a stand mixer for mixing together cake batters.
- 3 9-inch cake pans– I really love these Wilton cake pans.
Next special occasion, bake up a Hummingbird Cake. Each bite will surely make you and your guests hum with delight 🙂
More Southern Cakes
- Bananas Foster Cake
- Banana Pudding Cake
- Classic Coca Cola Cake
- Classic Southern Pound Cake
- Kentucky Blackberry Jam Cake
- Mississippi Mud Cake
More Hummingbird Recipes
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Watch the short video below to see how to make Hummingbird Cake.
Hummingbird Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour,, sifted
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs,, lightly beaten
- 1 3/4 cups very ripe banana,, mashed
- 2 cups toasted chopped pecans,, divided
- 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple,, undrained
- 1 cup butter,, softened
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese,, cut into 1-ounce pieces and chilled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 9-inch cake pans.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, 2 cups sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and allspice.
- Add vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and eggs and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.
- Stir in banana, 1 cup pecans, and pineapple just until evenly mixed.
- Divide batter evenly between the 3 cake pans. Place in oven and bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
- To make frosting, use and electric mixer to beat together butter and powdered sugar, adding powdered sugar gradually. Add vanilla extract and salt and mix until smooth.
- With mixer on medium, add 1 piece of cream cheese at a time. Turn mixer off once all cream cheese has been incorporated.
- Spread frosting between layers of cake and cover top and sides. Sprinkle remaining chopped pecans on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally published April 5, 2014.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
I made this cake over the weekend, not because there was a special occasion, but because the baking bugs were tickling and this was the next cake on my list to bake. My GOODNESS was this one of the most flavourful, rich and yummy cakes I’ve ever made. The hubby couldn’t stop cutting a piece with every cup of tea/coffee he had. Can’t wait to bake this cake again for my birthday in 3 weeks…!
So glad you enjoyed it Grace and hope you have a wonderful birthday in 3 weeks! 🙂
As a diabetic I have passed a lot of recipes online, and even though wow I am going to give this one a try.
After all lot of fruit and fiber……
I’m going to try this sugar free as well and use the Pilsbury SF Cake mix and add the cinnamon and allspice and other ingredients. The frosting will take some work to get right, but I think it will all work out in the end.
Hi! I’m making this for a friend tomorrow. I’m in Australia and I just wanted to check the amount of cream cheese – is it 2x8oz or 2 packets to make 8oz? I think our cups measurements are the same. Thank you! 🙂
Lived 73 years, baked many, many cakes, many shapes, sizes, flavors and colors, never I mean NEVER have I ever made a cake as wonderfully delicious as this one. I added a little coconut to both cake and frosting
This cake is AWESOME!!! Afraid of 1 cup of oil, I used 1/2 c coconut oil (liquid) and 3/4 c buttermilk. Also had to go gluten free, so used 1 c King Arthur GF blend and 2 cups oat flour. I only had two 9 inch round pans so that’s what I used. It turned out moist and delicious. The frosting was a dream to make with a stand mixer. I cut back to 5 c confectioner’s sugar and it was perfect – not too sweet but creeeaaaaaamy. There was enough to generously frost my 2-layer cake with over a cup left over! This was the best frosting I’ve ever tasted. Thanks for your tips!
Can you make this without the pineapple. I allergic to pineapple so I can’t have it
Someone suggested using carrot instead..
I was thinking apple sauce .?.?.
Looks wonderful! Will it work using two layers (9 in pans)? Increase bake time?
Yes, you could definitely do that.
This sounds delicious! Can you bake it in a bundt pan?
Yes, you can bake it in a bundt pan, but I am not sure how much longer it would need to be baked.
BUNDT ~ 350 Degrees for hour + 5 minutes ????
I am going to make this for Easter my family LOVES both banana bread and carrot cake what a wonderful description. I am drooling with anticipation.
Hope your family loves it Sherrie!
Comment of using chilled cream cheese for icing would have REALLY helped me when I made a lot of cakes for friends wedding in AUGUST one year..icing WOULD NOT STAY on!!! Good tip! Made this at daughters house in flat pan..before I could get the icing made and on..son in law had cut him a piece of cake..so I thought, if he will eat it this way…I’ll just put the icing on the side..IT WORKED!!
Thanks for Southern recipe..also for making the coconut * as I don’t care for coconut!!
Ms Bobbye granny Wiley
Can you substitute honey or agave for the sugar in the cake?
I’ve never tried making either substitution, so I’m not really sure how it would turn out Marie. If you give one of them a try, please let us know how it turns out. Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
How about using Stevia as a natural sweetener, reducing the oil, and adding an instant pudding mix sugar free if necessary or gelatin, and using syrupy bananas that have been frozen instead. Just a thought.