Hummingbird Cake

This hummingbird cake is a perfect Easter dessert to serve to your family and friends! Two spiced cake layers made with pecans, bananas, and crushed pineapple. I finished the cake off with my creamy and easy homemade cream cheese frosting.

 

Ok this cake is a new one for me. Hummingbird cake is definitely not something I had growing up. And honestly, not much of my adulthood, But when I got asked to write a cookbook a couple years ago and was brainstorming ideas for cake recipes I fell upon this Southern classic cake and decided to see if I could come up with my own version.

Being a big fan of carrot cake, I fell in love with this super moist spiced layer cake chocked full of spices, bananas, pecans, and pineapple. And since it’s almost Easter I figured it’s a good time to share this cake.

This is an oil-based cake, which  means it’s super easy to throw together. No creaming involved! I added in some warm spices, like cinnamon and a pinch of allspice, for extra flavor that pairs wonderfully with the fruit in the cake.

​It’s sort of like a banana cake with way more going on! I dare say it might now be my new favorite cake for Easter!

Looking for fun spring desserts? Try these adorable Hydrangea Cupcakes, Bird Nest Cupcakes, or Easter M&M Cookies to brighten up your table! Perfect for spring gatherings and celebrations.

Why Is It Called A Hummingbird Cake?

Ok so it’s origins aren’t clear. But here is what I dug up on the good old world wide web.  First theory up is that the cake is sweet enough to attract the bird. Some say the bananas in the cake leave a streak that reminds people of the hummingbird’s plummage. And since the cake contains bananas and pineapple the cake is supposed to have originate in the Caribbean, and possibly invented in Jamaica in the 1960s. 

The most popular recipe was submitted to Southern Living Magazine by Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, N.C. in 1978 and now it’s a Southern favorite. It’s typically frosted with a cream cheese frosting. Of course I frosted mine with my cream cheese frosting recipe. Who am I to argue with tradition.

So, a Southern classic with Caribbean roots. Yup, I can get behind that.

Ingredients Needed

For the cake layers:

• All purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground allspice – You can substitute the allspice for ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon cloves, and a pinch of ground nutmeg.
• Salt
• Granulated white sugar
• Light brown sugar – If you don’t have any, you can make your own brown sugar.
• Vegetable oil – This cake is an oil-based cake so that means it’s a super moist cake! You want to use a neutral-tasting oil such as vegetable or canola oil. If you want to reduce the fat and use applesauce I would recommend using half oil, and half applesauce. 
• Large eggs – Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. Place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before using them. 
• Crushed pineapple – A key ingredient in a hummingbird cake! Make sure to use crushed, canned pineapple. Or if you have a can of pineapple rings (or even fresh pineapple) you can dice it up fine (or try throwing it in your food processor). You could also use fresh pineapple as well. 
• Mashed bananas – You want overripe bananas (aka dark in color with lots of brown spots! These bananas are very ripe and therefore are sweeter. Here is how to ripen bananas quickly.
• Pecans – I toasted the pecans first to give them maximum flavor! Read more here about how to toast pecans.
• Vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

• Unsalted butter 
• Cream cheese – Full-fat is best for flavor and creamy texture! Make sure it’s softened so it blends in and creates a smooth, lump free frosting. Read here on how to soften cream cheese quickly.
• Powdered Sugar – If you don’t have any make your own powdered sugar.
• Vanilla extract
• Salt

How To Make Hummingbird Cake

Preheat and prepare pan. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.

I recommend greasing your cake pans and lining the bottoms with parchment paper. I love using Baker’s Joy spray that has flour in it for the best release. I like to spray the pans, then line the bottom with parchment paper, then give it another spray. Here is a tutorial on How To Prepare Cake Pans (in 4 easy steps!)

Toast pecans. In a 350^oF oven, toast pecans for about 5-7 minutes until fragrant. Allow to cool and then chop. I like to toast the pecans first to really bring out the flavor. If you’re toasting chopped pecans they won’t take as long so keep an eye on them! Honestly you can usually smell when they’re done. And then make sure they are completely cool when stirring them into the cake batter.

Combine dry ingredients. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt. If you don’t have a sifter than give it a really good whisk. Set aside.

Combine wet ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, pineapple, and mashed banana. Make sure to just give everything a really good whisk. The mixture will be chunky.

Add dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the oil mixture and mix just until combined. At this point it’s important to not over mix at this point so you don’t end up with a tough cake.

Stir in cooled, toasted pecans.

Bake. Pour batter into prepared pans. You can eyeball the batter, or weigh it.

Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in center of each pan comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes . When you touch the top of the cakes, they should spring back. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Then loosen the edges and invert the cakes onto a wire cooling rack and continue to cool.  Store leftover cake, covered in the refrigerator, up to 5 days.

For The Frosting

I used my Cream Cheese Frosting recipe, which is the classic frosting choice for a Hummingbird cake. But if you wanted to mix things up you could try using Ermine Frosting, which is a classic frosting for Red Velvet Layer Cake.

You could also just stick with a vanilla buttercream frosting, or if you wanted to up the cinnamon flavor try the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting.

In a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. Add in the cream cheese. Make sure your cream cheese and butter are both at room temperature so you don’t have any lumps. Cold butter and cream cheese won’t mix together well and you will end up with a lumpy frosting. Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.

Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract. Add in a pinch of salt. Mix until smooth and creamy. Frost the cake as desired once the layers are cool.

If your frosting is too soft, try chilling it before frosting your cake so it firms up a bit and it’s easier to frost the cake.

To Frost The Cake

I like to place the cake onto my serving platter. Then I use a large offset spatula to frost the first layer. Then I place then second layer on top. And then frost the sides and top.

I like to just top with a few pecan halves. But you can top with toasted coconut as well.

Why Is My Cream Cheese Frosting Runny?

This can happen for a few reasons. 

• Your butter may have been to warm. When you are softening your butter make sure there is no melted spots to it.
• You mixed the cream cheese for too long before adding your powdered sugar causing the liquid in the cream cheese to dissolve some of the powdered sugar. If your cream cheese is softened you should only need to mix for a minute or so before adding the powdered sugar.
• You used the wrong kind of cream cheese. Again make sure to use full fat cream cheese.
• You added in more liquid. Try adding in more powdered sugar to thicken it back up.

To fix this: 

If your icing is runny you can try a few things:

1. Add more powdered sugar. Add a few tablespoons at a time. This can cause the frosting to be a bit on the sweet side. So just a little at a time.
2. Add cornstarch. Again a few tablespoons at a time and then mix again to see if it thickens up.

Storing This Cake

When it comes to cakes I highly recommend making them ahead of time. There’s a lot of work that goes into them so it’s great to make them ahead! You can store the cake layers, unfrosted and then frost them later.  You can also store the cake layers, or the whole cake at room temperature. 

You can also freeze the cake layers too if you need to!

Cake Layers only: 

• At room temperature: You can make the cake layers 2-3 days ahead of time. Leave them unfrosted, and wrap in plastic wrap (a couple layers, well wrapped). Just make sure they are completely cool before doing so. 
• Freezing: You can also wrap the cooled cake layers and freeze for up to 3 months if you don’t plan to use the layers in a few days. I let them thaw at room temperature before icing them.

Frosted Cake: 

• Fridge: If you have frosted the cake, I like to store the cake in a plastic cake container, and keep in the fridge because of the cream cheese frosting. I keep it 1-2 days ahead of time. Before serving I will let it sit out for about 30 minutes or so (depending on how warm it is that day) just to let the frosting warm up a bit.
• Freezing: I would freeze the cake unfrosted, because of the cream cheese frosting. It doesn’t always freeze well. Once the layers are cooled then wrap carefully in plastic wrap (a few layers) and a final layer of aluminum foil. When ready to enjoy, just thaw at room temperature and fRecipe FAQ’s

Recipe FAQs

Using A Different Pan

I haven’t tested in all these formats but here is what I think they should take. Always be sure to set a timer and use an oven thermometer and err on the side of less time and check from there. 

• 8-inch cake: I haven’t tested in two 8-inch pans, but I would think it would take similar time. 
• 3-layer cake: Divide the batter between 3 round pans (either 9-inch or 8-inch) and I would set my timer for about 20 minutes and check from there.
• Cupcakes: About 18-22  minutes at 350F for cupcakes filled 3/4 full.
• Bundt Pan: About 60-65 minutes at 350F. You won’t need all the frosting.
• 9×13 pan: I haven’t tested as a sheet cake but I would think it would take about 50-60 minutes at 350F. 

More Recipes To Try

If you’re craving more cake, be sure to try gluten free clementine cake topped with ganache and made with whole clementines. Another crowd pleasing cake is my sock it to me cake. It’s an easy bundt cake made with pecans and cinnamon.

For another showstopping layer cake is my caramel cake recipe made with a boiled caramel icing that gets poured over the top.