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Let me introduce the best Hummingbird Cake recipe that's made with ripe bananas, crushed pineapple, and toasted pecans, all topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting. It's the ultimate crowd-pleasing dessert that's perfect for Easter, birthdays, and every special occasion in between!
Hummingbird Cake could be the most underrated.
Hummingbird Cake has been on my “must-bake” list for years, and once I finally developed my own recipe (inspired by my popular carrot cake) I'm officially obsessed. The bananas and pineapple keep every single layer impossibly moist, and that cream cheese frosting is the kind you'll want to eat straight from the bowl.
Do yourself a favor and make the cake and frosting on a separate day, so that assembly is quick and easy (you can even freeze the cake way in advance). And make sure to use 3 high quality cake pans (these round cake pans are my favorite).
Don't miss my other cake recipes, like Coconut Cake with Pineapple Filling, Carrot Cake Sheet Cake, Lemon Cake, Coconut Tres Leches Cake, Lemon Tiramisu, Meringue Roulade, or Berry Cake!
How to make Hummingbird Cake:
Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat together eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix in mashed banana and drained pineapple until combined.
Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in chopped pecans.
Bake: Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake at 350°F (180°C) on the center rack for 28–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10–15 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
Assemble: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread about ½ cup frosting evenly on top. Repeat with remaining layers. Frost the sides of the cake and garnish with chopped pecans, if desired. Chill cake for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Hummingbird Cake
Equipment
- 3 8 inch round cake pans
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar, , packed
- 1 cup oil (vegetable, , canola, avocado) (198g)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 4 large eggs, , room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 10 oz crushed pineapple, , well-drained
- 1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2–3 bananas)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans (toasted, , for best results), optional
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 16 ounces cream cheese, , softened
- 3/4 cup butter, , softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 –5 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
- Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat together eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix in mashed banana and drained pineapple until combined.1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 2/3 cup light brown sugar, 1 cup oil (vegetable, ½ cup buttermilk, 4 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2–3 bananas), 10 oz crushed pineapple
- Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice, ½ teaspoon salt
- Combine: Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in chopped pecans (or use the on the outside of the cake frosting).1 cup chopped pecans (toasted
- Bake: Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake on the center rack for 28–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10–15 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Beat until smooth and fluffy.16 ounces cream cheese, ¾ cup butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 4 –5 cups powdered sugar
- Assemble: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread about ½ cup frosting evenly on top. Repeat with remaining layers. Frost the sides of the cake and garnish with chopped pecans, if desired. Chill cake for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
To freeze a frosted cake: Place assembled cake in freezer uncovered for 30–60 minutes to firm up frosting, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 1–2 months. To thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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