Hummingbird Cake
A moist and flavorful Southern classic cake made with bananas, pineapple, and pecans, topped with cream cheese frosting.
Servings: 12 servings
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Cake Pans
- Hand Mixer
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 3-4 bananas)
- 1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped (plus more for decorating)
- 12 ounces cream cheese (nearly at room temperature)
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (nearly at room temperature)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
- 1.25 cups sweetened shredded coconut (toasted or untoasted)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust pans lightly with flour for easy cake removal.
- In a small bowl, toss the chopped pineapple with 1/4 cup of flour. Set this aside—this step helps keep the pineapple from sinking in your batter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until pale and fluffy—about 2-3 minutes.
- Blend in the oil and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Fold in half of the flour mixture gently, then add the mashed bananas. Mix in the remaining flour mixture just until combined.
- Gently fold in the flour-coated pineapple and the chopped pecans.
- Divide the batter evenly between your prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 34-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then carefully invert them onto wire racks to cool completely.
- While the cakes cool, make the frosting: Beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, whipping until fluffy.
- Once cakes are completely cool, spread a generous layer of frosting on one cake layer, top with the second, and frost the top and sides.
- Press shredded coconut gently onto the sides of the cake and decorate the top with toasted pecans.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Use overripe bananas for best flavor and moisture. If short on time, use canned drained pineapple. Chilling your cake layers before frosting helps prevent melting.