So first, let’s talk cake. A maaaaajor major delicious cake flavor that I’ve never really paid attention to until recently. You see, my dear friend had her bridal shower earlier this month. She’s from Savannah, GA and she chose hummingbird cake as their wedding cake flavor. Sure I’ve tasted it a few times in the past, but I don’t think I’ve ever had traditional, stick-to-your-fork-moist hummingbird cake before. It’s her favorite and her sister even made it for the bridal shower that afternoon. I sliced off a sliver (literally the smallest sliver… what was I thinking?) and sat down to mingle with other guests as I ate my dessert.
I needed a moment of silence. In fact, I think someone asked me a question during those first few hummingbird cake moments and I blatantly ignored them. Excuse me, I’m with my cake here. Obviously 1 sliver turned into 1 sliver + 1 giant piece + weird moments of silence sitting with cake + zero guilt.
For years, I thought carrot cake was my favorite cake. Sadly, I’ve been mistaken. Tastebuds, you’re wrong. MOVE OVER CARROTS. Make room for banana + pineapple + deliciously spiced hummingbird cake. Of course we’re using cream cheese frosting and there’s toasted pecans too. Is there a better cake than hummingbird? Nope. The answer is a big fat straight-up no.
We’re working with 2 main flavors today: banana and pineapple. Well, we also have lots of cinnamon and a dash of allspice to round things out, but the main event is all about those fruits. There’s no butter; just oil. We want a delectably moist cake—and we don’t want butter to overpower the banana and pineapple. And since we’re relying on 2 fruits for flavor, we have to make sure we’re using the correct forms of both.
- BANANAS: Brown and spotty. The uglier your bananas, the better the flavor. Odd, but true. You can also use previously frozen bananas. Thaw the frozen bananas at room temperature. Drain off any excess liquid, mash, then use as instructed in the recipe below. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking.
- PINEAPPLE: Crushed and canned. You may want to use fresh pineapple that you crush yourself and yes, that’s absolutely fine!
I based this recipe off of Southern Living, the recipe that the bride’s sister made for the shower. I baked the original cake first, but found there were a few things I wanted to change. First, I reduced the oil and sugar and used some brown sugar in addition to white for some flavor. I also reduced the banana, so you can taste the pineapple a bit more. I left out the nutmeg and used allspice (and more of it) instead. Allspice’s flavor tastes like a mix of nutmeg + cinnamon + cloves, with a VERY slight peppery note. It’s phenomenal in hummingbird cake. I also increased the toasted pecans and used my own cream cheese frosting recipe.
Two bowls. 1 medium, 1 large.
Wet ingredients in medium. Dry ingredients in large. ↑
Mix together.
Up close and personal with those toasted pecans. ↓
Don’t skip the toasting part. You will *NEVER* regret toasting nuts for this cake.
Frosting: Cream cheese. A classic made for cakes like this. I increased my favorite cream cheese frosting recipe to ensure I had enough for the 3 layer cake. And by “enough” I mean thick layers. YES to thick cream cheese frosting layers!
If you’re not one for cream cheese frosting, this cake is equally fantastic with vanilla buttercream.
The cake is even better after a few hours because the flavors have had a chance to settle, mingle, and marry. For that reason, it’s a wonderful cake to make ahead of time—even the day before. Honestly, I enjoyed the cold leftover slices more than anything.
If you can’t get enough of these flavors together, try my hummingbird Bundt cake next.
You’ll need a moment of silence too.
PS: wondering why it’s called hummingbird cake? I found this article discussing some theories. Anyone know the real answer?!
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Description
Homemade hummingbird cake is exceptionally moist and flavorful with 3 delicious layers and silky cream cheese frosting!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) chopped pecans*
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups (345g) mashed bananas (about 3 large ripe bananas)
- one 8 ounce can crushed pineapple (do not drain)
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces (452g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups (480g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt, to taste
Instructions
- Toast the pecans: Preheat oven to 300°F (149°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Spread the chopped pecans on the sheet and toast for 7–8 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10–15 minutes.
- Turn the oven temperature up to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 8-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt together in a large bowl.
- Whisk the rest of the cake ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Fold in 1 and 1/2 cups toasted pecans. (Save the rest for garnish.) You should have about 6 to 7 cups of batter.
- Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans. Bake for 26-29 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Rotate pans halfway through baking.
- Remove cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. Once completely cooled, remove cakes from pan and level the tops off so they are flat. I simply use a serrated knife. Discard the tops or eat. YUM!
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes until completely combined and creamy. Add more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin, a little milk if frosting is too thick, or an extra pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. Frosting should be soft, but not runny.
- Assemble and frost: First, using a large serrated knife or cake leveler, layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Place 1 cake layer on your cake turntable, cake stand, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer, more frosting, and then top with the 3rd layer. Spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. Decorate the sides and top of the cake with the remaining toasted pecans. Refrigerate cake for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
- Cover leftover frosted cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare cakes and frosting 1 day in advance. Keep cakes at room temperature, covered tightly. Refrigerate prepared frosting in an airtight container, then bring to room temperature when ready to use. Frosted or unfrosted cakes may be frozen up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, if desired, before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheet | 8-inch Cake Pans | Parchment Paper | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cooling Rack | Cake Turntable | Icing Spatula | Cake Carrier (for storage)
- Pecans: I’ve gotten several questions about leaving out the pecans due to allergy. You can leave them out without replacing with anything. Stirring in 1 cup of sweetened shredded coconut would be wonderful though!
- Frozen Bananas: You can use thawed frozen bananas in this recipe. Thawed bananas are extra wet, so drain off as much of the excess liquid as you can before mashing. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking.
- Cupcakes: This recipe will make at least 32-35 cupcakes. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake 20-22 minutes or until cooked through. You can halve the recipe for less cupcakes, but things get tricky with the eggs. I recommend using 1 egg plus this: crack a 2nd egg in a separate bowl, whisk it, and use about half.
- Non-Layer Cake: This recipe also fits into a bundt pan, though the bake time will be long—55-65 minutes. Use a toothpick to test for doneness. Or use my recipe for Hummingbird Bundt Cake. There is too much batter for a 9×13-inch pan, but a 12×17-inch sheet pan would be perfect. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, keep a close eye to not over-bake.
- Update in 2024: After continuous recipe testing, and in an effort to lighten up the crumb, I made a few changes to the recipe including adding baking powder, increasing the oil, and decreasing the banana (so it tastes less like dense banana bread and more like a moist cake). If you prefer the old version, leave out the baking powder, reduce the oil down to 3/4 cup (180ml), and increase the mashed banana to 2 cups.
- Adapted from Southern Living.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Made this as a Bundt cake for Mother’s Day and it was a big hit!! Everyone loved even if they were not a sweets person. I halved the frosting recipe and just did in lines over it so it wasn’t as icing heavy. Will love to make again.
This is outstanding. The frosting is simply outrageous. Will make a cake just to have this again!
How long to bake for in a 12×17 sheet pan?
Hi Britt! Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes. We’re unsure of the exact bake time – always use a toothpick to test for doneness.
I was so disappointed with this cake. I made it exactly as directed. It looked gorgeous and the frosting was perfect but it was dry as a bone. I’ve made this cake once before and it was so moist. I used the Southern Living recipe before which says do NOT drain the pineapple AND uses almost twice as much oil! I’ll stick with that recipe next time!
Hi Donna, thank you so much for sharing your feedback. Appreciate it!
I made this recipe exactly as a dry run before a birthday cake. I made cupcakes for my guinea pigs – I mean my kids and their friends. Definitely enough for 36 cupcakes. The kids (5-6yo) loved it! Even with the allspice. For cupcakes and tiny appetites, I did pulse the pineapple to be finer. However, I think I drained too much juice, and maybe used half a banana too much. I didn’t get any pineapple flavor. But it was still very good. Great texture, not dense or wet. 24 cupcakes took right at 26min @ 300 for me. It passed the test, with some minor balancing on my part for the big cake.
I made this tonight according to the instructions. My cakes did not rise above 1/4”. All my ingredients were new so that was not it. I noticed there were mo baking powder in the recipe. What would make the cake so flat??
Hi Debra, These are thinner cake layers due to all the wet/moistening/heavy ingredients, but the cakes should still rise quite a bit. Make sure you’re following the recipe closely and that your baking soda is fresh. Thank you for trying this recipe!
I only have two 9-inch cake pans so I will have to make it two layers. That should work, right? I will reduce the frosting amount because I won’t need as much.
Hi Melissa, this is too much batter for only 2 pans. You can bake the cakes in batches, baking your first two rounds while leaving the remaining batter in a bowl (covered) at room temperature while waiting for the other layers to bake and cool. Once cool, remove the cake layers, clean out your pan, prepare it again, and then pour in the remaining batter and bake. Hope you enjoy it!
Sally the cake tasted great but I had problems with density and texture. I used an electric mixer, but you say to whisk the ingredients. Do you mean a whisk like you would use to stir something in a sauce pan without electricity?
Hi Pam, since we’re not creaming any butter and sugar for this recipe, you can simply use a hand whisk, although a hand mixer can certainly be used if you prefer. With either method, be sure to mix until just combined, as over mixing can lead to an overly dense cake. Was that the issue you were experiencing with the density and texture? This post on how to prevent dry and dense cakes may be a helpful resource. Let us know if we can help troubleshoot further!
We just made this for the first time. My husband added all the pineapple juice but in the end I don’t think it was a problem. The frosting was not stiff enough so I had to add 1 1/2 more cups of powdered sugar. But the layers still slid around even with toothpicks. So I refrigerated it overnight and took it out 3 hours before serving it to company, it was very dense and hard to cut. It had a good flavor but I don’t think I will make it again.
Delicious! Made for a family birthday dinner and well received by all. The cream cheese frosting is a nice compliment to texture of the cake.
We had this cake for dessert with Easter dinner. Didn’t have quite enough banana, added some extra pineapple. It was divine. I think I like it better than carrot cake, but will have to make a 2nd one just to be sure. I may throw in some maraschino cherries next time for some additional colour.
I am hoping to make mini-cakes versions of this for a friend’s tea party. What size pans and how long should I leave them in for? Looks delicious!
Hi Kelly, it baking time will really depend on the size pan you choose. Whatever size, be sure to fill the pan about 1/2 way (not full to the brim). This cake pan sizes and conversions guide may be a helpful resource. Hope the cake is a hit!
One Word: OUTSTANDING!
Hello! Just wondering if I can omit the sugar in the recipe, and whether it would affect the texture of these? Thanks and looking forward to baking these up!
Hi Maya, sugar plays an important role in the taste, texture, and structure of baked goods. While you can try reducing it, we do not recommend omitting it completely. If reducing the sugar, keep in mind that the final results will be different than intended.
First time making this cake, I used a 6-inch pan and froze for a few days before frosting. With the extra batter, I also made about 10 cupcakes. Will make again.
A wonderful Recipe. Cooking for a big crowd. Can this cake be frozen?
Hi Suzanne, Frosted or unfrosted cakes may be frozen up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, if desired, before serving.
The Humming bird cake is our new family favorite . Thank you, everting I’ve made from you is so good ! I wrapped my layers in saran wrap and froze them . Iced the cake and pot on air tight cake keeper . So moist !
We made this cake for my mother’s 70th birthday party. Followed all the directions and ingredients without changes and it came out beautifully. Everyone enjoyed it. Many thanks for sharing the recipe! I’ll be making it again.
Can you clarify how much of the pineapple juice is used? Some recipes call for all of the juice in the crushed pineapple
Hi Mary, try to drain about half the juice – enjoy!
I absolutely love this recipe!! I used it to make my sister’s birthday cake, and it was a hit!! She said it was the best one she’d ever had!!
Hi! I wanted to make a gift-version of this for Christmas gifts as mini loaves, do you have any recommendations on the best way to do that? I have mini loaf pans (about 2×4 inches) but i wasn’t sure about cook times or temperatures if you had any advice regarding that?
Also would some kind of glaze be good on this? I have some who are not a fan of cream cheese frosting (wildly lol!)
Thank you!!
Hi Kelly, We haven’t tested this recipe in mini loaves, although you absolutely can. Use the same baking temperature but the bake time will be shorter, keep your eye on them and test them with a toothpick to check for doneness. You can drizzle the top with vanilla icing instead of the frosting if you wish!
ok perfect, thank you!
I use your carrot cake recipe every time so was very happy to see you have a recipe for Hummingbird Cake (reason for it’s name is You see it and in a flash it is gone, just like a Hummingbird.
I noticed that frosted cupcakes can be kept in the freezer for up to 2 months – could prepped frosting be frozen in advance and then defrosted as well?
Hi Caitlin, absolutely! Store separately and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. You may want to add a splash of milk to the hawed frosting and run the mixer for a minute to help smooth it back out again before using.
I was really disappointed with this recipe, it did not hardly raise at all. . . I measured everything according to the recipe. .. I do live in high altitude (7300 ft) should I have added more baking soda or powder?
Hi Lisa, We wish we could help, but we have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Any advice to make this a six inch cake? Thanks!
Hi Anna, halving this recipe will give you enough for a 3, 6 inch cake (fill your pans no more than 2/3 way full and use any leftover batter for a few cupcakes on the side). Or, you can make the recipe as is with the same filling instructions and use the leftover batter for quite a few cupcakes on the side (or to freeze for later!)
Tastes like frosted banana bread to me. Hardly taste pineapple at all. Ok but probably won’t make again.
Hi. I have a recipe for hummingbird cupcakes in one of my baking cookbooks. One of the ingredients is “…1/2 canned crushed pineapple in juice, with juice”.
How do I measure such an ingredient–in a liquid or dry measuring cup, and why?
Hi Allison! We would spoon out the crushed pineapple (making sure to get some of the liquid) into a measuring cup.
I’m omitting the nuts and want to add coconut. How much should I add?
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut would be wonderful!
Hi! Can I make this in 2 9inch round pans instead?
Hi Brianna! This recipe would make two quite thick cake layers which may overflow or be difficult to bake through properly. You could fill your pans 1/2 to 2/3 full and use the leftover batter for a few cupcakes. Let us know how it goes!
I just made 2 9-inch cakes using this recipe. I ended up dividing the batter in half. Cooking for the temperature and time in the recipe. Then covered both with tin foil and cooked for an additional 10 minutes.
Sooo delicious!
I just removed my layers from the oven. They smell amazing! BUT when I stuck them with a toothpick, they seemed tough. I still plan to use the cake, as it was a trial run that I’m feeding to my most loyal taste testers Any idea why they may be tough? I baked 26 min and rotated half way through.
Hi Kristie! A tough cake can be a result of over-mixing. Make sure to only mix the batter until combined. Also make sure your baking soda is fresh and always be careful to not over-measure your flour – here’s more on properly measuring baking ingredients!
Hi! How much juice do you drain from the crushed pineapple? How much does “slightly” drain mean?
Hi Donna, try to drain about half the juice – enjoy!
There is no step to add sugar? I used a Bundt pan and the cake split. Was the oven to hot? Or did I cook it to long. I cooked it for 65 minutes.
Hi Marjorie, You’ll add sugar in step 3 – whisk the rest of the cake ingredients in a medium bowl.
I drained very little and it turned out super moist.