Hummingbird Cake Recipe
The best Hummingbird Cake recipe, period. This classic southern cake is moist, delicious, and easy to make. It’s made with pineapple, banana, pecans, and unsweetened coconut. This cake needs only 10 minutes to prep and 50 minutes to bake.
When I had my cake business, there were always cakes that people requested over and over again, and my Hummingbird Cake was definitely one of them. It’s one of those cakes that’s hard to describe but impossible to forget—a mix of bananas, pineapple, warm spices, and pecans, all baked into a moist, flavorful cake that somehow gets even better the next day.
I remember one customer who ordered it for a family gathering, unsure if everyone would love it since it wasn’t a typical chocolate or vanilla cake. The next week, they came back and said, “I don’t know what kind of magic is in that cake, but everyone went bonkers over it!” That’s when I knew this cake was something special.
The best part? It’s as beautiful as it is delicious. Topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of pecans, it’s the kind of cake that looks rustic yet elegant, perfect for any celebration. And whether I made it for a special order or just for myself, one thing was always true—it never lasted long!
Why make this hummingbird cake?
- Not many cakes can claim to be Southwestern. And not many can claim to be bursting with fresh and zesty flavor, and also be easy to make. This hummingbird cake recipe is all three.
- It is a deliciously moist cake with amazing flavors, including crushed pineapple, mashed banana, coconut, and pecans.
- And most of the ingredients are easy to find or pantry staples.
- The batter takes just 10 minutes to make, and the cake takes another 50 minutes to bake.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Oil – While butter would be very flavorful, the oil-based batter keeps the cake moist. I prefer to use a flavorless cooking oil to ensure the cake does not have a strong smell from the oil.
- Sugar – I am using a combination of both white sugar and brown sugar. You can use all white or all brown. But I do like the slight caramel flavor that the molasses in the brown sugar adds to the cake.
- Flour – Simple all-purpose flour works best for cakes with fresh fruits and vegetables. Unlike cake or pastry flour, all-purpose flour adds stability and prevents the cake from crumbling too much.
- Fruits – Traditionally, mashed bananas and chopped pineapples are used. But some like adding grated carrots too. And if you do, substitute some of the banana and pineapple with carrots, so the final amount remains the same.
- Spices – A little cinnamon and nutmeg work great in this cake. But you can also add pumpkin spice, gingerbread spice, or chai spice in the fall.
- Vanilla – I am using vanilla bean paste, but you can also use 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or substitute some of the sugar for vanilla sugar.
Step-by-step: How to make Hummingbird Cake
- Oven – Preheat the oven to 325°F/165 °C/Gas Mark 3. Spray and flour a 10-inch tube pan or grease and line with parchment paper 3 x 9-inch round cake pans.
Pro tip – You can also use a 12-cup bundt pan or 2 x 9-inch cake pans for a two-layer cake.
- Dry ingredients – In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and grated nutmeg. Set aside.
- Fruits – In a small bowl, mash the bananas and crush the pineapple slices, making sure to save all the juices. And set aside.
Pro tip – Mash the bananas only when you are almost ready to use them. Otherwise, they will start to change color due to oxidation.
- Wet ingredients – In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the whole eggs for a minute. Then, add both the white and brown sugars. Whip until light and foamy. Then, gradually add the oil while whipping continuously.
Pro tip – Adding the oil gradually will prevent the eggs from splitting and help emulsify.
- Combine – Next, add the mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, coconut, chopped pecans, and vanilla extract. Combine well. Then, add the flour mixture and combine well again, but do not overmix.
Pro tip – We do not want to activate the gluten in our flour, so do not overmix the batter once you add the flour.
- Bake – Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan or pans. Bake one large tube or bundt cake for 50 to 60 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Pro tip – If baking 3 x 9-inch cake pans, bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. - Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Pro tip – Do not frost the cake while it is still warm, otherwise the frosting will melt.
Cream cheese frosting
- In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth (You can also use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment).
Pro tip – For a 3-layer cake, you will need to double the frosting recipe.
Assemble
- Invert the cake on a serving platter, bottom side up. Using a tablespoon, add a generous amount of frosting on top and sprinkle more chopped pecans.
Pro tip – For a layer cake, you will need to add the frosting between layers, and on top, and around the cake. - This cake will stay at room temperature for a few hours before serving. The unfrosted cake will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days.
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Frequently asked questions
How long will this cake keep?
This frosted hummingbird cake will keep at room temperature for a few hours before serving. The unfrosted cake will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days. It can also be kept in the fridge for up to a week. And you can even freeze the unfrosted cake in the fridge for up to a month.
Can I freeze the hummingbird cake?
Yes, but it is best to freeze the cake or cake layers unfrosted for up to a month. Wrap well in plastic, then in aluminum foil, before placing in a freezer-safe bag. However, a frosted cake is best not frozen, as cream cheese is perishable and has a short shelf life.
Can I make a hummingbird cake without coconut?
Absolutely, in this cake, you can easily omit the coconut and add 1/2 cup of additional flour.
What does a hummingbird cake taste like?
It is a wonderful combination of my three favorite cakes – pineapple cake, banana cake, and of course, coconut cake. So, its taste is fruity with the flavor of banana, pineapple, and coconut.
The Hummingbird cake Recipe
The best Hummingbird Cake recipe, period. This classic southern cake is moist, delicious, and easy to make. It's made with pineapple, banana, pecans, and unsweetened coconut. And this cake needs only 10 minutes to prep and 50 minutes to bake.
Video
Ingredients
Cake batter
- 3 cups (375 g) All-purpose flour
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg freshly grated
- 3 large Eggs
- ¾ cup (150 g) White sugar
- 1 cup (220 g) Brown sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) Cooking oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 cups Mashed bananas 4 to 5 bananas
- 2 cups Crushed pineapple with juices Or 1 x 8 oz can
- ½ cup (40 g) Coconut fresh grated or desiccated coconut
- 1 cup (100 g) Chopped pecans
Cream cheese frosting
- 1 cup (227 g) Cream cheese 32% fat or more
- ½ cup (60 g) Powdered sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Plus
- ¼ cup Chopped pecans for the top
Method
- Oven – Preheat the oven to 325°F/ 165°C/ Gas Mark 3. Spray and flour a 10-inch tube pan or grease and line with parchment paper 3 x 9-inch round cake pans.
- Dry ingredients – In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and grated nutmeg. Set aside.3 cups All-purpose flour, 2 tsp Baking powder, ½ tsp Baking soda, 1 tsp Ground cinnamon, 1 tsp Salt, ¼ tsp Nutmeg
- Fruits – In a small bowl, mash the bananas and crush the pineapple slices, making sure to save all the juices. And set aside.
- Wet ingredients – Whip the whole eggs for a minute in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Then, add both the white and brown sugars. Whip until light and foamy. Then, gradually add the oil while whipping continuously.3 large Eggs, ¾ cup White sugar, 1 cup Brown sugar, 1 cup Cooking oil
- Combine – Next, add the mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, coconut, chopped pecans, and vanilla extract. Combine well. Then, add the flour mixture and combine well again but do not over mix.1 tsp Vanilla extract, 2 cups Mashed bananas, 2 cups Crushed pineapple with juices, ½ cup Coconut, 1 cup Chopped pecans
- Bake – Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan or pans. Bake one large tube or bundt cake for 50 to 60 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth (You can also use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment).1 cup Cream cheese, ½ cup Powdered sugar, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Assemble: Invert the cake on a serving platter bottom side up. Using a tablespoon, add a generous amount of frosting on top and sprinkle more chopped pecans.¼ cup Chopped pecans
- Store: This cake will stay at room temperature for a few hours before serving. The unfrosted cake will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
- Use flavorless vegetable oil so it does not overpower the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Start with all ingredients and room temperature.
- Whip the eggs and sugar until light and foamy.
- Add the oil gradually so it does not separate the protein in the eggs.
- Use ripe if not overripe bananas as they are sweet and mash beautifully.
- Add the pineapple with the juices so the cake is moist and flavorful
- You can use fresh coconut flakes or desiccated coconut in this recipe. Both work great.
- Chop the pecan finely, larger pieces make the cake quite crumbly.
- Other pans to use
- 10-inch tube pan or
- 12 cup bundt pan
- 3 x 9 -inch round cake pans or 2 x 9-inch round cake pans
- 4 x 8-inch round cake pans.
- Make-ahead-cake –
- This cake can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept at room temperature before frosting.
- Once frosted the cream cheese needs to be refrigerated.
- A frosted cake will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
- The unfrosted cake or cake layers can be frozen for up to a month.
- Variations –
- Sugar-free cake – You can replace the sugar in the recipe with a sugar-replace. Read the package for instructions
- Gluten-free cake – you can replace the all-purpose flour with the same amount of gluten-free flour.
- Nut-free cake – replace the chopped nuts with toasted coconut flakes or omit all nuts.
- Tea cake – bake in a loaf pan and dust the cake with powdered sugar before serving.
Nutrition
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I made this and it was a hit. It was very moist and delicious! This recipe is a keeper!! Thank you!
Thank you so much for the lovely feedback, Michelle. So happy you enjoyed it.
This cake was is so moist and tasty! Everyone loves it and it goes fantastic with a cup of herbal tea. Thank you so much for the recipe!
You are very welcome, Chandice. Thank you for the lovely feedback.
I’ve heard of the Hummingbird Cake for years, but amazingly have never had it – my entire family is from the deep south. And I’ve always wondered how it got its name. Thanks for the bit of history! I would love to make this cake for my family when they come to visit from Georgia!