Hummingbird Cake Recipe

This hummingbird cake recipe is moist, packed with banana, crushed pineapple, and toasted pecans, and covered in a silky cream cheese frosting. A true Southern classic with Caribbean roots.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Jamaican

Keyword hummingbird cake, hummingbird cake recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Cooling Time 10

Total Time 55

Servings people

Calories 601kcal

Author Tanya Harris

Ingredients

For the Cake

1 ½ cups chopped pecans divided (174g)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour sifted (280g)
1 cup white granulated sugar 210g
¾ cup light brown sugar 140g
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda 8g
1 teaspoon table salt 5g
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2g
½ teaspoon allspice 1g
3 large eggs 149g
1 cup vegetable oil 210g
2 teaspoon vanilla extract 7g
8 oz can crushed pineapple do not drain (227g)
2 cups mashed bananas about 4–5 medium ripe bananas (500g)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

12 oz cream cheese at room temperature (331g)
¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature (165g)
2 ¼ cups powdered sugar sifted (300g)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2g
2 tablespoon milk 26g

Instructions

For the Cake

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans or line them with parchment paper.
Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5–7 minutes until fragrant. Remove and let cool.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until well combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined.
Fold in the crushed pineapple with its juice, mashed bananas, and 1 cup of the toasted pecans.
Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared cake pans.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting

Beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and milk.
Spread a generous layer of frosting between each cake layer, then frost the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup toasted pecans on top.

Notes

For better slicing, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the frosting to set. However, your cake will still turn out fine if you skip this step. Who has space to store a whole cake in the fridge anyway?
Do not drain the crushed pineapple — the juice is essential for keeping the cake moist.
Use very ripe bananas (heavily speckled or mostly brown) for the best flavor and texture.
The cake layers must be completely cool before frosting, or the cream cheese frosting will not hold.
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Unfrosted cake layers can be frozen for up to 2 months.

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