Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird cake is an easy, sweet taste of the tropics with banana, pineapple, toasted pecans, and the best cream cheese frosting! Below you will find step-by-step photos, a video tutorial, recipe notes for converting this to a Bundt cake or cupcakes, and how to make it ahead and even freeze it. A beautiful spring dessert!

I love making (and eating!) big, beautiful layer cakes - there's something so stunning about looking at a tall, smoothly-iced cake and then cutting into it and seeing layer after layer.

I made hummingbird cupcakes many years ago, and I thought the flavor would be perfect for translating into a wonderfully epic layer cake. This is essentially a banana cake, with crushed pineapple, reduced pineapple juice, chopped pecans, and warm spices that taste like the Caribbean.

In addition to one amazing cake, this is filled and frosted with the best cream cheese frosting I've ever made, and it comes together quickly and easily. 

This delicious dessert is wonderful any time of year, but especially for spring occasions like Easter and Mother’s Day!

Why is it Called Hummingbird Cake?

The name is thought to come from the fact that the cake is sweet enough to attract hummingbirds seeking nectar.

This dessert recipe comes from the Carribean country of Jamaica, originating in the 1960's. It's a banana cake similar to my traditional version, but with the addition of sweet pineapple and pecans. The recipe was sent to the United States by the Jamaican Tourist Board, as a way to entice Americans to visit their country.

Originally, the name was "doctor bird cake". This is because the Jamaicans call hummingbirds (their national bird) doctor birds (because of their probing beaks). There are plenty of other names for this dessert, though. Popular names include: "the cake that doesn't last", "bumblebee cake", "Jamaica cake", and "bird of paradise cake".

No matter what you call it, this cake is delicious! If you love banana bread and pineapple, this will quickly become a favorite recipe!

Key Ingredients

One of the amazing things about this cake is that it has more fruit than flour. We are talking about 4 cups of fruit versus 3 cups of flour. This makes the cake super moist, full of flavor, and dense yet fluffy.

Aside from the usual suspects like flour, sugar, eggs, baking powder, baking soda, and vanilla extract, let's chat about these notable additions:

• Vegetable Oil - Using oil instead of butter makes the cake lighter, fluffier, and more tender. You can substitute another neutral oil, such as canola oil, corn oil, safflower oil, or grapeseed oil.
• Ground Cinnamon - Gives the cake a wonderfully warm flavor.
• Pineapple - Use canned, crushed pineapple with the juice. Don't drain it!
• Bananas - Use very ripe bananas; they are wonderfully sweet and perfect for baked goods.
• Pecans - Toast and chope them; you can also substitute other nuts like walnuts or macadamia nuts.

For the cream cheese frosting, we use contrasting temperatures for our butter and cream cheese, so be sure to remember:

• Unsalted Butter - make sure it's room temperature and not cold.
• Cream Cheese - you want this to be chilled, and cut into smaller pieces

How to Make Hummingbird Cake

Here is how the cake comes together!

Step 1 – Prepare three 8-inch cake pans (grease, line the bottom with parchment rounds, grease the parchment, then flour the entire pan).

Step 2 – Drain the pineapple through a fine-mesh sieve over a small saucepan. Reduce the liquid over medium to about ⅓ cup.

Step 3 – Whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk together the sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl, then whisk in the oil. Use a spatula to stir in the pineapple, mashed bananas, pecans, vanilla, and reduced pineapple juice. Then, fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.

Step 4 – Divide the cake batter between the cake pans, and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 35 to 40 minutes). Cook on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then turn them out of the pans, remove the parchment, and cool completely before filling and frosting.

Step 5 – Make the frosting, then assemble the cake! Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Make-Ahead Instructions

You can bake the cakes and prepare the frosting up to one day in advance. 

Wrap the baked and cooled cakes in plastic wrap and keep them at room temperature. 

The frosting should be stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Remove and allow to come to room temperature before using it. Giving it a quick, vigorous stir with a rubber spatula before spreading will return it to a great consistency.

Storing the Cake and Options for Freezing

Any leftover cake should be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

The cake layers, the frosting, and the assembled and frosted cake can all be frozen. 

To Freeze Cake Layers – Wrap cake layers in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil and place in a freezer ziploc bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then proceed with filling and frosting. 

To Freeze the Frosting – The cream cheese frosting can be kept in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then allow to come to cool room temperature and then stir vigorously with a rubber spatula before spreading or piping.

To Freeze the Entire Cake – Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, then wrap tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then allow to come to cool room temperature before serving.

Recipe Notes

• Recommended Equipment – 8-inch cake pans and parchment rounds.
• Butter – Take your butter out of the fridge one hour before you make the frosting. It will be soft enough to combine with the cream cheese but still cool.
• Bananas - Make sure they are super ripe and spotty brown for a cake that's ultra moist with lots of banana flavor!
• Pecans - The pecans can be omitted without needing to be replaced with anything else. Or you can substitute other nuts such as walnuts or macadamia nuts.
• Cake Size - I love large, three-layer cakes, but you can also make this cake using 9-inchcake pans (bake time will be shorter). The batter will also work for a Bundt pan; start checking around 50 minutes, but bake time could be closer to an hour. There is too much batter for a 9×13-inch cake.
• Cupcakes - This recipe will make around 24 to 32 cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners two-thirds full with batter and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

More Tropical-Flavored Cakes

• Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
• The Best Carrot Cake Recipe
• Coconut Cake with Coconut Meringue Buttercream Frosting
• Coconut Bundt Cake with White Chocolate-Coconut Glaze

Watch the Recipe Video:

If you make this hummingbird cake recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating - it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️

Hummingbird Cake

Yield: 16 servings

Prep Time: 45 minutes mins

Cook Time: 50 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Hummingbird cake is an easy, sweet taste of the tropics with banana, pineapple, toasted pecans, and the best cream cheese frosting. A beautiful spring dessert perfect for Easter or Mother's Day!

4.85 (40 ratings)

Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• ▢ 16 ounces canned crushed pineapple in juice
• ▢ 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 2 cups (396 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 3 eggs
• ▢ 1 cup (198 g) vegetable oil
• ▢ 4 very ripe large bananas, peeled and mashed (about 2 cups)
• ▢ 1½ cup (171 g) pecans, toasted and chopped
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

• ▢ 1¼ cups (283 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ▢ 5 cups (568 g) powdered sugar
• ▢ 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 20 ounces cream cheese, chilled and cut into 20 pieces

To Garnish:

• ▢ ½ cup (57 g) pecans, toasted and chopped

Instructions 

• Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8-inch cake pans (you can also do two 9-inch pans), line the bottoms with parchment paper, grease the parchment and flour the pans; set aside.
• Drain the pineapple in a fine-mesh strainer set over a small saucepan, pressing to remove as much juice as possible. Place the saucepan over medium heat until reduced to ⅓ cup, about 5 minutes; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs, then whisk in the oil. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the bananas, pecans, vanilla, drained pineapple, and reduced pineapple juice. Gently stir in the flour mixture until just combined.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake until dark golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes (a little less for the 9-inch pans), rotating the pans halfway through baking. Let the cakes cool in pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then turn out of the pans, remove parchment paper and allow to cool completely, at least 2 hours.
• Make the Frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt on low speed until smooth, then mix for an additional 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium-low and add the cream cheese one piece at a time and mix until smooth, then mix for an additional 2 minutes.
• Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread 1 cup of frosting over top, then top with another cake layer, pressing lightly to adhere. Spread another 1 cups of frosting over that layer, then top with the third cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting evenly over the sides and top of the cake. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the chopped pecans. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. The cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Notes

• Recommended Equipment - 8-inch cake pans and parchment rounds.
• Butter - Take your butter out of the fridge one hour before you make the frosting. It will be soft enough to combine with the cream cheese but still cool.
• Bananas - Make sure they are super ripe and spotty brown for a cake that's ultra moist with lots of banana flavor!
• Pecans - The pecans can be omitted without needing to be replaced with anything else. Or you can substitute other nuts such as walnuts or macadamia nuts.
• Cake Size - I love large, three-layer cakes, but you can also make this cake using 9-inch cake pans (bake time will be shorter). The batter will also work for a Bundt pan; start checking around 50 minutes, but bake time could be closer to an hour. There is too much batter for a 9×13-inch cake.
• Cupcakes - This recipe will make around 24 to 32 cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners two-thirds full with batter and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Make-Ahead Instructions – You can bake the cakes and prepare the frosting up to one day in advance. Wrap the baked and cooled cakes in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature. The frosting should be stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Remove and allow to come to room temperature before using it.
• To Freeze Cake Layers - Wrap cake layers in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil and place in a freezer ziploc bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then proceed with filling and frosting. 
• To Freeze the Frosting - The cream cheese frosting can be kept in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then allow to come to cool room temperature and then stir vigorously with a rubber spatula before spreading or piping.
• To Freeze the Entire Cake - Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, then wrap tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then allow to come to cool room temperature before serving.

Nutritional values are based on one serving

Calories: 733kcal, Carbohydrates: 95g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 38g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Cholesterol: 108mg, Sodium: 416mg, Potassium: 332mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 71g, Vitamin A: 1002IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 85mg, Iron: 2mg

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!

Author: Michelle Lettrich

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

(Recipe from The Best of America’s Test Kitchen 2015)

This recipe was originally published in June 2015.

[photos by Dee of One Sarcastic Baker]