Hummingbird Cake
Hummingbird cake is an easy, sweet taste of the tropics with banana, pineapple, toasted pecans, and the best cream cheese frosting! Make this recipe for dessert today!
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 heck of an amazing cake, this is filled and frosted with the best cream cheese frosting I’ve ever made and that comes together quickly and easily. I was totally skeptical of the mixing process for the frosting – everything is mixed on low or medium-low speed, which is vastly different from every other buttercream mixture I’ve made – they are usually whipped at a much higher speed. Even though I was skeptical, I went with it, and the results were phenomenal. Cream cheese frosting can be so difficult to get right, and this one is absolutely luscious – silky smooth and easily spreadable.
You’ve found a delicious dessert you’ll want to come back to again and again!
Why is it called hummingbird cake?
No birds will be harmed in the making of this cake!
Despite the name, there are no birds included in the recipe. Instead, 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 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!
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, salt, and vanilla, let’s chat about these special additions:
- Vegetable Oil – using oil instead of butter makes the cake lighter, fluffier, and more tender.
- Cinnamon – gives the cake a wonderfully warm flavor.
- Pineapple – canned, crushed, and with the juice. Don’t drain it!
- Bananas – Use very ripe bananas. You want them to be mushy and super sweet!
- Pecans – toasted and chopped.
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 it
- Preheat the Oven – Heat your oven to 350F, and prepare three 8” round cake pans by greasing, flouring, and lining them with parchment.
- Drain the Pineapple – Pour the canned pineapple into a fine-mesh sieve placed over a small saucepan. Use a spatula to press the fruit and drain as much juice from it as possible. Set the pineapple aside, and reduce the liquid over medium heat to about ⅓ cup.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients – In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Make the Batter – In a large mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs, and then whisk in the oil. Use a spatula to mix in the pineapple, peeled and mashed bananas, nuts, vanilla, and juice. Then, gently fold the dry mix into it until just combined.
- Bake the Cakes – Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans, and bake for about 35-40 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Make sure to rotate the pans halfway through to ensure an even bake. Allow the cakes to cool on a wire rack for twenty minutes before turning them out and removing the parchment. Let them cool completely on the rack – at least two hours.
- Make the Frosting: Beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt on low speed with an electric mixer until combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix for an additional two minutes. Increase the speed to medium-low, and add the cold cream cheese one piece at a time. Mix until smooth, plus two minutes.
- Put it all Together: Place one cake layer on a serving platter, and spread 2 cups of frosting evenly over top. Lightly press the second cake layer on top and spread 2 cups of frosting evenly over the top of that. Spread what is left of the frosting onto the sides of the cake. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the chopped pecans. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Take your butter out of the fridge one hour before you make the frosting. As a result, 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.
- Cake Size – I love large, three-layer cakes but you can also make this cake using two 9-inch cake pans. 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.
- Freezing Instructions – Both the cake layers and assembled and frosted cake can be frozen. Wrap cake layers or assembled cake in plastic wrap and then foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then allow to come to cool room temperature before serving.
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
I hope you’ll enjoy this hummingbird cake anytime you get a craving for a little taste of the tropics! If you make it, I’d love if you would take a moment to stop back and share a review below. ENJOY! 😍
Hummingbird Cake
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 (567 g) 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
- Take your butter out of the fridge one hour before you make the frosting. As a result, 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.
- Cake Size - I love large, three-layer cakes but you can also make this cake using two 9-inch cake pans. 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 9x13-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.
- Freezing Instructions - Both the cake layers and assembled and frosted cake can be frozen. Wrap cake layers or assembled cake in plastic wrap and then foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then allow to come to cool room temperature before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
(Recipe from The Best of America’s Test Kitchen 2015)
Originally published in 2015, this has been updated to include new photos, a helpful video tutorial, and more in-depth recipe tips.
[photos by Dee of One Sarcastic Baker]
I made it and it was a HUGE hit! I will say though, I didn’t use the frosting, I opted for one from Martha Stewart, less sweet but tons of frosting that I had extra. Great cake and was a showstopper with my in-laws.
I made this recipe for the 60th birthday of a friend of a customer. I think this may be my best favorite cake ever. The cream cheese frosting is without a doubt the best l’ve ever tasted. Can’t wait to make for my family.
I made this cake and it was deelish!! The only thing I did wrong was not freeze the icing long enough, it was too runny, however it still tasted great.
The first time I heard about this cake was on General Hospital! I’m a huge fan so naturally had to try it! Glad I did, thanks GH! 🤗
Fantastic. I think this is the best cake I ever made. I was lazy and did a Bundt pan. It was very full, but cooked beautifully, however, it is a lot of cake ti frosting ratio this way. Definitely too much frosting in recipe for a bundt, so you could make less. I do think it would be better in a layer cake, I was just not up to that becasue this was just for us and no special occasion. I will definitely be making this for a company dessert in the future.
Side comment, I would love a download option on your recipes versus just print. I sue several of them regularly and to be able to save to a file would be awesome.
Had hummingbird cupcakes once – they were so yummy that when I found this recipe I immediately had to try the cake. It was DELICIOUS Everyone who had a piece said so as well. Shared it with a sick neighbor – pastor – son and his family and of course those who came for Sunday dinner. Sent pictures of the finished cake to my sister who immediately said “send me the recipe”. Next week I will try the carrot cake. Thanks
Is the recipe for 2 layer ,9” inch pans or 3 with layer 8” pans? The photos show 3 layers but the directions make it seem it’s for a 2 layer cake with 9” pans .
Hi Kelly, The recipe is for three 8″ pans.
I really wanted to love this cake…it’s beautiful, and elegant, and different! Did the cake have good flavor? Yes! Was the icing bangin? You bet! Unfortunately for me, the cake was soo moist that it just crumbled apart when I cut it…not a huge deal, just didn’t serve up nicely for the party it was made for. Also, it basically just tasted like very moist banana bread to me. Again, not a big problem, but I spent a lot of time and energy on the cake only to end up with triple layer banana bread. Oh well, the icing recipe is a keeper for sure!
This cake is so delicious! Had to bake it twice since my family could not wait for me to frost it!!! Totally worth it.
How fun to see this recipe! I have made countless hummingbird wedding cakes over the past 35 years and ALWAYS a crowd-pleaser! I have literally had people call me and say they had it at so-and-so’s wedding 5 years ago and want it at theirs :) It is perfect for wedding cakes because the recipe is easily multiplied with no adjustments and is mixed by hand. It is a super sturdy cake and stacks into tiers nicely. The only issues I have ever had is with the cream cheese frosting…it can slip during transport on really hot days!
Does the frosting recipe make enough to pipe the top as show in the post? It’s a beautiful cake.
Hi! Would this work for a 3 layer six inch cake?
Hi Michelle. How would this work in a 9 x 13 pan? I’ve made it as a layer cake but would love to take it to a potluck as a sheet cake version. Thanks!
Thanks Michelle! I figured out it was 2.5 tsp of vanilla extract but thank you for clarifying. I just want to say this is the best cream cheese frosting for decorating because you right, it is so smooth and spreadable! It will be my go to recipe for my sister’s engagement cake. Thank you for your help!
Hi Michelle,
Can you clarify how much vanilla is used in the cream cheese frosting recipe? I’m not sure what 2½ teaspoons refers to. Thanks!
Hi Amelia, It’s 2.5 teaspoons, my apologies that the code went wonky there, I will try to fix it!
Hi there!
I have a customer who requested a hummingbird cake but they are allergic to bananas. What would you recommend as a substitute for the bananas in this recipe? Extra eggs? Applesauce? Thank you!!!
Hi Emily, Unfortunately there is no real substitute for bananas, as that is the signature component of hummingbird cake.