Hummingbird Cake Recipe
Can you imagine anything more intriguing than hummingbird cake? Yet more invitingly traditional? Tales flit about its origins in Jamaica, where the cake’s tropical flavors are intuitive and the national bird is the red-billed streamertail hummingbird, native only to that island. Yet hummingbird cake has become, since the late 1970s, a fixture in the American South.
Toasted pecans add texture to a confection kissed with pineapple, bananas, and spice. A vanilla-infused cream cheese frosting encases three magnificent layers.
It’s easy to think of it as a hybrid of several cake classics: carrot, banana, and pineapple upside-down. Yet this creation of uncanny genius is unique. I like to use brown sugar for flavor and sometimes stir in shredded coconut or coat the outside with it. Some versions even get decadent and turn the pecans into a brittle.
Whether serving it at a springtime picnic, a Mother’s Day tea party, or Easter brunch, I’ve found hummingbird cake is best accompanied by a glass cake plate, my grandmother’s antique cake server, and a cup of milk. Call me nostalgic if you wish; I simply find this cake timeless.
Makes one 3-layer cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice (or 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (overripe are best)
- 8 ounce can of crushed pineapple with its juice
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups chopped, toasted pecans (plus more for garnish)
Frosting
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease three 8-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper. Then grease the parchment paper.
Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. In a medium bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients: bananas, pineapple, eggs, oil, brown and granulated sugars, vanilla extract, and pecans. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
Step 3
Divide the batter between the cake pans. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
Step 4
For the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract. (Add more or less confectioners’ sugar to reach desired consistency.)
Step 5
Assembly: Place layers one by one on a cake stand or plate, frosting between each. Then frost the entire cake. (It’s best to do a crumb coat first and then a final frosting layer.) Decorate as desired with toasted pecans or oven-dried pineapple rounds.
Extra-tropical tip: Stir 1 cup shredded coconut into your batter or coat your cake with it once frosted.
Looking for a reason to make this delightful cake? Host a gorgeous garden party.
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