Hummingbird Cake

Slice of layered cream cake with pecans, served on a white plate, accompanied by a peach napkin and forks.

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Sweet, moist, and full of Southern charm, Hummingbird cake blends banana, pineapple, spices, and cream cheese frosting into one irresistible dessert.

Prep Time40

Cook Time30

Resting Time1

Total Time2 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Jamaican

Keyword: cake

Servings: slices

Author: Bella Bucchiotti

Equipment

Measuring Cups and Spoons
2 Cake Pans 8-Inch Round
Mixing Bowls
Electric Mixer or Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment
Pastry Bag with Large Round Tip
Offset Spatula

Ingredients

For the Cake:

2 Cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, plus extra to dust pans
1 Cup granulated sugar
2 Teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 Teaspoon baking soda
½ Teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ Teaspoon salt
½ Teaspoon baking powder
⅓ Cup canola oil or vegetable oil
2 bananas large
¾ Cup crushed pineapple undrained
2 eggs large, at room temperature
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Cup pecans or walnuts, finely chopped plus more for decorating the cake
shortening or butter to grease cake pans

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

16 Ounces cream cheese at room temperature
10 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
6 Cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Make the Cake Layers:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Grease and flour a pair of 8-inch round cake pans with shortening or butter. Set the pans aside.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl until well combined.
Chop or tear the bananas into 1-inch pieces.
In a separate large bowl, beat the oil, bananas and crushed pineapple with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth.
Add the eggs one at a time and add the vanilla extract with the second egg. Mix until the eggs are just combined.
Gradually mix in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until the mixture has become a thick, wet batter.
Fold in the chopped pecans, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
Divide the batter evenly between the 2 prepared cake pans. Using a kitchen scale can help with having equal cake layers.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the tops of the cake are golden brown.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, a cup at a time, beating on a low speed after each addition until incorporated.
Increase to a medium speed and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Assemble the Cake:

Place one cake layer on a cake plate or stand. For an even layer of frosting, transfer about ⅓ of the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a round tip, and pipe a ½-inch layer of frosting over the bottom layer. Smooth it out with an offset spatula.
Place the second cake layer on top of the frosted layer.
Pipe another layer of frosting on top of the cake, then smooth it out.
Carefully use a spatula to spread the frosting evenly along the outside of the cake until the whole cake is frosted.
Sprinkle some extra chopped pecans on top of the cake.
Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the frosting to set.

Notes

Level the top: If the cakes have a little bit of a dome on top, use a knife to slice off a little bit of the top to level it out.
Smooth the frosting: An offset spatula is useful for getting smooth, even frosting on the cake.
Check for doneness: When a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake is golden brown on top, it's done.

Nutrition

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