This ultra-moist hummingbird cake is a delightful blend of sweet, ripe bananas, tangy crushed pineapples, and crunchy pecans, coming together to create an incredibly tender and flavorful cake. Finished with a tangy, creamy cream cheese frosting, this cake is a true crowd-pleaser that’s guaranteed to impress. One bite, and you’ll be hooked!
What is a Hummingbird Cake?
A hummingbird cake is a classic Southern dessert that typically consists of ripe bananas, crushed pineapples and chopped pecans (sometimes other nuts too like walnuts), which give it a unique sweetness, tanginess, and crunch. These flavors are complemented by a rich cream cheese frosting, that works with the tropical flavors of the cake so so well!
Think of it as a combination of banana bread, pineapple cake and spice cake. The texture reminds me of a carrot cake too 🙂
The cake is believed to have originated in Jamaica, where it was called “Doctor Bird Cake,” named after the island’s national bird. It made its way to the Southern United States in the late 1960s or early 1970s.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Packed with Flavor: This hummingbird cake is bursting with so much flavor from all the different elements in the cake (and we can’t forget the tangy cream cheese frosting too). If you’ve never had a hummingbird cake before, the combination of bananas and pineapple may seem a bit odd, but trust me, the flavors work together so so well! I also like to add cinnamon in my hummingbird cake (you could also add other spices like nutmeg), which adds an extra depth of flavor.
Moist & Tender: This cake is has a super moist and tender texture, and will stay moist for days. It’s an oil based cake (no unsalted butter required), so you know it’s going to be moist from the get go! The reason for this is because oil is liquid at room temperature, whereas butter solidifies. The bananas and liquid from the crushed pineapple also adds additional moisture to the cake.
Easy Peasy: This cake is so easy to make. It uses the muffin method of making batter where the dry ingredients are combined, wet ingredients are combined using a whisk only and then the dry and wet ingredients are combined. The frosting does require a hand or stand mixer, but is quick as well!
How to Make Hummingbird Cake
Hummingbird Cake
Preheat oven to 180 °C (350°F) conventional (see note 1 if using a convection oven with a fan) and grease two 8-inch cake pans (I use my homemade cake release). Also line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a bowl, sift together all purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. Using a whisk or fork, stir until well combined. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mash the bananas well and to that add in light brown sugar, white granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, crushed pineapple and vanilla. Using a whisk, mix until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and using a spatula, gently fold until just combined. Do not overmix.
Finish off by adding in roughly chopped pecans and using a spatula, fold until just combined. Do not overmix.
Distribute the batter into the prepared cake pans. Level out the tops, drop the cake tins lightly on the counter to remove any large air bubbles and bake for 38-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs on it.
Once baked, allow the cakes to cool in the cake tins for about 20 minutes, before running a thin knife along the edges of the pan and turning the cakes out onto a wire rack to completely cool.
Cream Cheese Frosting
While cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting. You can find the full recipe and instructions here: https://cakesbymk.com/recipe/the-best-cream-cheese-frosting/
Assembly
Once the cakes are completely cool, trim off the tops of each cake layer with a serrated knife so that they’re nice and flat.
Place the first cake layer onto a serving plate/cake stand and spread out a generous amount of frosting.
Place the next cake layer on top and spread out more frosting on the top and sides of the cake. I like to use a cake scraper to smooth out the edges and then I use my offset spatula to bring that top lip of frosting into the middle of the cake.
Using a 1M piping tip, pipe some cupcake swirls on the top of the cake (or any type of piping you like). I like to top each swirl with a pecan. Slice using a serrated knife and enjoy!
How to Store Hummingbird Cake
This hummingbird can be left at room temperature for the day, however overnight it will need to be placed in the refrigerator due to the cream cheese in the frosting. The fat and sugar in the frosting will prevent the cream cheese from going off immediately, which is why you can keep it out at room temperature for an extended period of time.
Moist Hummingbird Cake
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
Hummingbird Cake
- 2¼ cups (280 g) flour - plain, all purpose
- ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (225 g) mashed bananas - about 2 large bananas (but for best results measure it out)
- 1 cup (200 g) soft light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) white granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs - room temperature
- 1 cup (210 g) unflavored vegetable oil
- 1 cup (226 g) canned crushed pineapple - 8 oz can in the US. I use crushed pineapple in 'juice' not 'syrup' for a less sweet cake. Do not strain the juice (use as is).
- 2 tsp vanilla extract/essence
- 1½ cups (150 g) pecans - roughly chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
Hummingbird Cake
- Preheat oven to 180 °C (350°F) conventional (see note 1 if using a convection oven with a fan) and grease two 8x3 inch cake tins (I use my homemade cake release). Also line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. Using a whisk or fork, mix until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas well and to that add in light brown sugar, white granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, crushed pineapple and vanilla. Using a whisk, mix until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and using a spatula, gently fold until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Finish off by adding in roughly chopped pecans and using a spatula, fold until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Distribute the batter into the prepared cake pans. Level out the tops, drop the cake tins lightly on the counter to remove any large air bubbles and bake for 38-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs on it.
- Once baked, allow the cakes to cool in the cake tins for about 20 minutes, before running a thin knife along the edges of the pan and turning the cakes out onto a wire rack to completely cool.
- While cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting.
Assembly
- Once the cakes are completely cool, trim off the tops of each cake layer with a serrated knife so that they're nice and flat.
- Place the first cake layer onto a serving plate/cake stand and spread out a generous amount of frosting.
- Place the next cake layer on top and spread out more frosting on the top and sides of the cake. I like to use a cake scraper to smooth out the edges and then I use an offset spatula to bring that top lip of frosting into the middle of the cake.
- Using a 1M piping tip, pipe some cupcake swirls on the top of the cake (or any type of piping you like). I like to top each swirl with a pecan. Slice using a serrated knife and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
25 Comments
Hi, recipe states 210g of oil, I was measuring this with scales as I don’t have cups and it seemed like a never ending pour so I’m worried I put far too much in. Should it have been 210ml???
Cakes are in the oven now but I’m very anxious that they may be a greasy mess 🙁
Hi Suzie! 🙂
210g is correct. Oil is the main fat in this recipe so there is a decent amount of it in the recipe to keep the cake nice and moist. If you used a digital scale then it should be fine 🙂
Hope you enjoyed the recipe!
MK, could you please tell me how to preserve a coconut cake which is to stay for a long time
Hi Mukisa! 🙂
If you want the cake to last for up to a week then just pop it into an airtight container in the fridge. If you want to use the cake sometime in the future, then you can wrap the coconut cake layers well in cling wrap and place into an airtight container before freezing them. Take them out the night before you want to use them to let them thaw 🙂
Enjoy!
Am great ful,am gonna improve on my cakes thanks MK
You’re so welcome Mukisa! So glad I can help on your baking journey 🙂
Hi Maryam, I really like your recipes I have tried many of yours and they are the best. I wanted to try this recipe in cupcake version. Do you think it will work? Thank you so much
Hi Marian! So so happy to hear you’re loving the recipes 😀
Yes, this should work great as cupcakes! You’d just need to reduce the cook time – I’d check at around the 18 min mark and then bake more if needed 🙂
Hope that helps and hope you enjoy the recipe!
Can I replace the all purpose flour and cornflour with cake flour?
Hi Karin! Yes you should be able to do that with no issues 🙂
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hello. I just love making your cakes…they really are a hit in my house.
Can one make this as a sheet pan cake 9″ x 13″ pan like for your other sheet pan recipes?
Thanks in advance MK
So happy to hear your family is loving the recipes Loren 😀
Yes you should be able to turn this recipe into a 9x13inch sheet cake 🙂 I would just check the cake a little earlier than the stated cook time (about the 30 min mark or so) and you’ll only need half the frosting 🙂
Hope that helps and hope you enjoy the recipe Loren!
Hi, is it possible to make this eggless?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Bhumi! 🙂 I haven’t tried an egg substitute myself so I’m not too sure sorry! You could try maybe substituting the eggs with more banana, but you would need to get the quantities right to ensure the cake doesn’t become too dense. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help!
Yes you can make it eggless, just research the appropriate property you’re trying to replace (e.g. binder or leavening). Given the baking powder and baking soda content I figured the egg was used for moisture, so used unsweetened applesauce (I used the weight in grams of 3 large eggs for the same in applesauce – 170g) and it turned out beautifully.
So glad to hear applesauce worked great Cee! Thank you for sharing your tips 😀
Can’t wait to make it & try it out!
Hope you enjoy the recipe Victoria! 😀
Hi Maryam, Can I bake this in one springform pan and then cut cake in half?
Also if yes…do I still need to use cake release and parch paper?
Hi Jane! 🙂 I would not recommend making a tall version of this cake and then torting it as the cake is quite soft and may not rise well as a tall cake. The little pineapple and pecan pieces also make the cake harder to torte into nice layers. I would recommend baking the cake layers individually 🙂
Alternatively, you can put all the batter into a larger 10 inch cake tin for a one layer cake.
For a springform pan, I would still recommend greasing and lining it 🙂
Hope you enjoy the recipe Jane!
Hi,
This looks very good. May I substitute the oil for melted butter? Also, for the canned pineapples, can I not use the syrup in the can? Or can I replace the amount of syrup removed from the can with water if the moisture is needed? I am trying to cut sugar but still eat your delicious cakes!
Thanks for sharing your recipes.
Hi Kwee! 🙂 I would recommend using the oil if possible, only because oil is liquid at room temp so results in a more moist cake. Butter should be okay though, the cake just might not be as moist after a day or two 🙂
If you prefer not to use the liquid in the can of pineapple (I use crushed pineapple in juice so isn’t as sweet as syrup), you can simply leave it out. I think there is enough moisture in the cake to still result in a soft cake even without the liquid from the pineapple as it isn’t a huge amount 🙂
Hope that helps and hope you enjoy the recipe!