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Slice of three layered Hummingbird Cake on a plate with a dried pineapple flower.
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Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake is as beautiful as it is delicious. Packed with ripe bananas, pineapple and topped with cream cheese frosting, it is always a crowd favorite!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Cooling time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Hummingbird Cake
Servings: 12
Calories: 664kcal
Author: Erica Walker

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2½ cups cake flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 large eggs 
  • ½ cup butter softened
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1½ cup mashed overripe banana (about 3 medium bananas, measure it out)
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple in juice (not drained)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup chopped pecans toasted (don’t skip this!)
  • 1 pineapple (optional for decorating)

Frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Hummingbird Cake

  • Preheat oven to 325℉. Prepare 9" pans with parchment and non stick spray on the bottom and sides.
    Three round cake pans lined on the bottom with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
    Glass bowl with whisked dry ingredients. Whisk on the side.
  • Add eggs, softened butter, and oil, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
    Glass mixing bowl with wet ingredients combined with a whisk.
  • Stir in vanilla, bananas, pineapple, and toasted pecans.
    Glass mixing bowl with Hummingbird Cake batter.
  • Divide batter evenly among 3 cake pans.
    Three cake pans with cake batter.
  • Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes.
    Three cake pans with baked Hummingbird cake.
  • Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely, about 1 hour.
    Cooling rack with three baked Hummingbird Cakes.
  • Stack the cakes with a thin layer of cream cheese frosting in between.
    Three layers of Hummingbird Cake with frosting between each layer.
  • Frost entire outside of the cake and smooth with knife or decorating spatula.
    Spreading frosting with a spatula on top of a Hummingbird Cake.
  • Pipe details on the top of the cake. This is the part you can get creative and make it how ever dress up or dressed down as you like.
    Pipping cream cheese decorative swirls on top of Hummingbird Cake.
  • Add chopped roasted pecans and dried pineapples on top. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
    Whole Hummingbird Cake from the top view on a cake stand. Topped with cream cheese frosting, toasted pecans and dried pineapple flowers.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Combine the cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and mix for 2 mixtures on high speed.
    Cream cheese frosting in a mixing bowl with a mixing whisk on the side.
  • If the frosting is too thick, add milk to thin as needed. You will want the frosting thick if you plan to do any piping on the top or sides of the cake.

Pineapple Flowers

  • Cut outside of pineapple off and slice pineapple into really thin circles.
    Thinly sliced pineapple on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Bake at 200℉ for 1.5 to 2 hours, flipping them half way, until they have no more moisture. Place in a cupcake pan while they are still warm to create the flower shape. Allow to cool.
    Dried pineapple slices cooling in a cupcake pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 664kcal | Carbohydrates: 95g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 551mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 72g | Vitamin A: 907IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 1mg