A hummingbird cake is a classic Southern cake made with pineapple and banana in an oil-based batter with chopped pecans. Some make it with coconut and others add some grated carrots too! In the US, it is served with a delicious cream cheese frosting. I believe a hummingbird cake recipe was first submitted to Southern Living magazine in February 1978 in Greensboro, North Carolina by Mrs. L.H.Wiggins. It then became one of the most popular recipes of the time. This cake is said to be most likely originated in Jamaica, known as Doctor Bird Cake, which is a nickname for Jamaica’s national bird. Apparently, it was said this cake is sweet enough to attract even a hummingbird.
Why make this hummingbird cake?
Not many cakes can claim to be Southwestern. And not many can claim to be bursting with fresh and zesty flavor and also easy to make. This hummingbird cake recipe is all three. It is the most deliciously moist cake with so many amazing flavors from crushed pineapple, mashed banana, coconut, and pecans. And most of the ingredients are easy to find or pantry staples. The batter itself takes just 10 minutes to make and the cake takes another 50 minutes to bake. Today, I am making it in a tube pan but you can make 3 x 9-inch round cake pans to make a hummingbird layer cake. I am using an electric mixer, and I highly recommend you use a stand mixer or hand mixer as it makes it easier to whip the oil, creating a nice emulsion with the eggs. Having said that, a large bowl with a whisk works just as well.
Ingredients and substitutes
Oil – While butter would be very flavorful, the oil-based batter keeps the cake moist. I prefer to use a flavorless cooking oil to ensure the cake does not have a strong smell from the oil. Sugar – I am using a combination of both white sugar and brown sugar. You can use all white or brown. But I do like the slight caramel flavor the molasses in the brown sugar adds to the cake. Flour – Simple all-purpose flour works best for cakes with fresh fruits and vegetables. Unlike cake or pastry flour, all-purpose adds stability and prevents the cake from crumbling too much. Fruits – Traditionally, mashed banana and chopped pineapples are used. But some like adding grated carrots too. And if you do, substitute some of the banana and pineapple with carrots, so the final amount remains the same. Spices – A little cinnamon and nutmegs works great in this cake. But you can also add pumpkin spice, gingerbread spice or chai spice in fall. Vanilla – I am using vanilla bean paste but you can use 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or subsitute some of the sugar for vanilla sugar.
Step-by-step: How to make Hummingbird Cake
Oven – Preheat the oven at 325°F/ 165°C/ Gas Mark 3. Spray and flour a 10-inch tube pan or grease and line with parchment paper 3 x 9-inch round cake pans.Pro tip – You can also use a 12-cup bundt pan or 2 x 9-inch cake pans for a two-layer cake.
Dry ingredients – In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and grated nutmeg. Set aside. Fruits – In a small bowl, mash the bananas and crush the pineapple slices making sure to save all the juices. And set aside.Pro tip – Mash the bananas only when you are almost ready to use them. Otherwise, they will start to change color due to oxidization.
Wet ingredients – In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the whole eggs for a minute. Then, add both the white and brown sugars. Whip until light and foamy. Then, gradually add the oil while whipping continuously.Pro tip – Adding the oil gradually will prevent the eggs from splitting and help emulsify.
Combine – Next, add the mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, coconut, chopped pecans, and vanilla extract. Combine well. Then, add the flour mixture and combine well again but do not over mix.Pro tip – We do not want to activate the gluten in our flour, so do not overmix the batter once you add the flour.
Bake – Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan or pans. Bake one large tube or bundt cake for 50 to 60 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.Pro tip – If baking 3 x 9-inch cake pans, bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.Pro tip – Do not frost the cake while it is still warm otherwise the frosting will melt.
Cream cheese frosting
In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth (You can also use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment).Pro tip – For a 3 layer cake, you will need to double the frosting recipe.
Assemble
Invert the cake on a serving platter bottom side up. Using a tablespoon, add a generous amount of frosting on top and sprinkle more chopped pecans.Pro tip – For a layer cake you will need to add the frosting between layers, as well as the top, and around the cake. This cake will stay at room temperature for a few hours before serving. The unfrosted cake will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Tips for success
Use flavorless vegetable oil so it does not overpower the flavor of the other ingredients. Start with all ingredients at room temperature. And whip the eggs and sugar until light and foamy. Add the oil gradually so it does not separate the protein in the eggs. Use ripe if not overripe bananas as they are sweet and mash beautifully. Add the pineapple with the juices so the cake is moist and flavorful. You can also use fresh coconut flakes or desiccated coconut in this recipe. Both work great. And chop the pecan finely, larger pieces make the cake quite crumbly.
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