Hummingbird Cake is a two-layer Southern classic built on mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, toasted pecans, and warm cinnamon, finished with a tangy cream cheese frosting. The batter comes together in one bowl with a whisk — no special equipment needed. It’s the cake to make when you want something genuinely impressive that doesn’t require a lot of fuss.
Why this recipe works
The fruit does the heavy lifting here. Mashed bananas and crushed pineapple — juice included — add so much moisture that the crumb stays dense and tender even after a day or two at room temperature. Because the batter is oil-based rather than butter-based, you also skip the creaming step entirely; everything gets stirred together by hand, which means less risk of overworking the gluten and a more forgiving result. The two sugars (granulated and light brown) aren’t interchangeable — the brown sugar adds a mild molasses note that keeps the flavor from tasting flat, so use both.
Ingredient notes
- Bananas: The riper the better. Heavily spotted or nearly black bananas are sweeter and mash more smoothly, which distributes flavor more evenly through the crumb.
- Crushed pineapple: Use the whole can, juice and all. Draining it would cost you moisture and sweetness the recipe is built around.
- Vegetable oil: Any neutral oil works — canola, sunflower, or refined coconut oil if you want a faint coconut note.
- Cream cheese: Full-fat block cream cheese only. The spreadable kind sold in tubs has added stabilizers and water; it makes the frosting loose and harder to spread cleanly.
- Heavy cream in the frosting: Two tablespoons is enough to loosen the frosting to a spreadable consistency. Add it gradually — you can always add more, but you can’t take it back.
Make-ahead notes
The unfrosted cake layers can be baked up to two days ahead. Wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap once fully cool and store at room temperature. The frosting can be made up to three days ahead and kept in an airtight container in the fridge; let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes and give it a quick stir before spreading. Once assembled and frosted, the cake keeps well in the fridge for up to four days — cover it loosely so the frosting doesn’t pick up fridge odors. For longer storage, freeze unfrosted layers for up to two months; thaw overnight in the fridge still wrapped.
Common problems and fixes
- Layers dome or crack on top: This usually means the oven runs hot. Check with an oven thermometer and drop the temperature by 10–15°F if needed. A domed top also makes stacking trickier — use a serrated knife to level the layers before frosting.
- Batter looks lumpy: That’s normal. Mashed bananas are never perfectly smooth, and overmixing to fix it will toughen the crumb. Stop stirring once you no longer see dry flour.
- Frosting slides off the sides: The cake wasn’t fully cool. Even slightly warm layers will melt the cream cheese frosting. If you’re in a hurry, put the layers in the fridge for 20 minutes before frosting.
- Cake sticks to the pan: Greasing and flouring is specified for a reason — parchment rounds on the bottom add extra insurance. Cut circles to fit, press them in after greasing, then grease the parchment too.
- Pecans sink to the bottom: This happens when the nuts are added to a thin batter. Toasting them first (which this recipe calls for) helps slightly, but the denser fruit batter here generally holds them in place — skip the garnish though, since pressed pecan halves on frosting tend to slide off by the time you serve it.
Hummingbird Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch cake pans
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
For the Cake Batter:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 0.75 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure
- 8 ounces crushed pineapple with juice
- 1.5 cups mashed ripe bananas about 3 large bananas
- 1 cup chopped pecans toasted
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
For Optional Garnish:
- 0.5 cup toasted pecan halves for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the eggs, oil, vanilla extract, crushed pineapple (with juice), mashed bananas, and chopped pecans to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined; do not overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and allow to cool completely.
- To prepare the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Gradually add in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy cream, beating until light and fluffy.
- Once cakes are completely cool, spread a layer of frosting on the top of one cake. Place the second cake on top, and frost the top and sides of the cake. Optionally, decorate with toasted pecan halves.
Notes
Tammy’s Tips:Â
- For added flavor, try using roasted pecans for a more robust taste, or substitute walnuts if preferred.
- A dash of nutmeg can add a warm undertone to the cake as well.
- If you prefer a lighter icing, gradually incorporate more cream into the frosting mixture.
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I use frozen bananas?
Yes — thawed frozen bananas work well and are often riper and sweeter than fresh ones. Drain off any liquid that collects as they thaw before mashing, otherwise the batter gets too wet.
Can I bake this as a single-layer sheet cake instead of two rounds?
You can. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 9×13-inch pan and bake at 350°F for 35–40 minutes, checking with a toothpick at 35. You’ll have frosting to spare, so use what you need and refrigerate the rest.
My cream cheese frosting is too soft to spread without tearing the cake — what do I do?
Refrigerate the frosting for 15–20 minutes until it firms up slightly, then try again. If it’s still too soft, the cream cheese or butter may have been too warm when beaten — chilling is the fastest fix without adding more sugar.
Do I have to toast the pecans, or can I skip it?
Toasting is worth the five minutes — it deepens the flavor and keeps the nuts from tasting raw inside the finished cake. Spread them on a dry baking sheet and toast at 350°F for 5–7 minutes, shaking once halfway through.
If you liked this one
- Southern Classic Pecan Pie
- Caramelized Banana Tart
- Tropical Coconut Tres Leches Cake
- Soft and Sweet Banana Bread Cookies