Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird cake is an old-fashioned cake that's flavored with banana, pineapple, coconut, and pecans. This moist cake is a great way to use up ripe bananas.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Total Time 50

Servings servings

Calories 828kcal

Author Kate @ I Heart Eating

Equipment

3 9-inch round cake pans

Ingredients

Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar packed
½ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
8 ounce can crushed pineapple
4 ripe bananas mashed
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup full-fat buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
½ cups sweetened shredded coconut

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 ounces cream cheese softened
¾ cup butter softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6-7 cups powdered sugar
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream

Topping

½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

To make the cake, preheat oven to 350 F. Generously grease and flour the bottoms of three 9-inch round cake pans; set pans aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
Using an electric mixer (either hand or stand), beat the sugars and eggs together in a separate large mixing bowl until well-combined.
1 cup brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 3 large eggs
Add the crushed pineapples with juice, bananas, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla; mix until combined.
8 ounce can crushed pineapple, 4 ripe bananas, ½ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup full-fat buttermilk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Add the flour mixture, and mix on low speed just until evenly combined.
Stir in chopped pecans and coconut just until incorporated.
1 cup chopped pecans, ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
Divide the batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops as needed.
Bake cakes for about 20-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Remove cakes to a wire rack, and let cool to room temperature.
To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together until well-combined.
16 ounces cream cheese, ¾ cup butter
Add in 4 cups of powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 4 tablespoons of heavy cream; mix in until well-combined.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 6-7 cups powdered sugar , 4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
Continue adding ½ cup of powdered sugar at a time until the frosting has reached a thick but spreadable consistency. Add in additional heavy cream if needed to reach that consistency.
To assemble, place the bottom layer on the serving platter, and spread about 1 cup of frosting over the bottom layer.
Repeat with the second and third layers, placing the third layer flat side up.
Spread the remaining frosting on the sides of the cake.
Sprinkle the chopped pecans around the outer edge of the top layer in a circle.
½ cup chopped pecans

Notes

Flour: It's important to properly measure the flour. Either weigh the flour or sift/stir it to break it up. Lightly spoon it into a measuring cup and level. Avoid packing the flour as that will give you dry or heavy cake.
Brown sugar: Light brown sugar or dark brown sugar will work in this recipe.
Oil: Feel free to use another neutral oil like canola oil or olive oil.
Buttermilk: I recommend using full-fat buttermilk because the fat helps to make the cake moister.
Pecans: You can omit the pecans if needed.
Coconut: If you'd like to use unsweetened shredded coconut, you can.
Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe.
Nutrition values are estimates.

Nutrition