Hummingbird Cake

This delightful hummingbird cake with tropical notes of pineapple and banana is just so dreamy and delicious. I love the tanginess of the cream cheese frosting complementing a spiced cake with the crunch of toasted pecans; basically it has everything!

By the way you can TOTALLY make these as cupcakes! I think the pineapple flowers would look darling as cupcake toppers although I have to say they’re gorgeous on the cake too.

How to Make a Hummingbird Cake

1. Set oven to 350F. Place parchment rounds in each pan and butter then flour the sides. For this recipe you can use two eight inch pans or 3 six inch pans in which case you’ll have a little batter left over for a few cupcakes. Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices into a bowl. Whisk together then set aside.

2. Peel and mash your RIPE bananas in a bowl then set aside.

3. Add the eggs, sour cream, oil, into a bowl and give a quick whisk.

4. Add the brown and white sugars then miix until well combined.

5. Add the mashed bananas, crushed pineapple and toasted pecan pieces to the wet mixture and mix until combined.

6. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix until combined. Distribute the batter evenly into the pans and bake at 350F for about 40 minutes.

7. While the cakes are baking you can whip up some delicious cream cheese frosting. Cream the room temperature butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Add the vanilla and a pinch of salt if desired.  I’m using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment but you can easily use an electric hand mixer as well.

8. Add the confectioners sugar a few cups at a time. Beat on low and scrape down the bowl a few times. You can add more or less sugar to taste although the frosting will be stiffer with a bit more sugar in, which can help when decorating a layer cake.

9. Once your layers have cooled it’s time to assemble! Add some buttercream to a piping bag and cover the first layer in buttercream. Add the second layer on and repeat. Cover the exterior in buttercream and then it’s time to smooth.

10. Smooth the top then the side. This is much easier with a turntable but you can give the cake a rough smooth without one.

11. Press some toasted chopped pecans onto the lower third of the cake’s side.

12. Add a dollop of buttercream on top of the cake then place the pineapple flowers on top. You can add edible flowers instead if they’re available at the market but I do love the look of these beautiful pineapple flowers. If you haven’t made them before it’s petty easy. I’ve included instructions on how to make them below!

How to Make Pineapple Flowers

1. Cut the top and bottom off of your pineapple then cut the skin off. It’s best to remove the “eyes” with a small knife or soon. Use a Sharp knife to cut very thin slices of pineapple. It’s not the easiest thing to cut pineapple slices that are thin but don’t fall apart so you can cut them a little thicker then fix things in the next step.

2. Place a slice of pineapple on a cutting board and carefully use your knife to whittle down the slice. You really want them as thin as possible.

3. After your slices are cut it’s time to remove as much of the moisture inside as possible. Press each slice between paper towels and really press to remove as much water as possible. Carefully peel the pineapple off the paper and place it on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. Repeat the process for all the slices you’re making.

Bake for 20-30 minutes at 220F. Flip the slices then bake another 20 minutes and repeat until the pineapple slices have shrunk and darkened slightly. Time will depend on how thin your slices are and how much water you removed and can vary from 30 minutes to 2 hours so keep an eye on them.

4. Place your slices into the well of a mini cupcake tin and press the center down. Allow to set overnight in a dry place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I refrigerate it?

Yes, any cake with cream cheese frosting should go into the refrigerator after an hour outside. Those dairy-heavy frostings do not keep well at room temperature.

How did it get its name?

Hummingbird cake was invented in the 1960’s in Jamaica. It was originally called Dr Bird Cake, after a local variety of hummingbird. It was allegedly called a hummingbird cake because it was sweet enough to attract those nectar loving birds.

How long does it last?

This cake will keep in the fridge for about 3 days. You can cover and freeze the unfrosted cake layers for two months if you’d like to do some baking in advance. Just thaw in the fridge and allow to come to room temperature.

Can I make this as a sheet cake?

This recipe will make enough batter for a 1/4 sheet pan, which is 9×13. You may need to add 5 or so minutes to the bake time, a skewer placed in the center should come out clean and the center will also spring back when pressed gently.

Pro Tips for this Recipe

• Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake. The best, and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
• If you don’t have those ultra ripe bananas hanging around the kitchen you can bake them on a sheet for 10 minutes at 350F or until the peel darkens significantly. Allow to cool slightly then peel and mash.
• You can substitute whole milk yogurt for the sour cream if desired, I do it all the time and can’t really tell the difference.
• To get FLAT layers that are moist inside and out try using cake strips! You can buy a set on the shop page or make your own from foil and paper towels at home. I made a whole blog post on it so check it out if you’re interested!
• If your frosting is runny then add more powdered sugar a cup at a time until the consistency thickens up. You can also chill the frosting slightly so it firms up.

If you’ve tried this hummingbird cake recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!