Hummingbird Cake
Oh, you’re in for a treat! This Hummingbird Cake is what happens when banana bread and pineapple upside-down cake have a delicious love child – then dress it up with cream cheese frosting and crunchy pecans. It’s that dessert that makes people stop mid-conversation, point at their plate, and mumble “what IS this?” while reaching for seconds.
The magic of this cake lies in its perfect moisture balance – ripe bananas and juicy pineapple create an incredibly tender crumb that somehow stays light despite being packed with flavor. The subtle warmth of cinnamon ties everything together, while those toasted pecans add just the right amount of crunch against the silky cream cheese frosting. Trust me, this is the cake you’ll be asked to bring to every gathering from now on.
Ingredients
For the Hummingbird Cake:
- 2¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (225g) mashed bananas (about 2 large, very ripe bananas)
- 1 cup (200g) soft light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100g) white granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (210g) unflavored vegetable oil
- 1 cup (226g) canned crushed pineapple in juice (not syrup), undrained
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (150g) pecans, roughly chopped
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 batch cream cheese frosting
Steps
- Prepare your workspace. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) conventional (reduce to 325°F (165°C) if using a fan-forced oven). Thoroughly grease two 8×3 inch cake tins and line the bottoms with parchment paper. This prevents any sticking and makes removal much easier.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, sift together the 2¼ cups (280g) flour, ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch, 1½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, and 1½ tsp ground cinnamon. Whisk thoroughly to ensure even distribution of the leavening agents – this prevents uneven rising in your cake.
- Prepare the wet mixture. In a large bowl, mash 1 cup (225g) bananas until smooth with minimal lumps. Add 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar, ½ cup (100g) white sugar, 3 room-temperature eggs, 1 cup (210g) vegetable oil, 1 cup (226g) undrained crushed pineapple, and 2 tsp vanilla. Whisk until thoroughly combined but not overly aerated – about 30-45 seconds of vigorous whisking.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula (not a whisk), gently fold with a scooping motion from bottom to top until just combined. Stop when you no longer see dry flour streaks – overmixing will develop gluten and result in a tough cake.
- Add the pecans. Fold in 1½ cups (150g) roughly chopped pecans with just 4-5 gentle strokes of your spatula. The batter should look slightly lumpy but evenly mixed.
- Bake the cakes. Divide the batter evenly between your prepared pans (about 650g per pan if you want to be precise). Smooth the tops with an offset spatula, then firmly tap each pan on the counter 2-3 times to release large air bubbles. Bake for 38-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The top should spring back when lightly pressed and the edges will begin to pull away from the sides.
- Cool properly. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for exactly 20 minutes – this sets the structure while preventing condensation that makes them soggy. Run a thin knife around the edges, then carefully invert onto a wire cooling rack. Remove parchment and cool completely for at least 1 hour before frosting.
- Make the frosting. While the cakes cool, prepare your cream cheese frosting according to recipe instructions. Wait until the cakes are completely cool to the touch before frosting – even slight warmth will cause the frosting to melt.
- Level the cakes. Once completely cool, use a long serrated knife to trim the domed tops of each layer. Hold the knife parallel to your work surface and use a gentle sawing motion for a clean cut.
- Begin assembly. Place the first cake layer cut-side down on your serving plate or cake stand. Apply about 1 cup of cream cheese frosting to the top, spreading it evenly to the edges with an offset spatula.
- Complete the cake. Place the second layer cut-side down on top of the frosted bottom layer. Apply the remaining frosting to the top and sides, using a cake scraper to smooth the sides. For the top edge, use an offset spatula to pull the frosting from the outer edge toward the center for a clean finish.
- Decorate. Using a piping bag fitted with a 1M star tip, pipe decorative swirls around the top edge of the cake. Top each swirl with a pecan half for an elegant finish. For best flavor, let the assembled cake rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Smart Swaps
- Replace vegetable oil with melted coconut oil (1:1 ratio) for a subtle tropical flavor that enhances the pineapple
- Substitute toasted walnuts for pecans if you prefer their slightly more bitter flavor profile
- Try crushed fresh pineapple (drained to match the 226g weight) for a brighter, less sweet flavor
- Add 2 tbsp rum to the wet ingredients for an adult version with depth of flavor
Make It Diabetes-Friendly
- Replace sugars with ¾ cup (150g) allulose plus ¼ cup (50g) monk fruit sweetener to reduce carbs by approximately 38g per slice
- Substitute 1 cup (120g) almond flour and 1¼ cups (156g) whole wheat pastry flour for the all-purpose flour to lower the glycemic impact
- Use a reduced-fat cream cheese frosting with 2 tbsp Greek yogurt blended in to maintain creaminess while cutting fat
- Serve half-sized slices (60g) paired with 1 tbsp unsweetened Greek yogurt to reduce overall carb load while maintaining satisfaction
Pro Tips
- The riper your bananas (think almost black peels), the more natural sweetness and banana flavor you’ll get
- Chill the cake for 30 minutes before final frosting for cleaner edges and easier spreading
- Toast the pecans at 325°F (165°C) for 8 minutes before adding to the batter for enhanced nutty flavor
- This cake actually improves with age – make it a day ahead for even better flavor melding