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    Home » Recipes » Cakes, Cupcakes & Frosting

    Hummingbird Cake

    Published: March 16, 2022 · Updated: March 16, 2022 · By: Krissy · 6 Comments
    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Hummingbird Cake with cream cheese frosting is a moist and delicious homemade layer cake full of tropical banana, pineapple and coconut flavors!

    Is there anything better than a homemade cake? I say no... especially when it tastes like the tropics! Scroll down to see tons of detailed step-by-step photos on how to make this recipe.

    old fashioned hummingbird cake

    Why you will love this recipe:

    • Tropical flavors: This cake combines banana, pineapple, and even the flavor of coconut to create the most delicious, moist, old fashioned cake.
    • Super moist: Hummingbird Cake is so moist is because you use just as much fruit as you do flour. Also, because oil is used instead of butter, the cake is light and fluffy.
    • Easy to make: Whether you're an expert baker or a beginner, this recipe is easy to make and difficult to mess up. Since the cream cheese frosting can be made while the cake is baking in the oven, the entire recipe doesn't take much time.
    hummingbird cake with dried pineapple and pecans

    Why is it called a Hummingbird Cake?

    One of my food heroes, Jamie Oliver, shared the information:

    The giveaway to the Hummingbird cake’s birthplace, however, is in the key ingredients – bananas and pineapple. Hopefully you’re already thinking of the Caribbean, and it’s thought to have been invented in Jamaica, probably in the late ‘60s.

    Originally, it was called the “Doctor bird cake”, a nickname for a Jamaican variety of hummingbird called the Red-billed Streamertail. The name came from the way the bird’s long beak probes flowers, like a doctor inspecting a patient. So what does that have to do with a pineapple and banana cake? Some say the cake was named after the bird because it was sweet enough to attract hummingbirds (who eat only nectar), while others say the yellow streaks of banana was reminiscent of the bird’s plumage. Either way, the Doctor bird was about to take flight.

    If you have heard of a hummingbird cake, it's most likely because it was originally printed in Southern Living magazine and has become a favorite dessert of the south.

    slice of hummingbird cake

    Ingredients needed:

    Exact quantities are listed in the recipe card below, but here is a summary.

    • Cake: Flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, salt, banana, pineapple, eggs, coconut oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, pecans
    • Frosting: Cream cheese, butter, vanilla, confectioners sugar
    ingredients to make hummingbird cake

    How to make Hummingbird Cake:

    Detailed step by step instructions are listed in the recipe card below, but here is a summary.

    Step 1: Toast the pecans

    Place the raw pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven. When they're cool, chop them into small pieces.

    pecans on baking sheet
    toasted pecans on baking sheet

    Step 2: Mix the cake batter

    1. Mix ingredients: Combine the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. Incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix in the toasted pecans.
    2. Add to pans: Pour even amounts of the Hummingbird Cake batter into three prepared cake pans and bake in preheated oven.
    mixing dry ingredients for cake
    combine dry ingredients
    mixing wet ingredients for cake
    combine wet ingredients
    adding wet ingredients to dry
    add wet ingredients to dry
    cake batter in bowl
    mix batter
    adding pecans to cake batter
    add pecans
    cake batter in cake pans
    fill cake pans

    Step 4: Make frosting

    Whip together the cream cheese and butter. Mix in vanilla. Incorporate the powdered sugar until the frosting is completely mixed. The frosting should be light and fluffy.

    whipped cream cheese
    adding vanilla to cream cheese
    cream cheese and vanilla
    adding powdered sugar to cream cheese
    making cream cheese frosting
    cream cheese frosting in bowl

    Step 5: Decorate cake

    Once the cake has cooled, everything can be assembled. Spread the frosting in between the two cake layers, reserving enough to coat the top and sides of the cake. Top with remaining chopped pecans and some pumpkin pie spice.

    adding frosting to cake
    spreading frosting on cake
    layering cake with frosting
    topping cake with nuts

    Baking tips for best results:

    • Substitutions: Melted butter or lite olive oil can be used in place of the melted coconut oil. Fresh pineapple can be used in place of canned. Cinnamon can be used in place of pumpkin pie spice. Walnuts make a great substitution for pecans, or the nuts can be omitted altogether.
    • Storage: To remain moist, cake should be covered or stored in air tight container. Hummingbird cake can be left out at room temperature for a short period of time, but any leftovers should be kept in the refrigerator.
    • Sheet pan: This recipe is meant to make a large layered cake using three 9-inch round cake pans. If you'd like to bake it as a sheet cake, you will need a deep 9x13-inch pan or something even longer and cooking times may be extended.
    close up of hummingbird cake

    If you’ve made this or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out. I love hearing from my readers!

    You can also follow along on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes to satisfy any foodie craving!

    frosted cake with pecans

    Hummingbird Cake

    Hummingbird Cake with cream cheese frosting is a moist and delicious homemade layer cake full of tropical banana, pineapple and coconut flavors!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 28 minutes
    Total Time: 48 minutes
    Scale: 12 servings
    Recipe Created By: Krissy Allori

    Ingredients

    Cake:

    • 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 2 cups banana (roughly 4 very ripe bananas, mashed)
    • 8 ounces crushed pineapple (one 8-oz can, juice included)
    • 3 large eggs (room temperature)
    • ⅔ cup coconut oil (melted)
    • 1 cup golden brown sugar (packed)
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1 ½ cups pecans (toasted, chopped)

    Frosting:

    • 8 ounces cream cheese (one 8-oz package, softened)
    • ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 16 ounces confectioners sugar (approximately 4 cups)

    Garnish for top:

    • ¾ cup pecans (toasted, roughly crushed)
    • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

    Instructions

    to make the cake:

    • Toast pecans: Spread 2 ¼ cups raw pecans (for the cake and garnish) in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and toast in 300°F oven for 8-10 minutes, stirring once. You'll know they're done when you can smell them. Allow pecans to cool before using. Chop or crush into small pieces.
      toasted pecans on baking sheet
    • Prep oven and pans: Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and lightly flour three 9-inch cake pans.
    • Dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Attach the paddle attachment.
      mixing dry ingredients for cake
    • Wet ingredients: Mix the banana, pineapple, eggs, coconut oil, sugars, and vanilla in a medium bowl.
      mixing wet ingredients for cake
    • Mix: Pour half of the wet ingredients into dry ingredients and beat on low speed to combine and then on high speed for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add remaining wet ingredients and mix on medium until fully combined. Stir in 1 ½ cups of the chopped toasted pecan pieces.
      adding pecans to cake batter
    • Bake: Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Rotate pans halfway through baking. Cool in pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes. As soon as they are cool enough to touch with your hands, remove cakes from pans and transfer to wire racks. Allow to cool completely, about 1 hour.
      freshly baked cake in cake pans

    to make the frosting:

    • Beat: Using your stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese and butter on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
      whipped cream cheese
    • Mix: Add vanilla and mix. Add the confectioner's sugar one cup at a time and mix on medium speed until fully incorporated. Okay to beat on high speed at the end to make it extra light and fluffy.
      adding powdered sugar to cream cheese

    Assemble the cake:

    • Frost: Place the first cake round on a serving platter. Spread a layer of frosting on top. Place the second cake round on top of that and frost. Top with the final cake round and cover the top and sides with remaining frosting.
      spreading frosting on cake
    • Garnish: Top with remaining pecan pieces and pumpkin pie spice. Dried pineapple or banana also make a nice garnish.
      topping cake with nuts

    Notes

    Serving size based on one slice with frosting if the cake is cut into 12 equal portions.
    Substitutions: Melted butter or lite olive oil can be used in place of the melted coconut oil. Fresh pineapple can be used in place of canned. Cinnamon can be used in place of pumpkin pie spice. Walnuts make a great substitution for pecans, or the nuts can be omitted altogether.

    NUTRITION INFORMATION

    Calories: 811kcal | Carbohydrates: 107g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 288mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 76g | Vitamin A: 600IU | Vitamin C: 5.2mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 2.6mg
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    This recipe was originally published in July 2018 and has been updated with helpful information, ingredient and process photos, as well as recipe tips. Don't worry - the recipe hasn't changed!

    Kitchen tools needed:

    • Baking sheet for toasting the pecans
    • Whisk for combining dry and wet ingredients
    • Measuring spoons
    • Stand mixer with paddle attachment for mixing the cake batter and frosting
    • 9-inch cake pans
    • Cooling rack for when cakes come out of the oven

    Love homemade cake recipes?

    You'll definitely want to try these:

    • Pound Cake
    • Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe
    • How to Make Angel Food Cake
    • Texas Sheet Cake
    • Super Moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Lemon Cupcakes
    • The Best Chocolate Cupcakes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Katie

      January 17, 2020 at 7:43 pm

      Hummingbird cake is SO good! I can't wait to try this recipe!

      Reply
    2. Sarah

      January 17, 2020 at 6:57 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for a party, and it was a big hit!

      Reply
    3. stephanie

      January 17, 2020 at 4:52 pm

      5 stars
      This cake was amazing i made it for my husbands birthday and he loved it as well as the family.

      Reply
    4. Martha Boccalini

      July 16, 2018 at 5:39 pm

      I have never heard of
      Hummingbird cake. What is the origin? Thanks

      Reply
      • Krissy

        July 21, 2018 at 6:06 am

        Hi Martha, I think I talk about it in the post above!

        Reply
    5. Emily

      July 16, 2018 at 9:11 am

      Krissy you've got my mouth watering!! If we didn't already have a perfectly planned menu for our tea party tomorrow, I'd likely be squeezing this in somewhere ; P

      Reply

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