Hummingbird Cake

5 from 3 votes

This classic Hummingbird Cake recipe is perfect for any special occasion or celebration. It's perfectly moist, with juicy pineapple, sweet banana, warm cinnamon, and crunchy pecans throughout and a thick vanilla cream cheese frosting between each of the layers and more pecans on top.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 890kcal

Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups mashed banana, (about 3-4 ripe bananas or 460g)
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, juice included (1 cup)
3 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chopped pecans, divided

Frosting

12 Tablespoons salted butter, softened
12 Tablespoons cream cheese, softened
5 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
Combine bananas, pineapple, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Mix well.
Add the flour mixture and 1 cup of chopped pecans to the wet ingredients. Mix on medium-low speed or stir by hand just until the ingredients are evenly moistened.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the three prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake layers comes out clean or with just a few crumbs on it. Cool in the cake pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Frosting

Beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until combined and smooth.
Place the bottom cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Frost with a generous amount of the cream cheese frosting. Add the next layer and repeat, followed by the final cake layer.
Do a crumb coat by lighting frosting the top and sides of the cake with some, but not all, of the remaining frosting. Transfer the cake to a freezer for 15-20 minutes to help set the frosting. Then frost the cake top and sides with the remaining frosting. Decorate the top of the cake with the remaining 1 cup of chopped pecans.

Notes

Storage: Store leftover cake (if you have any!) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze: To freeze the layers, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or store them in airtight containers and freeze them for up to 2 months. Defrost them in the refrigerator overnight. If you freeze frosting, defrost it in the fridge and whisk in a splash of milk to make it smooth again.
Nuts: You can use walnuts or even peanuts in place of the pecans.

Nutrition