Hummingbird Cake
Studded with pineapple chunks, bananas, crunchy pecans, and coated in a tangy cream cheese frosting, hummingbird cake is an opulent dessert that’s been a mainstay of Southern tables since the 1970s.
Though hummingbird cake is an American classic, it hails from Jamaica and is also known as the Dr. Bird cake—its name is a nod to the island’s national bird, the red-billed streamertail, who locals refer to as Dr. Bird. This type of hummingbird has a long beak that appears to examine flowers the way a doctor might examine a patient; further, the black crest and tails of the bird resemble the top hat and long tailcoats doctors once wore. Writing for Epicurious, Riaz Phillips notes that the cake gained popularity after the Jamaican Tourist Board distributed a recipe to local newspapers to promote the island’s local bananas and pineapples.
By the mid 1970s, the treat made its way to the U.S., where it more popularly took on the nickname hummingbird cake—a fitting name for a cake sweet enough to attract hummingbirds. Its popularity soared after Southern Living published a reader-submitted recipe for the cake in 1978, and today, the 45-year-old recipe remains one of the magazine’s most popular recipes of all time.
Retro Hummingbird Cake
from https://www.seriouseats.com/, Nicole Hopper
When Serious Eats asked our colleague Nicole Hopper, a seasoned recipe developer, to create a new hummingbird cake recipe for us, we knew we wanted it to be true to the original. But we also wanted to pack in as much sweet banana and pineapple flavor as possible without being cloying or stodgy, as some hummingbird cakes can be.
Hopper delivered, with a simple, delicious cake that gets a big tropical kick from mashed and chopped bananas and crushed pineapple, with fragrant toasted pecans for crunch and a tart cream cheese frosting to balance the sweetness of the cake. I’d happily have a slice of it—frosted or unfrosted—with a cup of coffee every afternoon if I could.
For the Cake:
Nonstick baking spray with flour
113g raw pecan halves (4 ounces; 1 cup), plus more for decorating [I saw one recipe that uses 3/4 cup pecans & 1/4 cup black walnuts]
350g granulated sugar (12 1/4 ounces; 1 3/4 cups)
200g neutral oil, such as vegetable (1 cup; 240ml)
3 large large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Two 8-ounce cans crushed pineapple in juice, undrained (about 1 3/4 cup)
4 small overripe bananas (about 4 1/2 ounces; 125g each unpeeled)
345g bleached cake flour (about 12 ounces; 3 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
For the Frosting:
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
226g unsalted butter (8 ounces; 1 cup), at room temperature
400g powdered sugar (14 ounces; 3 1/2 cups), sifted
1 tablespoon (15ml) reserved pineapple juice (see below)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Prepare the Cakes: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (175ºC). Lightly grease three 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray and line with parchment. Set aside.
Spread pecan halves in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until fragrant and toasted, about 8 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then chop finely (pieces no larger than ¼-inch). Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Drain 1 tablespoon of juice from crushed pineapple; set aside for Frosting.
Chop 2 of the bananas into small pieces (about 1 cup), and mash the other two (about 2/3 cup). Add chopped and mashed bananas to sugar mixture along with remaining crushed pineapple and its juice. Using a flexible spatula, stir to combine. In another large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and allspice until evenly combined.
Pour sugar mixture into flour mixture and, using the same spatula, gently fold until only a few streaks of flour remain. Fold in reserved toasted chopped pecans until evenly dispersed. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans (about 650g or 23 ounces per pan). Gently tap pans on counter to smooth batter and release any air bubbles.
Bake until cakes are golden on top, spring back gently to the touch, and an instant read thermometer inserted in the center registers 200°F (93ºC), 25 to 28 minutes.
Cool cakes in their pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Run an offset spatula or butter knife around edges of cakes, then invert cake onto a plate and transfer back to rack to cool completely, parchment-side down, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Prepare the Frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or, using an electric hand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Reduce mixer speed to low, and gradually add powdered sugar, beating until fully incorporated after each addition. Add reserved 1 tablespoon pineapple juice and vanilla, and increase mixer speed to medium-high; beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
Using a serrated knife, level cakes if necessary and set the scraps aside for snacking. Remove and discard parchment paper. Place 1 layer, top-side-up, on a turntable. If you like, a waxed cardboard cake round can first be placed underneath, secured to the turntable with a scrap of damp paper towel. Top with 1 cup frosting, using an offset spatula to spread it evenly from edge to edge. Repeat with the second and third layers, placing the cake layers bottom-side up, then cover the top and sides of the cake with a very thin layer of frosting to form a crumb coat. Refrigerate, uncovered, until frosting is mostly set, 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove cake from refrigerator. Using an offset spatula, cover cake with remaining frosting, spreading it as smoothly as you can over top and sides of cake. Decorate with pecans, as desired.
Serves 10 to 12
Hummingbird Cake
from https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/
Another recipe says you can stir in 1 cup shredded coconut to the cake batter for extra flavor.
I adapted this recipe from Southern Living magazine; though it was delicious as-is, we loved the cake with a little less oil and banana (so it tastes less like dense banana bread and more like a moist cake), plus a little more leavening and vanilla. We also reduced the total amount of sugar, and incorporated brown sugar and allspice into the mix.
2 cups (250g) chopped pecans, toasted
3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (226g/240ml) vegetable oil (or avocado oil)
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar [1 1/2 c. if don't use brown sugar]
1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar [omit?]
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups (345g) mashed bananas (about 3 large ripe bananas)
one 8-ounce can (226g) crushed pineapple (do not drain)
Cream Cheese Frosting
16 ounces (452g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
4 cups (480g) confectioners’ sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt, to taste
Toast the nuts: Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Spread the chopped pecans (or walnuts) on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 6–8 minutes, or until fragrant. Give the pan a shake halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10–15 minutes.
Turn the oven temperature up to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
Make the cake: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt together. In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs and oil together. Whisk in the sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Finally, whisk in the mashed banana and crushed pineapple.
Pour the banana/pineapple mixture into dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Fold in 1 and 1/2 cups toasted pecans. (Save the rest for garnish.) You should have around 6 to 7 cups of batter.
Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans. Bake for about 26–29 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove cakes from the oven. Cool the cakes in the pans set on a cooling rack for 1 hour. Run a knife around the edges to help loosen the sides, remove the cakes from the pans, peel off the parchment, and place on the rack to finish cooling. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes until completely combined and creamy. If the frosting seems a bit thin and runny, refrigerate it for 30 minutes before using.
Assemble the cake: (For extra help with this step, see this video & post on how to assemble a layer cake.) First, using a large serrated knife or cake leveler, slice a thin layer off the top of each cake to create a flat surface. Place a cake layer on your cake turntable, cake stand, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with 3/4 to 1 cup (180–240g) of the frosting. Top with the second cake layer, upside down, and spread the same amount of frosting as on the first layer. Top with the third layer, right side up, and spread the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Garnish with the remaining toasted nuts (I applied them around the bottom of the cake and a few on top). Refrigerate the cake for at least 20 minutes and up to 4 hours before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I like to use a cake carrier for storing and transporting.
Yield: serves 12
This recipe also fits into a bundt pan, though the bake time will be long—55-65 minutes. Use a toothpick to test for doneness. There is too much batter for a 9×13-inch pan, but a 12×17-inch sheet pan would be perfect. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, keep a close eye to not over-bake.
One person made 34 cupcakes from a similar recipe.
