Hummingbird Cake Recipe: How to Make Hummingbird Cake
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Mar 30, 2024 • 3 min read
Hummingbird cake is a banana-pineapple spice cake with cream cheese frosting that’s popular in the South.
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What Is Hummingbird Cake?
Hummingbird cake is a fruit-and-nut layer cake that has the consistency of carrot cake and banana bread. Hummingbird cake ingredients include ripe mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, chopped pecans, and cream cheese frosting. You can garnish the cake with edible flowers, a nod to the moist cake's namesake bird.
Origins of Hummingbird Cake
Famous in the American South, hummingbird cake likely originated in Jamaica. The Jamaican version of the cake is known as doctor bird cake, after the doctor bird, or swallow-tail hummingbird, a variety of hummingbird with extra-long tail feathers.
Why Is It Called Hummingbird Cake?
How exactly this cake became associated with hummingbirds is not known for sure. It may be that the cake is sweet enough for a hummingbird—hummingbirds eat sweet nectar—or it may simply be a reference to Jamaica's national bird.
How to Make Hummingbird Cake
If you can make banana bread, you can make a show-stopping hummingbird cake. Follow these steps to bake a hummingbird cake:
- 1. Make the cake batter. Hummingbird cake is essentially a spiced banana cake, so make sure you have three very ripe bananas on hand before beginning this recipe. Making the batter is the same as any quick bread: You must fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- 2. Bake the cakes. Bake each layer until golden brown; a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean. Let the layers cool completely before frosting—if you try to frost a warm cake, the frosting will melt.
- 3. Make the cream cheese frosting. While you wait for the cakes to cool, make the cream cheese frosting by beating together butter, cream cheese, and confectioners' sugar using an electric mixer.
- 4. Frost the cake. Hummingbird cake is dense, which makes it easier for the layers to hold together. You'll still want a generous layer of frosting between each cake layer. The remaining frosting can go on the outside of the cake.
Classic Hummingbird Cake Recipe
makes
prep time
1 hrtotal time
1 hr 30 mincook time
30 minIngredients
For the cake:
For the frosting:
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 2
Grease three 9-inch round cake pans with butter or cooking spray, and line with parchment paper.
- 3
Grease the parchment paper and lightly flour the cake pans.
- 4
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, allspice, cinnamon, and baking soda.
- 5
In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, mashed bananas, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
- 6
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
- 7
Fold in the crushed pineapple, pineapple juice, and pecans.
- 8
Divide the batter between the prepared pans.
- 9
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake layer comes out clean, about 25–30 minutes.
- 10
Cool the cakes on wire racks in their tins for 10 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the wire racks to cool completely.
- 11
While the cake layers are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting.
- 12
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-low speed until smooth.
- 13
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar.
- 14
After incorporating all the powdered sugar, add the vanilla extract and increase the mixer speed to medium-high.
- 15
Continue to beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- 16
Place one cake layer upside-down on a serving platter and spread the top with cream cheese frosting. Repeat with the remaining layers.
- 17
Spread the remaining frosting over the sides of the cake.
- 18
Decorate with dried pineapple, chopped pecans, and/or edible flowers.
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