Hummingbird Cake

Name: Hummingbird Cake
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Southern American
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 2 cups granulated sugar; 1 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp salt; 4 large eggs, lightly beaten; 1.5 cups vegetable oil; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 2 cups very ripe bananas, mashed; 8 oz crushed pineapple with juice, undrained; 1 cup pecans, chopped; 8 oz cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 4 cups powdered sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract (for frosting)

A beloved Southern layer cake packed with mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, and pecans, frosted with a luscious cream cheese icing. Moist, fragrant, and guaranteed to impress at any gathering.

80 minMediumServes 12680 cal/serving

Southern AmericanDessertOvenVegetarianLow-SodiumPork-FreeNightshade-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1.5 cups vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups very ripe bananas, mashed
8 oz crushed pineapple with juice, undrained
1 cup pecans, chopped
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (for frosting)

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
2

In a large bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1 tsp salt.
3

Add 4 lightly beaten large eggs and 1.5 cups vegetable oil to the dry ingredients. Stir until just moistened - do not use a mixer.
4

Fold in 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 cups mashed very ripe bananas, 8 oz undrained crushed pineapple with juice, and half the 1 cup chopped pecans.
5

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6

Make the frosting: beat 8 oz softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter together until fluffy. Gradually mix in 4 cups powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract (for frosting) until smooth.
7

Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a generous layer of frosting over the top. Set the second layer on top and frost the top and sides. Press the remaining pecans around the top edge or sides.
8

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Slice and serve at room temperature.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The Southern American Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

What is Hummingbird Cake?

A beloved Southern layer cake packed with mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, and pecans, frosted with a luscious cream cheese icing. Moist, fragrant, and guaranteed to impress at any gathering. This reference files it under Southern American dessert: made in the oven, rated medium and about 80 minutes start to finish.

What oven temperature does Hummingbird Cake need?

For Hummingbird Cake, the oven is set to 350 F (about 175 C) in step 1. The longest stretch at that heat is 35 minutes, in step 5.

Is there a substitute for powdered sugar in Hummingbird Cake?

The entry for Hummingbird Cake calls for 4 cups powdered sugar. In its place: Blend granulated sugar with a teaspoon of cornstarch per cup until fine.

Can I make Hummingbird Cake dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in Hummingbird Cake is 8 oz cream cheese, softened, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened. Swap the cheese for a plant-based melting cheese (expect a milder flavor); the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Is Hummingbird Cake vegan?

No, though it is vegetarian. What keeps it from vegan is 8 oz cream cheese, softened, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened and 4 large eggs, lightly beaten. For fully plant-based entries, see the vegan dessert collection.

How many calories are in Hummingbird Cake?

One serving (the recipe makes 12) is about 680 calories, with 8 g protein, 85 g carbohydrate and 22 g fat, plus 2 g fiber and 220 mg sodium. The figures are estimates computed from the ingredient list.

Can I freeze Hummingbird Cake?

Yes. Store Hummingbird Cake airtight: two to three days at room temperature or up to a week refrigerated. It freezes for up to two months; thaw at room temperature.

Serve it with

Sweet Tea drink
Mint Julep drink
Rose Sharbat drink

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.