Hummingbird Cake

A Southern gem that boasts three incredibly moist layers flavored with canned pineapple and bananas.

The Story

The Hummingbird Cake Story

I first experienced cake in 1992 during my many visits to Atlanta, and it was one of the many things that made me fall in love with the city. This is an incredibly easy cake to make, and if you are a fan of pecans or walnuts, it is love at first bite. Like its origins, the cake is moist, fruity, and flavorful. This is a family favorite and is easy to make.

Created in Jamaica, where the dessert is known as the Doctor Bird Cake (or Dr. Bird cake), it is named after the island’s national bird, the Scissor-tailed Hummingbird (locally known as the Doctor Bird). In 1968, the Jamaica Tourist Board exported the recipe for hummingbird cake, along with other local Jamaican recipes, in press kits sent to the United States. The marketing was aimed at American consumers to create interest in visiting the island. One of the first known publications of the recipe in US print, as written by L.H. Wiggins, was in the February 1978 issue of Southern Living. The recipe was a hit with readers and won the Favorite Cake Award later that same year at the Kentucky State Fair. It was later voted Southern Living’s favorite recipe in 1990 and was noted as the most requested recipe in the magazine’s history. The Southern cake typically has two or three layers with pecans (or walnuts), mashed ripe bananas, canned crushed pineapple, and a sweet cream cheese frosting.

Hummingbird Cake

Annette Law

A Southern gem that boasts three incredibly moist layers flavored with canned pineapple and bananas.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 12 people

Calories 687 kcal

Equipment

• 3 round cake pans
• 1 skillet

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Ingredients

  

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Cake Layers:

• ▢ 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for pans
• ▢ 2 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp. table salt
• ▢ 1 tsp. baking soda
• ▢ 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ▢ 3 large eggs lightly beaten
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
• ▢ 2 cups chopped bananas about 4 medium bananas
• ▢ 1 cup chopped pecans toasted
• ▢ Vegetable shortening

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• ▢ 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• ▢ 4 cups powdered sugar (16 oz bag or box)
• ▢ 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• ▢ Additional Ingredient:
• ▢ 1 cup pecan halves toasted

Instructions

 

Toast the pecan pieces and halves

• Place the pecan in a skillet with 2 tablespoons of butter. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring the pecans frequently to avoid burning. Ensure you toss the pecans thoroughly in the butter. Let them cool for 10 minutes.

Make cake batter

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
• Add eggs and oil, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
• Stir in vanilla, pineapple, bananas, and toasted pecans.
• Flour and grease with shortening, three 9-inch round cake pans
• Divide batter evenly between the three cake pans
• Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely, about 1 hour.

Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until smooth.
• Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended after each addition.
• Stir in vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

Assemble Cake:

• Place the first cake layer on a serving platter; spread the top with 1 cup of the frosting.
• Top with second layer and spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with the third layer, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
• Arrange pecan halves on top of cake in a circular pattern.

Notes

Why Toast Pecans?
This recipe calls for toasted pecans; don’t skip this step! Pecans are typically added to a recipe for added texture and flavor and toasting them will only improve both qualities. Toasting pecans (or any nut for that matter) not only makes them extra crisp and crunchy, but you’ll get an even greater boost of nuttiness and flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 687kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 4gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 18gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 275mgPotassium: 80mgFiber: 2gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 479IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 2mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content may vary depending on the brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and other factors.

Keyword bananas, cakes, pineapples

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