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My grandma liked to make Hummingbird Cake. It was one of our family favorites. It’s easy to make and a great way to use those ripening bananas sitting on the counter.
(Post modified on 2/22/24.)
I have no idea what it has to do with hummingbirds. After a quick search on the Internet I learned that this recipe first appeared in Southern Living Magazine in 1978, and was named Hummingbird Cake because it is so very sweet and delightful.
Hummingbird Cake is Perfect for Potluck Dinners
Hummingbird cake is sweet, and moist, and a perfect choice for family gatherings or your next potluck dinner at church.
Oh, and the cream cheese frosting with pecans is to die for. I mean, really, it might be my favorite. No scraping off the frosting on this cake. You’ll want to eat it all. Every bite.
In fact, I think I have some bananas sitting on the counter that I should probably use . . . I should probably bake this cake right now so we can eat it after supper.
More Layer Cakes to Enjoy
- Moist Butter Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- Chocolate Cream Cake
- Italian Cream Layer Cake
- Lemon Cake with Lemon Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients to Make Hummingbird Cake
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- salt
- baking soda
- ground cinnamon
- large eggs
- vegetable oil
- vanilla extract
- mashed bananas
- crushed pineapple (undrained)
- chopped pecans or English walnuts
Cream Cheese Frosting
- cream cheese, softened
- powdered sugar
- butter, softened
- whole milk
- vanilla extract
- chopped pecans or English walnuts
Instructions for Making This Recipe
Preheat oven to 350° F. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans by spraying with baker’s spray or line with waxed paper for easy cake removal.
You might also opt to use an oblong cake pan for this recipe.
Prepare your Ingredients
Mash the bananas with a blending fork or a potato masher.
Chop the nuts. Pecans or English walnuts work well with this recipe. Use whichever you have in your cabinet. Chop enough for both the cake and the garnishing for the icing.
I like to use a food chopper to chop any nuts I use in my recipes. It takes little effort and always gives me the desired consistency.
Do not drain your pineapple. You want all that wonderful juice for this recipe.
Mixing the Cake Batter
In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix together until moistened.
The batter will be rather stiff at this point.
Add the mashed bananas, undrained pineapple, and chopped nuts
Pour batter into prepared baking pan(s) lined and sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and tests done in the center with a toothpick. Remove from oven and Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes and then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
If using an oblong pan, bake for 45-50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before icing the cake. Allow the cake to cool 10 minutes, and then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Prepare the Frosting
In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, softened butter, whole milk and vanilla extract. Mix until well blended, about 2-3 minutes.
Icing a Two-Layer Cake
To ice a layer cake, begin with the bottom layer, placing the top side down on the cake plate.
If desired, you may place strips of waxed paper around the bottom of the cake to prevent any icing smudges.
Divide the frosting into thirds, and spread 1/3 on the bottom layer.
Next, place the second layer top side up and spoon 1/3 of the frosting along the edges so that you can frost the sides of the cake. Be sure to fill any gaps between the layers.
Finish by swirling the remaining frosting on the top in a decorative fashion. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top, as desired.
Sometimes I sprinkle the nuts in the center of the cake, while other times I sprinkle the entire top.
If you’ve opted to bake this cake in an oblong cake pan, simply spread the cream cheese frosting on cake and sprinkle the top with chopped nuts.
Serve this cake with iced tea, lemonade, or with a glass of icy cold milk.
This recipe will serve 15 people.
See more Cake Recipes Here. And here are a Few Ways to Use Those Bananas. Browse Potluck Dinner Ideas Here.
Hummingbird Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups mashed bananas
- 8 oz. undrained crushed pineapple
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Prepare your ingredients.Using a blending fork or potato masher, mash the bananas. Chop the nuts with a knife or nut chopper.
Mix the Cake Batter
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon.
- Add large eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Mix together until moistened. (The batter will be rather stiff at this point.)
- Add the mashed bananas, undrained pineapple, and chopped pecans or English walnuts.
- Pour the batter into two round 9-inch cake pans lined with waxed paper or an oblong baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and tests done in the center with a toothpick. Remove from oven and Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes and then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. If using an oblong pan, bake for 45-50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before icing the cake. Allow the cake to cool 10 minutes, and then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, softened butter, whole milk and vanilla extract. Mix until well blended, about 2-3 minutes.
Icing a Layer Cake
- To ice a layer cake, begin with the bottom layer, placing the top side down on the cake plate.If desired, you may place strips of waxed paper around the bottom of the cake to prevent any icing smudges.
- Divide the frosting into thirds, and spread 1/3 on the bottom layer.
- Next, place the second layer top side up and spoon 1/3 of the frosting along the edges so that you can frost the sides of the cake. Be sure to fill any gaps between the layers.
- Finish by swirling the remaining frosting on the top in a decorative fashion. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top, as desired.Sometimes I sprinkle the nuts in the center of the cake, while other times I sprinkle the entire top.
- If you’ve opted to bake this cake in an oblong cake pan, simply spread the cream cheese frosting on cake and sprinkle the top with chopped nuts.
- This recipe will serve 12-16 people.
Notes
Love this recipe! Such a good way to use bananas, and love the texture from the pineapple and nuts as well, and the delicious cream cheese frosting!!
We’ve been making Hummingbird Cake for many years. It’s just as I remember it from my childhood.