Hummingbird Cake is a southern specialty that’s made with a combination of mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, and chopped pecans. To make this cake even more special, it is often topped with a cream cheese frosting. Not only is it delicious, but it’s also a beautiful, eye-catching cake that will make any occasion special.
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❤️ Why I love this recipe
- The moist cake mixed with the tart pineapple and crunchy nuts makes for an irresistible treat that is hard to resist.
- Plus, it’s a simple cake to make even for those of us who may not be great bakers.
- The cream cheese frosting adds a pleasant tartness and just the right amount of sweetness that completes this cake perfectly.
It’s a classic recipe, but still unique enough to be served at any special occasion or gathering. No matter what occasion you make this delicious cake for, your friends and family will rave about it.
🛒 Ingredients
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Note: The full list of this classic Southern cake recipe ingredients with their amounts and options are listed in the recipe card below.
- pecans -- toasted
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- ground cinnamon
- allspice
- kosher salt
- ripe bananas
- canned crushed pineapple with juice
- eggs
- vegetable oil
- dark brown sugar - may substitute light brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- coconut flakes
- pure vanilla extract
- cream cheese
- unsalted butter
- caramel sauce
- confectioners' sugar
- coarse salt
🗒 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Spread pecans onto a lined baking pan. Toast for 8 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Set ¼ cup aside for the frosting.
- Melt 1 teaspoon butter in a skillet over medium heat and add the ½ cup coconut.
- Toast the coconut until light golden. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.
- Whisk the rest of the cake ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined.
- Fold in 1 and ½ cups toasted pecans.
- And, add in ½ cup of toasted coconut.
- Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans. Bake for 26-29 minutes.
- While the cakes are cooling, get ready to make the frosting.
- Beat the cream cheese, butter, caramel sauce, vanilla, and salt together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
- Gradually beat in 3 ½ cups of the confectioners’ sugar, adding more if necessary to reach a stiffer but spreadable consistency.
- Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the toasted coconut and chopped pecans.
- Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Using an offset spatula, spread top with 1 cup of the frosting. Place second layer on top of frosted bottom. Evenly cover the top with frosting.
- Top with 3rd layer and evenly cover the top with frosting. Finish with the third cake layer and spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides, making it as smooth as possible. (See Notes)
- Decorate top with a circle of the coconut-pecan mixture around the outer edge of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing or else the cake may gently fall apart as you cut.
🔪 Equipment
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You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer
- Glass mixing bowls -- large and medium size
- Whisk
- Off-set spatula for frosting the cake
- Round cake pans 9-inch -- you'll need 3 of them.
- parchment paper
- dry measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- liquid measuring cup
- thin bamboo skewers (optional) -- we use the skewers to keep the cake layers from shifting until the icing sets.
🤔 FAQs
These are the questions we are most frequently asked about making this Hummingbird Cake recipe.
Why do they call it hummingbird cake?
It is said to have been named the bird because its sweetness is enough to attract the birds.
What does a hummingbird cake taste like?
It has a dense yet moist texture and sweet flavor that takes a like a mixture of pineapple and banana bread.
What are the ingredients in a hummingbird cake?
This sweet treat is made with a homemade cake base, pecans, coconut, pineapple and bananas.
Is hummingbird cake a southern thing?
Yes, hummingbird cake is a traditional Southern cake that has been around since the 1970s.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- Make sure that you mix this cake well but do not overmix. Otherwise you will have a tough cake.
- I like to line my cake pans with parchment paper rounds, and also spray the parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking.
- Don't forget to cut off the domes of the cakes so that your cake will stack evenly.
📚 Variations
- You can change the flavors of your cake by using almond extract instead of vanilla.
- You could also use toasted walnuts instead of pecans.
- If you are not a fan of coconut, feel free to leave it out.
- The cream cheese frosting really tastes best for this cake, but if you are not a fan you could switch it out for homemade vanilla frosting or buttercream.
🥫 Storage
I recommend storing this cake in the fridge for up to five days in an airtight container. You could also freeze the cake for up to two months. I like to freeze the cake unfrosted, but you could also freeze it frosted.
📗 Related Recipes
- If you love delicious cake recipes like this one, then next time give this Italian Love Cake recipe a try. It's sweet, rich and tastes like a chocolate éclair cake.
- The next time you are want a cake that is full of pecans and coconut, this Italian Cream Cake is the recipe that you want to make! It's so decedent ,and perfect for guests.
- This Toasted Pecan Praline Cake is sweet, buttery, and perfect for your next party. Make this one asap!
🍽 Serve with
- I love to serve this classic cake with another Southern inspired dish like this Barbecued Shrimp with Cheese Grits.
- If you are craving a hearty and filling southern meal give these Old Fashioned Homemade Chicken and Dumplings a try.
- Cajun Chicken Pasta is a Louisiana-inspired recipe that includes juicy cubed chicken pieces, veggies, penne pasta, and a rich and creamy tomato sauce! It's a great way to add some flavor to your meal plan.
📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
Every year we spend a little time in Georgia, and one of my favorite desserts to pick up while there is a slice of this moist cake. It's a little piece of heaven in every bite. And, with this hummingbird cake recipe you can make this cake at home.
Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!
What's new? Check out my All Our Way Store on Amazon. We'll be adding more items we love and use or wish we had to make cooking fun and easy.
📝 Recipe Card
This cake is tender layers of banana, coconut, and pecan cake, topped with sweet cream cheese frosting. This southern classic is a dessert that you want to make as soon as possible.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
📖 Recipe
Classic Hummingbird Cake With Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
Humming Bird Cake is a rich, soft cake that is bursting with banana, pecan and coconut flavors. Then frosted with a rich cream cheese frosting and topped with toasted pecans and coconut.
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Servings: 14 servings
Calories: 608kcal
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Equipment Needed
- 3 round cake pans- 9- inch 9-inch
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups chopped toasted pecans* 250g
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 375 g (spoon and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups mashed banana 4 ripe bananas
- 8 ounce can crushed pineapple
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil 160 ml.
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 200g may also use light brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150g
- ½ cup coconut flakes 46 ½g
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened 450g (2- 8oz. blocks cream cheese softened room to temperature)
- 1 cup unsalted butter 175g softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup caramel sauce 84 ¼g
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar 480g (divided)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
For the topping:
- ½ cup coconut flakes 46 ½g toasted coconut flakes
- ¼ cup toasted pecans ( toast these nuts with the cake nuts and set the ¼ cup aside.) 27 ¼g finely chopped
Instructions
Toast the pecans:
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Spread pecans onto a lined baking pan. Toast for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven. Set ¼ cup aside for the frosting.
Toast the coconut:
- Melt 1 teaspoon butter in a skillet over medium heat and add the ½ cup coconut and toast until light golden. Set aside.
The cake:
- Turn oven up to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.
- Whisk the rest of the cake ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Fold in 1 and ½ cups toasted pecans. (Save the rest for garnish.) You should have about 7 cups of batter.
- Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans. Bake for 26-29 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Rotate pans halfway through baking.
- Remove cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. Once completely cooled, remove cakes from pan and level the tops off so they are flat. I simply use a serrated knife. Discard the tops or eat. YUM!
For the frosting:
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, caramel sauce, vanilla, and salt together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.Gradually beat in 3 ½ cups of the confectioners’ sugar, adding more if necessary to reach a stiffer but spreadable consistency. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes.
The topping:
- In a small bowl, combine the toasted coconut and chopped pecans.
Assemble the cake:
- Make sure the cake layers are completely cooled before starting. Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Using an offset spatula, spread top with 1 cup of the frosting. Place second layer on top of frosted bottom. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 3rd layer and evenly cover the top with frosting. Finish with the third cake layer and spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides, making it as smooth as possible. (See Notes)
- Decorate top with a circle of the coconut-pecan mixture around the outer edge of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing or else the cake may gently fall apart as you cut.
- Leftover cake is delicious covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
To prevent layers from slipping:
To keep the layers from slipping when finishing the cake, skewer the three layers together with 3 thin bamboo skewers evenly spaced around the cake.
When the cake is cold and set, remove the skewers. You can cover the small holes made by the skewers with the frosting and topping.
Make ahead instructions:
Prepare cakes and frosting 1 day in advance. Keep cakes at room temperature, covered tightly. Refrigerate prepared frosting in an airtight container, then bring to room temperature when ready to use. Freezing cake: Frosted or unfrosted cakes may be frozen up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, if desired, before serving. Special Tools: KitchenAid Stand Mixer | Glass Mixing Bowls | Rainbow Whisk | 9-inch Cake Pan | Icing Spatula
Prepare cakes and frosting 1 day in advance. Keep cakes at room temperature, covered tightly. Refrigerate prepared frosting in an airtight container, then bring to room temperature when ready to use. Freezing cake: Frosted or unfrosted cakes may be frozen up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, if desired, before serving. Special Tools: KitchenAid Stand Mixer | Glass Mixing Bowls | Rainbow Whisk | 9-inch Cake Pan | Icing Spatula
- Pecans: If you're allergic to pecans, you may leave them out without substituting another nut.
- Pineapple: Don’t drain the crushed pineapple.
- Frozen Bananas: You may use frozen thawed bananas in this recipe. Let them thaw thoroughly and drain off as much of the excess liquid as you can before using them.
- Cupcakes: This recipe will make at least 32-35 cupcakes. Fill liners ⅔ full and bake 20-22 minutes or until cooked through.
- Bundt Pan: 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.
- Sheet Pan: There is too much batter for a 9×13 pan, but a 12×17 sheet pan is perfect. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, keep a close eye to not over-bake.
Adapted from Southern Living.
Nutrition
Calories: 608kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 337mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 917IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg
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