This hummingbird cake recipe is the Southern celebration layer cake I bake when banana bread is not enough: three moist banana-pineapple layers, toasted pecans, and a cream cheese frosting that actually stays put. It is not a dump cake and it is not a coffee cake — it is the from-scratch layer cake people search for by name.
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Hummingbird Cake
- Total Time: 90 minutes
- Yield: 12 slices 1x
Description
Classic Southern hummingbird cake with banana, crushed pineapple, pecans, and cream cheese frosting. Three 9-inch layers from Alissa at Yummy Dishes.
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 (8 oz / 227g) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
- 2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 4 medium)
- 1 cup (120g) chopped pecans, toasted
Cream cheese frosting
- 16 oz (454g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup (60g) pecan halves, for the top
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 9-inch cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, and grease the paper.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
- In a second bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, and vanilla. Stir in the undrained pineapple and mashed bananas.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the toasted pecans. Do not beat the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly among the pans (about 620g each if you weigh). Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean and the tops spring back.
- Cool in the pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto racks and peel off the parchment. Cool completely before frosting — warm layers will slide.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt on low, then beat until fluffy.
- Stack the layers with a generous cup of frosting between each. Coat the sides and top. Finish with pecan halves. Chill 30 minutes before slicing for clean layers.
Notes
Toast the pecans in a dry skillet 4 to 5 minutes so they stay crunchy in the crumb. The cake keeps refrigerated, covered, for 4 days. Bring slices to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Southern
How to keep the layers moist
Use very ripe bananas with brown spots and do not drain the pineapple. That juice is the moisture. Overbaking is the usual failure: pull the pans when the center springs back, not when the edges look dark.
Substitutions
Swap vegetable oil for melted coconut oil in the same amount. Walnuts can replace pecans. For a lighter frosting, use 12 oz cream cheese and 3 cups powdered sugar. Do not swap the crushed pineapple for chunks — the batter will be too wet in spots and dry in others.
Variants
Bake the same batter in a 10-cup Bundt at 350°F for 50 to 58 minutes, then frost only the top. Cupcakes take 18 to 22 minutes. A two-layer 9-inch cake works if you divide the batter in half and keep the frosting recipe the same.
Mistakes to avoid
Do not use a mixer on the cake batter — you will get tunnels. Do not frost warm layers. Do not skip parchment; banana cakes stick. And do not reduce the sugar in the cake if you want the classic Southern crumb; cut sugar in the frosting instead.
Storage
Because of the cream cheese frosting, refrigerate the finished cake. It also freezes well: wrap unfrosted layers tightly and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge, then frost.
Nutrition (estimated)
About 620 calories per slice if cut into 12. This is an estimate from the ingredient list, not a lab test.
FAQ
Why is it called hummingbird cake?
The name comes from Southern community cookbooks, likely Jamaica’s Doctor Bird cake. The flavor is banana, pineapple, and pecan — not hummingbirds.
Can I make hummingbird cake ahead?
Yes. Bake the layers a day ahead, wrap, and refrigerate. Frost the day you serve. The finished cake is even better on day two.
Do I have to use three pans?
Three 9-inch pans give the classic look. Two pans make thicker layers; add 5 to 8 minutes of bake time and check the centers.
Can I leave it out overnight?
Not once it is frosted. Cream cheese frosting needs the fridge. Unfrosted layers can sit at cool room temperature, wrapped, for one day.