Classic Hummingbird Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

This is a true Southern classic—the hummingbird cake.  It is sweet and dense and spiced and subtle, with a wonderful lightly-lemony cream cheese frosting.  There’s a lot happening, and you need this in your life right now.

What is a hummingbird cake?  It’s the ultimate hyphen combo…a banana-pineapple-spice cake.  I mean how can you not love that?!  Its origins are in Jamaica, and the island eventually used it in a marketing campaign designed to bring visitors there.  It’s become a cult classic in the southern U.S., something I’d never even heard of til I lived in Atlanta.

And it is DELISH.

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Preheat oven to 350°F and spray your cake pans with nonstick spray. Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Make a well in the center. 

Combine the melted coconut oil, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla in a medium bowl, and whisk until smooth. 

Add to the flour mixture and fold in until almost incorporated.  Then fold in the banana, pineapple (with juice), and pecans until combined.

Divide the batter evenly between your cake pans and smooth with an offset spatula (I like to give it a little dip in the middle to combat a domed top).  Tap the pans sharply to reduce air bubbles.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the edges are pulling slightly away from the pan.  Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes before inverting onto wire racks to cool completely.

To make the frosting, add the butter and cream cheese to the bowl of your mixer and beat on high speed until it begins to thicken and fluff.  Make sure your ingredients are *too* warm or soft, or it will just be greasy.  

Slow down the mixer and carefully add in the powdered sugar a cup at a time, beating slowly to incorporate.  Once all sugar has incorporated, turn mixer back to high to continue whipping.  Add in the pineapple juice and vanilla and continue whipping until it is smooth and fluffy.  

Frost right away or put the frosting in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use.  

To frost, place the bottom layer on a cake stand and put a layer of cream cheese frosting on it, then put the other layer (or layers) on top and frost the top and sides.  I used this fun rotating cake stand and icing smoother to make a pattern.

Fun new toys!  I’ve been trying to become a bit better at decorating cakes…it always looks like a two-year-old did it.

It was a hot day and my cake went a little wonkus when I transferred it to the serving plate, but it was still delicious.

This is moist, spiced, Southern goodness.

The hummingbird cake will keep for close to a week if refrigerated (due to the cream cheese frosting), but if it lasts that long in your house without getting devoured, you’re doing something wrong 🙂  I recommend letting the cake sit out for 30-60 minutes after coming out of the fridge, to come closer to room temp.

Other layer cakes you’ll love: 

• Fresh Grapefruit Cake with Mascarpone Icing
• Coffee Cardamom Cake with Bulletproof Frosting
• Dark Chocolate Stout Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Hummingbird cake recipe from Tutti Dolci, and frosting adapted slightly from Grandbaby Cakes

Classic Hummingbird Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 1 cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

A classic Southern dessert, this hummingbird cake with cream cheese frosting is a spring delight!

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Ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE
• 3 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon of cloves
• 1 1/4 cups of melted coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1 1/2 cups of sugar (I used 1/2 cup of brown within this)
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup of low-fat buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 cup of mashed ripe banana
• 12 oz can (undrained) of crushed pineapple in juice
• 3/4 cup of pecans, toasted and finely chopped
• FOR THE FROSTING
• 1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature (but not too cold)
• 8 ounces of full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar (up to 4 cups if you need it stiffer)
• Pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons of pineapple juice
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• Zest of 1-2 lemons

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray your cake pans with nonstick spray.
2. Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Make a well in the center. 
3. Combine the melted coconut oil, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla in a medium bowl, and whisk until smooth.  Add to the flour mixture and fold in until almost incorporated.  Then fold in the banana, pineapple (with juice), and pecans until combined.
4. Divide the batter evenly between your cake pans and smooth with an offset spatula (I like to give it a little dip in the middle to combat a domed top).  Tap the pans sharply to reduce air bubbles.
5. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the edges are pulling slightly away from the pan.  Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes before inverting onto wire racks to cool completely.
6. To make the frosting, add the butter and cream cheese to the bowl of your mixer and beat on high speed until it begins to thicken and fluff.  Make sure your ingredients are *too* warm or soft, or it will just be greasy.  
7. Slow down the mixer and carefully add in the powdered sugar a cup at a time, beating slowly to incorporate.  Once all sugar has incorporated, turn mixer back to high to continue whipping.  Add in the pineapple juice and vanilla and continue whipping until it is smooth and fluffy. 
8. Frost right away or put the frosting in the refrigerator until you're ready to use.

Notes

• Makes three 8-inch rounds or two 9-inch rounds

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