Delicious Moist Hummingbird Cake Recipe

Here’s my classic hummingbird cake recipe, packed with sweet bananas, crushed pineapple, and chopped pecans, all wrapped up in a simple cream cheese frosting that brings everything together perfectly.

This cake has been part of my recipe collection for years, and it’s the one my kids always ask for on special occasions. I usually bake an extra large one because everyone seems to want seconds – and honestly, who can resist having another slice with their morning coffee?

What Kind of Bananas Should I Use?

For hummingbird cake, you’ll want to use very ripe bananas – the ones with lots of brown spots or that have turned mostly brown are perfect. These overripe bananas are sweeter and mash more easily, plus they give the cake a stronger banana flavor. If your bananas aren’t quite ripe enough, you can speed up the process by placing them in a paper bag with an apple for a day or two, or pop them in a 300°F oven for about 15-20 minutes until the skin turns black. Just make sure to let them cool completely before using them in your cake batter. While any banana variety will work, regular Cavendish bananas (the ones commonly found in grocery stores) are your best bet for this recipe.

Options for Substitutions

This classic Southern cake is pretty adaptable! Here are some helpful substitutions if you need them:

• Cornflour: If you can’t find cornflour (also called cornstarch), you can just use all plain flour instead. Simply replace the cornflour amount with the same amount of plain flour.
• Pecans: Not a fan of pecans or can’t find them? Walnuts make a great substitute. You could also use macadamia nuts for something different, or leave them out entirely if you prefer.
• Crushed pineapple: While crushed pineapple is pretty important for the classic flavor, you can use finely chopped fresh pineapple in a pinch. Just make sure to drain it well. If you’re using chunks, process them briefly to get a crushed consistency.
• Vegetable oil: Any neutral-flavored oil works here – canola, sunflower, or even melted coconut oil (though this might add a slight coconut taste). Just avoid olive oil as its flavor would be too strong.
• Brown sugar: Out of soft light brown sugar? Mix 1 cup white sugar with 1 tablespoon molasses. Dark brown sugar works too, but will give a stronger molasses flavor.
• Cream cheese frosting: While cream cheese frosting is traditional and recommended, you could use vanilla buttercream if you prefer. Just know it will change the classic taste of the cake.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The success of your hummingbird cake heavily depends on the moisture content of your ingredients – using overly ripe bananas might add too much moisture, while under-ripe ones won’t provide enough natural sweetness and texture, so choose bananas that are spotty but not completely black. When it comes to the pineapple, a common mistake is not draining it properly, which can make your cake too wet and dense – drain the crushed pineapple well, but don’t squeeze it completely dry as you still want some of that delicious juice. Another crucial error is overmixing the batter once you’ve combined the wet and dry ingredients – stop mixing as soon as everything is just incorporated to ensure a tender crumb, as overmixing will develop too much gluten and result in a tough cake. For the best texture and flavor distribution, make sure your eggs and other refrigerated ingredients are at room temperature before starting, and toast your pecans lightly before adding them to enhance their nutty flavor.

What to Serve With Hummingbird Cake?

This sweet Southern cake pairs beautifully with a hot cup of coffee or tea, making it perfect for afternoon gatherings or dessert time. Since it’s quite rich with its cream cheese frosting and fruit-filled layers, I like to serve small slices alongside fresh berries or a dollop of whipped cream to balance things out. For a really nice touch, try serving it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce – the combination of warm and cold is just wonderful. If you’re hosting a brunch, this cake works great alongside a fresh fruit platter and some cold brew coffee.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Since this cake has cream cheese frosting, it needs to be kept in the fridge. Place it in an airtight container, and it’ll stay fresh for up to 5 days. The cream cheese frosting actually helps keep the cake nice and moist, so no worries about it drying out!

Freeze: Want to save some for later? You can freeze unfrosted cake layers wrapped well in plastic wrap and foil for up to 3 months. If you’ve already frosted the cake, freeze individual slices on a baking sheet until firm, then wrap them well. Just remember that cream cheese frosting can change texture slightly after freezing.

Prepare Ahead: This cake is perfect for making ahead! You can bake the layers up to 2 days before frosting – just wrap them well and keep at room temperature. The cream cheese frosting can be made a day ahead and stored in the fridge. Just let it come to room temperature and give it a quick whip before spreading.

Serve: When you’re ready to enjoy your cake from the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. This lets the frosting soften a bit and brings out all those lovely banana and pineapple flavors.

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	38-40 minutes
Total Time	58-70 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3200-3600
• Protein: 30-40 g
• Fat: 180-200 g
• Carbohydrates: 400-450 g

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups plain flour (all-purpose)
• 1/4 cup cornflour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup well-mashed bananas (from about 2 large bananas, but measuring is recommended)
• 1 cup soft light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup neutral vegetable oil
• 1 cup crushed pineapple from a can
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups pecans, roughly chopped
• 1 batch of the cream cheese frosting recipe

Step 1: Prepare the Cake Pans and Oven

Preheat your conventional oven to 180°C (350°F).

For those using a convection oven with a fan, see note 1 for adjustments.

Grease two 8×3 inch cake tins with your preferred method, such as homemade cake release, and line the bottoms with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of the cakes after baking.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.

Use a whisk or fork to mix these ingredients until they are well combined.

Set this dry mixture aside for later use.

Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl, mash the bananas thoroughly.

Add in light brown sugar, white granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, crushed pineapple, and vanilla extract.

Use a whisk to mix everything until the ingredients are well combined and smooth.

Step 4: Combine Ingredients and Add Pecans

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, using a spatula to gently fold them together until just combined.

Be careful not to overmix.

Finish by folding in the roughly chopped pecans until just combined.

Step 5: Bake the Cake

Distribute the prepared batter evenly between the two cake pans.

Level the tops and lightly drop the cake tins onto the counter to remove excess air bubbles.

Bake in the preheated oven for 38-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 20 minutes before running a thin knife along the edges and transferring them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 6: Frost and Decorate the Cake

Prepare the cream cheese frosting while the cakes are cooling.

Once completely cool, use a serrated knife to trim the tops of each cake layer so they are flat.

Place the first cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand, spreading a generous amount of frosting over it.

Add the second layer on top, and apply more frosting to the top and sides.

Use a cake scraper to smooth the edges and an offset spatula to tidy up the top edge.

Step 7: Finish with Piping and Serve

Using a 1M piping tip, create decorative swirls on the top of the cake.

Consider topping each swirl with a pecan for added decoration.

Slice the cake using a serrated knife, serve, and enjoy your delicious creation!