Hummingbird Cake is a moist layer cake filled with pineapple, pecans and coconut. Perfectly sweet and spiced with cinnamon, this classic southern dessert keeps everyone coming back for another slice!
If you like Hummingbird Cake, this Italian Cream Cake Recipe is another southern tradition you’ll love! Our Kentucky Butter Cake is another easy recipe filled with down-home goodness.
Why this Recipe is Best
This Hummingbird Cake might just be the ultimate dessert for people who love fruit in their cake.
Pineapple, banana and coconut are baked into every bite, and the whole thing is covered with a rich pineapple cream cheese frosting.
- Bananas make this cake super moist.
- It’s made with both butter AND oil for a tender crumb.
- Pecans give a hint of nutty flavor and perfect crunch.
- Delicious with or without coconut.
- Pineapple in the cake AND the frosting!
With a consistency similar to carrot cake and a flavor that marries pineapple cake and banana bread, Hummingbird Cake is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Ingredient Notes
Don’t let the long list of ingredients scare you from making this delicious cake. One mixing bowl is all you need!
- Bananas – Use very ripe or even overripened bananas in this cake. The riper they are the more sugary juices they bring to the Hummingbird Cake. Use our guide on how to ripen bananas in minutes!
- Crushed pineapple – This recipe uses canned pineapple (including the juices) in both the batter and the cream cheese frosting. You will need one 8 ounce can in total.
- Shredded coconut – This is a delicious addition to Hummingbird Cake but if you’re not a fan of coconut, feel free to simply leave it out.
- Vegetable oil – Combined with butter, it makes the cake dense (like carrot cake) and moist, but not tough. You can use any mild vegetable oil blend or canola oil.
- Cream cheese – For best results, use the full fat regular cream cheese that comes in blocks. The rich flavor and light tanginess make it a perfect base for the sweet frosting.
How to Make Hummingbird Cake
Hummingbird Cake looks as impressive as it tastes. You’ll be happy to find that it’s no more difficult than making any typical layer cake. Just mix, bake, assemble and frost!
STEP 1. Make the cake batter
First you’ll beat together the oil, butter and sugars. Then add eggs, mashed banana, and vanilla extract followed by the dry ingredients. Fold pecans, coconut and pineapple into the batter last.
STEP 2. Bake
Divide the batter into round cake layer pans. Bake until the cakes spring back to the touch, then remove and let the layers cool completely.
STEP 3. Assemble and frost
Mix together the frosting ingredients. Spread frosting over first layer of the cake, then top with the second layer. Cover the top and sides with a thick layer of frosting before serving!
PRO TIP: Unlike most cake recipes, ours has pineapple added to the cream cheese frosting! You’ll love this tangy addition!
Tips and Tricks
- Keep chilled. After frosting, store Hummingbird Cake in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it. It tastes amazing cold straight from the fridge.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Let chilled items like the butter, cream cheese and eggs sit on the counter for a few minutes before using them in this cake recipe. Room temperature ingredients are much easier to mix for a smooth batter (or frosting).
- Measure ingredients correctly. Often people scoop their flour directly out of the bag, resulting in TOO much flour. Check out our tips on how to measure flour correctly (and make substitutions too).
- Be generous with the frosting. I like to put about 2 cups of Hummingbird Cake icing on the first layer of the cake alone. A bite of this sweet cake is even more satisfying when you get a mouthful of rich pineapple frosting along with it!
- Love coconut and pecans? Try our watergate cake recipe next! Paired with pistachio, it’s a delicious combo!
- Cupcakes. With a few tweaks to the frosting, you can make our hummingbird cupcakes next!
Hummingbird Sheet Cake (13×9)
Sometimes you may be looking for something easier. Instead of making a layer cake, how about a 13×9 cake instead!
13×9 Recipe-
- Prepare cake batter as directed.
- Grease and flour 13×9 baking dish.
- Add all the batter and bake for 48-53 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- You’ll only need 1/2 of the frosting recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, the individual layers of Hummingbird Cake can be frozen without frosting. Wrap them tightly in foil, then place in freezer bags. They stay good frozen for 2-3 months. When ready to eat, let the layers thaw then assemble and add frosting before serving. You can also freeze the entire cake. Wrap in plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze for up to 30 days.
You sure can. This recipe tastes delicious without the pecans, if you need it to be nut free.
No, you should use both the pineapple and the juices in the can to make this recipe. The juices add necessary liquid to both the cake and frosting.
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Hummingbird Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 ½ cups mashed bananas about 3 medium
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ cup crushed pineapple
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ¾ cup shredded sweetened coconut
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 package cream cheese, softened 8 ounce
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup crushed pineapple
- ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- For the cake, preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans with baking spray and set aside.
- Using a stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat the butter with oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for about 3-4 minutes, until fully blended and creamy.
- Add in mashed bananas and beat until combined. Add in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla.
- Add flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until combined, then beat for an additional 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Fold in pineapple, pecans, and coconut.
- Divide the batter and pour into the two pans.
- Bake for about 36-40 minutes, until the center of the cake springs back to the touch. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan and then turn out cake onto a wire cooling rack until completely cooled.
- For the frosting, beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in pineapple, coconut, and pecans.
- Spread about 2 cups of frosting of the top of one of the cooled cakes. Add second layer of cake and add frosting to top and sides. Keep refrigerated. ENJOY!
Notes
Nutrition
Old fashioned Hummingbird Cake has everyone (not just hummingbirds) flocking to the dessert table! This impressive pineapple-banana cake is flecked with coconut and pecans for even more irresistible flavor.
The original recipe does not have coconut. Just saying.
Which original recipe? You can always leave it out if you prefer.
I did 9x 13 as well. raw in the middle
I bake as a professional. I was very disappointed with the lack of detail in the recipe. Like was egg’s supposed to be each beaten in separately. It doesn’t clarify. It came out very heavy!! The one teaspoon of raising powder was absolutely not enough when using 3 cups of flour.
Tried this in a 9×13 pan; it was delicious! Will be making again!
How do do I turn this into a 6” pan recipe?
😊 I cannot WAIT to try out this AMAZING recipe! 😋 #PineappleGlory
My favorite cake and this was the first time making it! Incredible!
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
Hummingbird cake is my FAVORITE! Love this recipe!
Tasted SO good!
Sure looks good, and I love coconut so I hope I can save your recipe
Sounds incredible….. anyway you can make this in a sheet pan?
What I meant was a 9by 13 pan
I haven’t tested that yet!