The Best Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake Recipe

Hummingbird cake is a tropical, spiced southern treat. It is easy to make as cupcakes, cake or even a bundt cake. 

Hummingbird cake is a true Southern classic. This delicious cake is it is basically a banana cake with the addition of crushed pineapple, pecans and a few spices. Its an easy cake to make and doesn’t have to be saved for a special occasion. The good news is that this recipe can also be made into Hummingbird Cupcakes or a Hummingbird Bundt Cake!

If you like cake you might also like Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake or Old Fashioned Banana Cake. 

What is a Hummingbird Cake Made of?

A humming bird cake is made of simple ingredients, most of which you already have in your pantry.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cardamon
• pinch freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 11/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups(about 3 large) overripe bananas, mashed
• 1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/2 cup coconut, unsweetened

Rich Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

• 2 8 oz packages of softened cream cheese
• 11/2  cups(3 sticks) of softened unsalted butter
• 2 16oz. packages of powdered sugar, sifted
• 11/2 tsp of vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream

Directions for Making Hummingbird Cake and Cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 3, 9″ cake pans with cooking spray and line with parchment paper or line 2, 12 cup muffins tins with paper liners.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add oil and eggs, stirring until dry ingredients are moist. Add vanilla extract, mashed bananas, and pineapple, and pecans and coconut (if using) stir until combined. DO NOT OVER MIX.
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pans and bake in a preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, until cake is golden brown and a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes and remove from pans to cool on wire rack for 1 hour.
• For cupcakes, scoop the batter into the lined muffin tins and bake for 18-23 minutes. Start checking at 18 minutes. When a toothpick comes out clean, remove from oven and let cool on wire rack.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Then turn mixer to low and gradually add powdered sugar. Stir in vanilla and increase speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.Add a little heavy whipping cream at a time to reach desired consistency.
• Lay one cake layer, top side down, on a serving plate and add 1 cup of frosting. Spread the frosting evenly over the whole cake. Add the second layer, top side down and spread with another 1 cup of frosting. Follow with the third layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and the sides of the cake. Sprinkle with chopped pecans or use whole pecans to decorate the cake and cupcakes.

Tips for the Best Hummingbird Cake & Varriations

• Use room temperature ingredients.
• For a moist cake with the best flavor use overripe spotty bananas.
• Omit shredded unsweetened coconut if you do not like it.
• Use walnuts instead of pecans.
• Add or subtract whatever warm spices that you like, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, etc.

How to store Hummingbird Cake and Cupcakes

Store frosted cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container. If you would like to freeze the cake or cupcakes freeze unfrosted for up to 3 months wrapped in plastic wrap.

What are Hummingbird cake and cupcakes made of?

Humming bird cake is chock full of sweet bananas, crushed pineapple and coconut perfect for banana bread lovers.

What is the story of the hummingbird cake?

The hummingbird cake is said to have come from Jamaica. In the 1960’s the tourist board sent press kits to the US to attract tourists and in the packs were recipes featuring ingredients popular in Jamaica. Originally the Hummingbird cake was called the Doctor Bird cake, a nickname for the red-billed streamertail, a variety of hummingbird found in Jamaica. They say it was named that because the cake was so sweet it could attract hummingbirds.

Over the years iterations of this cake began to crop up all over the country using different names. The first printed recipe for Hummingbird cake was sent to Southern Living Magazine by Mrs. Wiggins of greensboro, North Carolina and is now its most popular recipe.

THAT’S ALL FOR NOW

Carrot cake has always been my favorite cake, followed by banana cake but the first time I made a hummingbird cake my opinion changed, and now this is my favorite cake. I hope that you enjoyed the cake and the cupcakes.

Do you like Hummingbird Cake? Have you made it before?

Have a great day friends, thank you for spending part of your day with me.

You can also keep up with me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. And last but not least, if you like Pinecones & Acorns share it with a friend!

This post contains affiliate links, if you make a purchase I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

The Best Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Hummingbird cake is a tropical, spiced southern treat. It is easy to make as cupcakes, cake or even a bundt cake. 

• Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Yield: 12 slices cake 24 cupcakes 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cardamon
• pinch freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 11/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups(about 3 large) overripe bananas, mashed
• 1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/2 cup coconut, unsweetened
• Extra toasted pecans for garnish.

Rich Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

• 2 8 oz packages of softened cream cheese
• 11/2  cups(3 sticks) of softened unsalted butter
• 2 16oz. packages of powdered sugar, sifted
• 11/2 tsp of vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 3, 9″ cake pans with cooking spray and line with parchment paper or line 2, 12 cup muffins tins with paper liners.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamon. Add oil and eggs, stirring until dry ingredients are moist. Add vanilla extract, mashed bananas, and pineapple, and pecans and coconut (if using) stir until combined. DO NOT OVER MIX.
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pans and bake in a preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, until cake is golden brown and a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes and remove from pans to cool on wire rack for 1 hour.
• For cupcakes, scoop the batter into the lined muffin tins and bake for 18-23 minutes. Start checking at 18 minutes. When a toothpick comes out clean, remove from oven and let cool on wire rack.
• For Frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Then turn mixer to low and gradually add powdered sugar. Stir in vanilla and increase speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add a little heavy whipping cream at a time to reach desired consistency.
• Lay one cake layer, top side down, on a serving plate and add 1 cup of frosting. Spread the frosting evenly over the whole cake. Add the second layer, top side down and spread with another 1 cup of frosting. Follow with the third layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and the sides of the cake. Sprinkle with chopped pecans or use whole pecans to decorate the cake and cupcakes.

• Author: Elizabeth
• Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American