Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake

JUMP TO RECIPE | PRINT RECIPE

Hummingbird Cake is a cross between banana bread and pineapple upside down cake. This topical cake starts with a spice cake with bursts of pineapple and banana coupled with tender pecans and tangy cream cheese frosting.  My family’s version of this southern favorite takes the pineapple flavor up a notch by adding rum-infused pineapple compote filling. 

Making Hummingbird Cake is amazingly simple, and uses one of my favorite mixing methods called “melted.” Oil-based cakes also utilize chemical leavening and eggs making them extremely moist and fluffy but with enough structure to suspend an abundance of fruit and nuts. Oil is often also used in carrot, zucchini, and pumpkin cakes.

Hummingbird Cake_STFP website.jpg

What is Hummingbird Cake?

Hummingbird Cake was named after Jamaica’s national bird, the doctor bird, which is one of 320 species of hummingbirds. In the late sixties, the Jamaica Tourist Board included the recipe for Hummingbird Cake in media press kits sent to the United States in hopes of bringing more American tourists to the island. 

One of the first known publications of the recipe in the United States appeared in the February 1978 issue of Southern Living.  The recipe was submitted by Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina, and later became the most requested recipe in the magazine's history. 

Hummingbird Cake whole.jpg

tips for making Hummingbird Cake

Oil-based cakes, like this one, require a different mixing method than a traditional butter-based cake. If you’re tempted to just dump and mix, don’t! I promise you’ll be happier with the results. The full recipe is below, but here are some tips to ensure your Hummingbird Cake turns out perfectly each time. 

  • One of the crucial steps of making any oil-based cake is emulsifying the oil with the eggs. After you’ve beaten the eggs with the sugar, stream in the oil very slowing while whisking. Whisk until fully incorporated. 

  • If have more time to bake, use fresh pineapple. Buy fresh pineapple chunks in the grocery store produce or prepared foods section. You will still need to crush it at home but it will save the time of peeling and coring a whole fresh pineapple.

  •  The riper the bananas, the better. Ripen bananas by placing them on a cookie sheet with peels left on. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes until the skins are black.

  •  For fluffier results, it’s essential that all ingredients, including eggs, buttermilk and cream cheese, should be room temperature before you get started. 

  •  The cake is done when it shrinks slightly from the sides of the pan. A toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center should come out clean.

  •  Refrigeration tends to dry out cakes, and even though it’s made with buttermilk and cream cheese frosting, Hummingbird Cake does not typically need to be refrigerated if your space is cooler than 70 degrees.

  •  I always use a stand mixer for cake making; however, I do typically fold in heavy ingredients, like pineapple and nuts in this recipe, by hand to make sure I don’t overwork the batter.

IMG_6455.jpg

useful tool for making Hummingbird Cake

Like this recipe? Follow me on Instagram for lots more recipes just like this one! And don’t forget to pin this recipe to Pinterest for later by clicking on the image below.

Hummingbird Cake HP Pinterest Graphic-2.png
Yield: 10-12
Author:
Print
Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake

This decadent Hummingbird Cake, but not overly sweet cake, features pineapple compote filling with a cream cheese frosting.
Prep time: 30 MCook time: 1 hourTotal time: 1 H & 30 M

Ingredients:

Cake
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups granulated white sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cups chopped ripe bananas
  • 2 cups drained crushed pineapple
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or chopped walnuts
Filling
  • 1 20-oz can drained crushed pineapple
  • 3 tablespoons rum
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
Frosting
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • ½ cup soften butter
  • 1 to 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Prepare a 9-inch round cake pan by tracing the bottom of the cake pan onto parchment paper with a pencil, and cut along the line. Spray the bottom and sides of the pan with cooking spray and line with the prepared round of parchment paper, smoothing out to remove any creases or air bubbles. Spray the parchment paper then add a couple tablespoons of flour and shake it around the pan until the interior surface is lightly and completely covered. Discard any excess flour.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and whisk until fully incorporated and lump free. Set aside.
  4. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla on medium high until light and thick. Reduce speed to medium-low and gradually stream in oil down the side of the bowl very slowly. Mix until fully incorporated.
  5. Using a paddle attachment add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until smooth.
  6. Fold in chopped bananas, pineapples and nuts with a rubber spatula. Scrape batter into prepared pans.
  7. Bake cakes for 35-45 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Let cake cool 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool complete.
Filling
  1. Combine the brown sugar, rum, and vanilla in a saucepan. Squeeze the lemon juice into the pan.
  2. Stir to combine the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Add the pineapple and stir until well mixed.
  3. Simmer until the liquid has reduced to a syrupy consistency and the pineapple is soft. Set aside to cool.
Frosting
  1. To make the frosting, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla extract. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually mix in powdered sugar. Increase speed to high and beat frosting until light and fluffy.
Assembly & Decoration
  1. Place one cake, domed side down, on a platter. Spread a thin layer of filling over the cake. Start with a couple of tablespoons, then add more as needed to cover surface it'll help you avoid excess filling squeezing out the sides. Alternatively, build a frosting dam by piping a thick ring of frosting around the top edge of the cake. Spread your filling in this dam.
  2. Place remaining cake, domed side down, on top. Spread top and sides with about ¼ cup frosting and chill 30 minutes so that frosting sets. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides.
  3. Use the back of a spoon to add decorative swirls to the sides and top of cake.

Notes:

Hummingbird Cake should be stored in an airtight container or well-covered with plastic wrap to protect it from drying out. It can be stored at room temperature (if less than 70 degrees F) for two days or will last in the refrigerator for up to one week. Let cake (slices) come to room temperature before serving.

Calories

772.15

Fat (grams)

33.73

Sat. Fat (grams)

8.58

Carbs (grams)

112.11

Fiber (grams)

2.98

Net carbs

109.13

Sugar (grams)

77.60

Protein (grams)

7.08

Sodium (milligrams)

377.31

Cholesterol (grams)

65.45
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @sweetteafriedpies on instagram and hashtag it #sweetteafriedpies
Created using The Recipes Generator