If you love carrot cake and banana bread, hummingbird cake might just become your new favorite dessert. This classic Southern layer cake is unbelievably moist, packed with ripe bananas, crushed pineapple, warm spices, and toasted pecans, and finished with tangy cream cheese frosting.
I originally published this recipe in 2017, and I’ve since updated it with new photos and extra success tips for consistently excellent results.
A friend from Savannah served hummingbird cake at her bridal shower, and after 1 bite, I knew this cake was something special. Forget mingling, because I needed a moment alone with my cake! 😉
If you’ve never had the pleasure of tasting it before, hummingbird cake is an ultra-moist, spiced cake made with banana and pineapple, layered with tangy cream cheese frosting and pecans. When I first began making this cake from scratch, I was curious about its name and origins. I learned that it became wildly popular after appearing in Southern Living magazine in 1978, where it quickly became one of the magazine’s most requested recipes. I also learned that its roots actually trace back to Jamaica, where a similar “Doctor Bird Cake” inspired it.
Think of hummingbird cake as a cross between:
…and yes, it’s as delicious as that sounds!
It’s an unforgettable layer cake that’s surprisingly easy to make—no mixer required for the cake batter! Whether you’re baking it for Easter dessert, a spring gathering, or simply because you have overripe bananas on the counter, hummingbird cake always gets rave reviews.
One reader, Marcy, commented: “Made this for the first time yesterday and shared with my colleagues today (I had never had hummingbird cake before). Delicious!!!! And my colleagues LOVED it. Recipe was easy to follow and not complicated. ★★★★★“
Why You’ll Love Hummingbird Cake
This recipe is a longtime favorite because it checks every box for a truly fabulous homemade layer cake:
- Incredibly moist crumb: Crushed pineapple and mashed bananas add natural sweetness and tons of moisture.
- No mixer needed for the cake batter: Just whisk, stir, and pour into pans.
- Warm cozy spices: Cinnamon and allspice give the cake a subtle spice cake flavor.
- Cream cheese frosting: The tangy frosting balances the sweetness of the fruit-filled cake layers.
- Perfect for making ahead: Like carrot cake, the flavor actually improves after a day.
Key Ingredients in Hummingbird Cake
- Pecans: Chopped pecans add texture. You’ll use some in the batter and the rest as garnish. Toast them first—it only takes 8 minutes and it makes a world of difference, trust me!
- Baking Soda + Baking Powder: We’re using both leaveners here, for double-duty to lift up this naturally heavy cake.
- Cinnamon + Allspice: These warm spices pair beautifully with the banana and pineapple.
- Vegetable Oil: Oil helps create a soft, plush crumb that stays moist for days. For hummingbird cake, you want a neutral-flavored oil that won’t overpower the banana and pineapple. Vegetable oil is my top choice, though avocado oil also works nicely here.
- Bananas: You want the super-ripe, brown and spotty ones like you use for banana cake. You can also use thawed, previously frozen bananas. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking.
- Pineapple + Juice: Crushed and canned—be sure to include the juice, too. Pineapple doesn’t see nearly enough action in the baking/dessert world, and that’s a shame! If you want even more pineapple flavor in your hummingbird cake, try layering in some pineapple curd like we do in this pineapple coconut cake.
You also need flour, salt, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla.
This cake comes together in just a few simple steps. Start by whisking the dry ingredients together, then mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Combine the two and gently fold in the pecans. Divide the batter between your round cake pans and bake.
I recommend using 8-inch round cake pans, which produce thick, lofty cake layers. 9-inch pans can work in a pinch, but expect thinner layers.
Let the cakes cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting and finishing with the leftover toasted pecans.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Hummingbird cake wouldn’t be the same without silky cream cheese frosting! It’s tangy, creamy, and perfectly complements the sweet banana-pineapple cake layers.
I increased my favorite cream cheese frosting recipe to ensure I had enough for the 3-layer cake. You only need a few ingredients: full-fat brick-style cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
Beat until smooth, fluffy, and spreadable. Cream cheese frosting can be gloppy (technical term), so if yours is extra creamy and thin, it can benefit from a brief chill in the refrigerator before using.
It’s light and creamy, so it glides onto the cake pretty effortlessly. I use a large flat icing spatula to frost the layers and exterior of the cake.
Crumb coat? While you can certainly add one, there’s no need for a crumb coat; the cake isn’t super crumbly and the frosting is ultra soft and creamy. If needed, use this post and video tutorial on how to assemble a layer cake as your guide!
The cake is even better after a few hours because the flavors have had a chance to settle, mingle, and marry. For that reason, it’s a wonderful cake to make ahead of time… even the day before! Honestly, I enjoyed the cold leftover slices more than anything.
If you can’t get enough of these flavors together, try my hummingbird Bundt cake next.
Tips for Success
After testing this recipe many times, here’s what my team and I learned:
- Don’t drain the crushed pineapple: The juice is essential for moisture.
- Toast the pecans first: Toasting makes for deeper nutty flavor.
- Measure flour correctly: Weigh or spoon and level it to avoid a dense cake.
- Use room-temperature eggs: They mix more evenly into the batter.
- Chill the cream cheese frosting & the cake: Let it firm up a bit before you assemble the cake, then chill the whole cake after assembling/frosting, to ensure it’s stable before you cut into it.
Description
This hummingbird cake is an ultra-moist Southern layer cake made with bananas, pineapple, warm spices, and toasted pecans, all topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. I adapted this recipe from Southern Living magazine; though it was delicious as-is, we loved the cake with a little less oil and banana, plus a little more leavening and vanilla. We also reduced the total amount of sugar, and incorporated brown sugar and allspice into the mix.
- Toast the nuts: Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Spread the chopped pecans (or walnuts) on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 6–8 minutes, or until fragrant. Give the pan a shake halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10–15 minutes.
- Turn the oven temperature up to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt together. In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs and oil together. Whisk in the sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Finally, whisk in the mashed banana and crushed pineapple.
- Pour the banana/pineapple mixture into dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Fold in 1 and 1/2 cups toasted pecans. (Save the rest for garnish.) You should have around 6 to 7 cups of batter.
- Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans. Bake for about 26–29 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove cakes from the oven. Cool the cakes in the pans set on a cooling rack for 1 hour. Run a knife around the edges to help loosen the sides, remove the cakes from the pans, peel off the parchment, and place on the rack to finish cooling. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes until completely combined and creamy. If the frosting seems a bit thin and runny, refrigerate it for 30 minutes before using.
- Assemble the cake: (For extra help with this step, see this video & post on how to assemble a layer cake.) First, using a large serrated knife or cake leveler, slice a thin layer off the top of each cake to create a flat surface. Place a cake layer on your cake turntable, cake stand, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with 3/4 to 1 cup (180–240g) of the frosting. Top with the second cake layer, upside down, and spread the same amount of frosting as on the first layer. Top with the third layer, right side up, and spread the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Garnish with the remaining toasted nuts (I applied them around the bottom of the cake and a few on top). Refrigerate the cake for at least 20 minutes and up to 4 hours before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, covered, and stored at room temperature overnight. Likewise, the frosting can be prepared, then covered and refrigerated overnight. When ready to decorate, let the frosting sit at room temperature to slightly soften for 15 minutes, then give it one more mix with the mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute before frosting cake. Frosted cake or unfrosted cake layers can be frozen up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before decorating/serving. See this post on how to freeze cakes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheet | 8-inch Cake Pans | Parchment Paper | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cooling Rack | Cake Turntable | Icing Spatula | Cake Carrier (for storage)
- Nuts: Feel free to omit the pecans. No other changes to the recipe required.
- Frozen Bananas: You can use thawed frozen bananas in this recipe. Thawed bananas are extra wet, so drain off as much of the excess liquid as you can before mashing. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking.
- Cupcakes: This recipe will yield around 3 dozen cupcakes. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake 20-22 minutes or until cooked through.
- Non-Layer Cake: This recipe also fits into a bundt pan, though the bake time will be long—55-65 minutes. Use a toothpick to test for doneness, or use my recipe for Hummingbird Bundt Cake. There is too much batter for a 9×13-inch pan, but a 12×17-inch sheet pan would be perfect. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, keep a close eye to not over-bake.
- Update in 2024: After continuous recipe testing, and in an effort to lighten up the crumb, I made a few changes to the recipe including adding baking powder, using a touch more granulated sugar than brown sugar, increasing the oil, and decreasing the banana (so it tastes less like dense banana bread and more like a moist cake). If you prefer the old version, leave out the baking powder, reduce the oil down to 3/4 cup (180ml), use 3/4 cup (150g) each brown sugar and granulated sugar, and increase the mashed banana to 2 cups.
- Adapted from Southern Living
