Name: Hummingbird Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 3 c All Purpose Flour; 2 c Granulated Sugar; 1 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Baking Soda; 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon; 3 Large Eggs (beaten); 1.25 c Vegetable Oil; 1.5 tsp Vanilla Extract; 8 oz Can Crushed Pineapple with Juice; 2 c Chopped Ripe Bananas; 1 c Chopped Pecans; Vegetable Shortening and Flour (for dusting the pans); 2 8 oz Packages of Softened Cream Cheese; 2 Sticks of Softened Butter; 32 oz Confectioners Sugar; 2 tsp Vanilla Extract; Pecan Halves and Chopped Pecans for garnish (if desired)

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In this post I’ll be sharing the classic Southern Hummingbird Cake Recipe.

The South is known for it’s delicious foods and the desserts are no exception. Hummingbird Cake is a Southern classic. A Hummingbird Cake is a moist, dense and delicious dessert comprised of three delectable layers topped with a rich cream cheese frosting.

It is unbeknownst to me how this cake got its name although there are several stories. Some say the cake was so sweet it attracts hummingbirds, while others claim it got its name because it is so delicious that you hum with delight after each bite.

A cake with ingredients that include bananas, pineapple and pecans I prefer to think it was the latter of the two tales.

Table of Contents

Southern Hummingbird Cake from Scratch

Slice of Hummingbird Cake and Silver Fork

Five Tips for Baking a Hummingbird Cake

Always preheat your oven when baking unless the recipe says otherwise
Make sure ingredients, such as eggs, cream cheese and butter are room temperature
Prepare pans well by greasing with vegetable shortening and dusting with flour to prevent sticking
Scrape the bowl well when preparing a batter or frosting to make sure all ingredients are incorporated
When removing cakes from the pan to cool, turn upside down on the cooling rack to flatten the top

Southern Cake Recipe

Adapted and very slightly altered of the original version that appears in Southern Living

Ingredients

All Purpose Flour
Granulated Sugar
Salt
Baking Soda
Ground Cinnamon
Eggs
Vegetable Oil
Vanilla Extract
Crushed Pineapple with Juice
Chopped Ripe Bananas
Chopped Pecans
Vegetable Shortening and Flour, for dusting the pans

Frosting

2 8 oz Packages of Softened Cream Cheese
2 Sticks of Softened Butter
32 oz Confectioners Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Pecan Halves and Chopped Pecans for garnish, if desired

Old Fashioned Homemade Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl: Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.

Next add the eggs and vegetable oil to the flour mixture and stir until incorporated.

For Step 3: Lastly, stir in the vanilla, pineapple, bananas and chopped pecans.

Next: Divide the batter evenly into 3 nine inch prepared cake pans.

5th Step: Bake 25-30 minutes or until set when a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes and then remove to wire cooling racks. Cool upside down to flatten the tops of the cakes for one hour.

To Prepare the Frosting:

Beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer on medium low until smooth. Gradually add the powder sugar on low blending after each addition until all has been incorporated. Increase speed to medium high and mix until fluffy.

Frost between layers when assembling the cake and cover the top and sides with remaining frosting. Garnish with pecan halves and chopped pecans, if desired.

Best Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake from Scratch with Cream Cheese Frosting

Southern Hummingbird Cake Recipe

Hummingbird Cake on a green jade platter and silver server

4.10 from 10 votes

Print Recipe Save

Hummingbird Cake

Classic scratch made Southern Hummingbird Cake is an old fashioned favorite in the South with it’s unique mix of pineapple, banana, pecans and rich cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Servings: Cake

Calories: 426kcal

Author: Julia Jordan | Julia’s Simply Southern

Ingredients

Hummingbird Cake Ingredients

3 c All Purpose Flour
2 c Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
3 Large Eggs beaten
1.25 c Vegetable Oil
1.5 tsp Vanilla Extract
8 oz Can Crushed Pineapple with Juice
2 c Chopped Ripe Bananas
1 c Chopped Pecans
Vegetable Shortening and Flour for dusting the pans

Cream Cheese Frosting for Hummingbird Cake

2 8 oz Packages of Softened Cream Cheese
2 Sticks of Softened Butter
32 oz Confectioners Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Pecan Halves and Chopped Pecans for garnish if desired

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F
Cake
In a large mixing bowl: Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.
Next add the eggs and vegetable oil to the flour mixture and stir until incorporated.
Lastly, stir in the vanilla, pineapple, bananas and chopped pecans.
Divide the batter evenly into 3 nine inch prepared cake pans.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until set when a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes and then remove to wire cooling racks.
Cool upside down to flatten the tops of the cakes for one hour.
Frosting
Beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer on medium low until smooth.
Gradually add the powder sugar on low blending after each addition until all has been incorporated. Increase speed to medium high and mix until fluffy.
Frost between layers when assembling the cake and cover the top and sides with remaining frosting. Garnish with pecan halves and chopped pecans, if desired.

Recommended Products

Wilton Aluminum 8-Inch Round Cake Pan Set, Multipack of 2

Wilton Bake Even Cake Strips, 2-Piece

Nutrition

Shared at Weekend Potluck and Meal Plan Monday

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Until next time, Love and Happy Cooking, Friend!

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