Hummingbird Cake

As seen on

Sally’s

Total Time

3 hours, 30 minutes

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

28 minutes

Rating

(88)

Ingredients

serves 12-14

2 cups (250g) chopped pecans
3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 cups (345g) mashed bananas (about 3 large ripe bananas)
one 8 ounce can crushed pineapple (do not drain)
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
16 ounces (452g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
4 cups (480g) confectioners’ sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt, to taste

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Preparation

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Step 1

Toast the pecans: Preheat oven to 300°F (149°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Spread the chopped pecans on the sheet and toast for 7–8 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10–15 minutes.

Step 2

Turn the oven temperature up to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 8-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans.

Step 3

Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt together in a large bowl.

Step 4

Whisk the rest of the cake ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour wet ingredients 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 about 6 to 7 cups of batter.

Step 5

Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans. Bake for 26-29 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Rotate pans halfway through baking.

Step 6

Remove cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. Once completely cooled, remove cakes from pan and level the tops off so they are flat. I simply use a serrated knife. Discard the tops or eat.

Step 7

Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, 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. Add more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin, a little milk if frosting is too thick, or an extra pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. Frosting should be soft, but not runny.

Step 8

Assemble and frost: First, using a large serrated knife or cake leveler, layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Place 1 cake layer on your cake turntable, cake stand, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer, more frosting, and then top with the 3rd layer. Spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. Decorate the sides and top of the cake with the remaining toasted pecans. Refrigerate cake for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.

Step 9

Cover leftover frosted cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Chef’s notes

Make Ahead Instructions:

Prepare cakes and frosting 1 day in advance. Keep cakes at room temperature, covered tightly. Refrigerate prepared frosting in an airtight container, then bring to room temperature when ready to use. Frosted or unfrosted cakes may be frozen up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, if desired, before serving.

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Pecans:

I’ve gotten several questions about leaving out the pecans due to allergy. You can leave them out without replacing with anything. Stirring in 1 cup of sweetened shredded coconut would be wonderful though!

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.

Cupcakes:

This recipe will make at least 32-35 cupcakes. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake 20-22 minutes or until cooked through. You can halve the recipe for less cupcakes, but things get tricky with the eggs. I recommend using 1 egg plus this

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, 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), and increase the mashed banana to 2 cups.

Adapted from Southern Living.

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Hummingbird Cake

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