Hummingbird cake is a Southern specialty with banana, pineapple and pecans enrobed in a cinnamon-spiced cake topped with cream cheese frosting.
I served this at my dinner party sponsored by McCormick Gourmet (see my dinner post here). I used McCormick Gourmet’s Roasted Saigon Cinnamon and Roasted Ground Ginger in the cake.
The cake is super moist with the pieces of pineapple and nuts adding texture. The warm spices are subtle and the generous amount of fluffy, tangy cream cheese frosting and coconut flakes on top are the perfect finishing touches.
The starring role goes to the banana with pineapple as a supporter. In essence it’s a banana cake. Hummingbird cake is much prettier and sounds fancier.
Like a cake you want to eat in the middle of a flower garden sipping tea from a china cup in a frilly dress with a pink hat on your head.
I was hoping the pineapple flavor would shine through more but in spite of that the cake did not disappoint.
The recipe as written makes 3 layers. Instead, I made 2 layers and 6 cupcakes.
The cupcakes served as little snacks to sustain the cook (me). Maybe I planned it that way, maybe I didn’t. Either way it worked out good because I could taste them before my guests did, to see if they were foul. They weren’t.
This was a sweet and lovely way to celebrate Mother’s Day.
Hummingbird cake is a Southern specialty with banana, pineapple and pecans enrobed in a cinnamon-spiced cake topped with cream cheese.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350° F. Line the bottoms of three 9" round cake pans with parchment paper (or 2 pans and line a 6 cup muffin pan with paper liners for cupcakes). Grease each pan with butter and dust with flour, tap out excess.
- In a large bowl sift the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt together. Stir in the pecans and set aside.
- In a a separate large mixing bowl beat the sugar, brown sugar, and eggs together on high speed until smooth. Add the pineapple and juice, bananas, oil, sour cream and vanilla; mix until combined. Add the flour/pecan mixture and mix on low speed until evenly combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center.
- Transfer cakes to wire racks and let sit for 15 minutes then turn out each cake and allow to cool.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter and cream cheese together on low speed 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add the confectioners' sugar a cup or two at a time mixing on low speed until all of it is incorporated. Beat on medium speed 5-6 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Frost cake and sprinkle with coconut flakes or chopped nuts.
Notes
Adapted from Saveur
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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I received a dinner party kit including product and gift cards. All opinions are my own.
Baking the three layers for 50 minutes must be an error. Twenty minutes or so should be plenty. Joy of Baking says 25-30 minutes for 2 layers.
Hi Kim! It’s not a mistake – it took that long for mine to be done. It does seem like it would be too long but it’s only baked at 350 and it’s super moist which I’m sure has something to do with it. You can check out the original recipe from Saveur.
Do you butter and flour pans before adding parchment paper…Thanking you in advance
Hi Nita! You can butter the bottom before you add the parchment just to be sure it will release easily.
It doesn’t say when to add sour cream? To cake mixture ?
Hi Gloria! Add it in with the oil!
How long did you bake the cupcakes for? I so want to make this!! Thank You.
Hi Diane! Cook them 22-28 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
Thanks, I am looking forward to making this recipe!