Cream Cheese-Frosted Hummingbird Cake

This decadent, cream cheese-frosted hummingbird cake is the perfect way to end any dinner party or family gathering. A beautiful dessert that features the flavors of pineapple and banana for a tropical twist. A truly Southern cake that includes a can of crushed pineapple and all of its juice, which keeps the cake incredibly moist and makes it so flavorful. It’s then topped off with a cream cheese frosting.

This old-fashioned hummingbird cake recipe is seriously perfect for serving a crowd. Absolutely everybody loves this cake! It’s delicious on its own with a hot cup of coffee or tea. Try serving it after a dinner of Southern-style chicken and biscuits for the perfect way to highlight Southern cuisine.

Or, serve it at brunch with a quiche and bacon. It also looks gorgeous served next to a big bowl of fruit salad at a potluck. However you decide to serve this cake, it’s guaranteed to be a hit with anyone you share it with.

The cream cheese glaze is so simple to prepare and brings the whole dessert together. Not only does it taste great, but it’s also visually stunning, making it the perfect centerpiece for any occasion.

A hummingbird cake is the most requested recipe from Southern Living magazine in the history of its publication. It was submitted to the magazine by Mrs. L.H. Wiggins in 1978. She was a native of Greensboro, North Carolina, the city I live in, so I really feel like this recipe needs to have a spot of honor!

It’s an iconic local recipe that’s served in all of the bakeries around here and is truly a classic Southern dessert.

What is a Hummingbird Cake?

This Southern cake is known for being incredibly moist. It’s similar to an Italian Cream cake but with the addition of mashed bananas and crushed pineapple, and without coconut. (Although adding coconut to the frosting would be amazing) Those two ingredients not only add moisture, but a delicious flavor not found in other cakes. It’s typically finished off with a cream cheese frosting along with toasted pecans.

When made in a bundt pan, the toasted pecans are added to the bottom of the pan so that they are imbedded into the top of the cake. When made as a layer cake, the pecans are incorporated right into the batter.

Can I Make Hummingbird Cake in a Different Shape? 

This cake is traditionally made as a layer cake with frosting in between and topped with nuts. However, hummingbird cake is super versatile and can easily be made with other pans. I’m lazy and prefer a bundt pan. It’s easier to slice and great to take to a potluck.

The glaze recipe I use doesn’t have any butter in it, but if you make a layer cake or sheet cake, you would want to use a more traditional cream cheese icing like the one I use on my strawberry poke cake, just leave out the strawberries. It will turn out thicker and be much better for sandwiching between your cake layers.  

What are the Origins of Hummingbird Cake?

Hummingbird cake has its origins in Jamaica. It’s called Hummingbird Cake after the national bird of Jamaica, the scissor-tail hummingbird. Locally, this bird is called the doctor bird, and the cake is referred to as “doctor bird cake.” Whatever you choose to call it, it has become quintessentially Southern.

What Makes it Special

• Extra moist – Moist and tender from both bananas and pineapple
• Perfect flavor – Tangy-sweet cream cheese glaze and crunchy nut topping add texture and flavor 
• Easy to serve – Perfect for any occasion since its both elegant and simple 
• Eat it any time of day – So tasty and amazing that it works for brunch, or as an end of meal dessert
• No mixer need – one less thing to clean up

Hummingbird Cake Recipe Ingredients

What is in hummingbird cake? It’s a fairly straightforward cake recipe that incorporates fruit for extra flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Crushed Pineapple – Undrained crushed pineapple gives amazing flavor to the cake, but including the can’s juices makes an almost unbelievably moist cake. Use pineapple that is in it’s own juice and not syrup. You can also use fresh pineapple that has been crushed, just add 8 ounces and include any juice that escapes when you crush it. Learn some handy tips for how to core a fresh pineapple.
• Bananas – Using overripe bananas (like what you would use for banana bread) gives superior banana flavor and also provides more moisture to this cake. 
• Pecans – Chopped toasted pecans are traditionally used to top this cake for textural contrast and amazing nutty, toasty flavor. 
• Cinnamon – The warm flavor of cinnamon compliments the tropical fruit flavors of the banana and pineapple. 
• Vegetable Oil – For the most tender and moist results, use vegetable oil, not butter in this recipe.
• Cream Cheese – Full-fat cream cheese works best for the frosting. Learn how to soften cream cheese quickly for the smoothest frosting.
• Pantry Staples – Flour, Sugar, Confectioner’s Sugar, Baking Soda, Salt, Eggs, Vanilla, and Milk.

How To Make This Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake Recipe

Step 1: Prepare the dry ingredients. 

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add in sugar, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda, and whisk to combine. 

Step 2: Prepare the wet ingredients. 

Mash the bananas, then add in the crushed pineapple, making sure to include all of the juice. Then whisk in the eggs, oil, and vanilla. 

Step 3: Mix up the batter. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir. Take care not to overmix the batter so the final cake doesn’t turn out tough.

Step 4: Bake the cake. 

Toast the pecans and place them into the bottom of your bundt pan.

Spoon the batter into the pan and bake until the cake is golden brown. Let the cake cool, then invert it onto the rack. When it’s fully cooled, go ahead and add your glaze.

Step 5: Make the glaze.

You can make the glaze while the cake bakes and cools. Whip cream cheese with an electric mixer, then slowly add in powdered sugar. Add in vanilla for flavor, and then the milk. Pour the glaze over the cake and top with additional toasted pecans. Cut into wedges and enjoy the tropical, nutty, and amazing flavor of a hummingbird cake.

Tips for Making a Perfect Cake

• Be sure to include all of the juice from the crushed pineapple. It is essential for the moistness that makes this cake so amazing. 
• Don’t glaze the cake before it is fully cooled. The glaze will melt right off of the cake if it’s too warm when you glaze it. Wait at least two hours before glazing the finished cake for best results. 
• Need to ripen up your bananas? Here’s a tip for helping bananas ripen quickly.

Hummingbird Cake FAQs

Can I make this cake without nuts? 

If you have a nut allergy or simply just don’t like them, you can leave the nuts out of the cake.

Can I use fresh pineapple for this cake? 

Fresh pineapple could be used in this cake and will give it even more flavor. You will need to crush it and even up with 8 ounces.

Can I use a traditional cream cheese frosting instead?

Yes! Cream cheese frosting with butter will taste great on this cake and is how it is typically served when in layer form. However, a cream cheese frosting with butter will be thicker and will not drip down the cake.

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