Description
Moist and irresistible, hummingbird cake blends Caribbean banana and pineapple flavors with spicy pecans and cream cheese frosting. Sweet southern comfort wraps warm memories into each delectable slice you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 bananas)
- 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
- 1 cup chopped pecans (plus extra for garnish)
Dry Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients and Additions:
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Chopped pecans
- Pineapple chunks
- Banana slices
Instructions
- Prepare the baking environment by warming the oven to 350°F (175°C). Thoroughly coat three 9-inch circular baking vessels with grease and flour, ensuring smooth cake release.
- Create a foundation by combining dry components – flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon – in a spacious mixing vessel. Incorporate eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract, stirring minimally to maintain batter integrity.
- Gently introduce crushed pineapple with its natural juice, thoroughly mashed bananas, and finely chopped pecans into the mixture. Fold ingredients delicately to preserve the cake’s delicate texture.
- Distribute batter evenly across prepared baking pans, ensuring balanced layers. Position in preheated oven and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes until a slender testing implement emerges clean when inserted into cake’s center.
- Allow cakes to rest within their containers for 10 minutes, then transition to cooling racks for complete temperature reduction.
- Craft silky frosting by whipping cream cheese and butter until harmoniously smooth. Gradually integrate powdered sugar, beating consistently until achieving luxurious consistency. Enhance with vanilla extract.
- Construct cake architecture by positioning initial layer on serving platform. Apply generous frosting layer, repeating with subsequent layers and completing with comprehensive exterior coverage.
- Embellish with optional pecan fragments, pineapple morsels, and banana slivers. Serve at ambient temperature for optimal flavor experience.
Notes
- Swap out oil for applesauce to reduce fat content and create a lighter version of the cake.
- Toast pecans before adding to the batter to enhance their nutty flavor and provide a deeper, more complex taste profile.
- Drain pineapple thoroughly to prevent excess moisture that could make the cake soggy and affect its texture.
- Use room temperature ingredients like eggs and cream cheese to ensure smoother mixing and better cake consistency.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern (American)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 525
- Sugar: 56 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 66 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 51 mg