Looking for a delicious Southern cake recipe? This Hummingbird Cake recipe is moist and sweet, making it the perfect quick cake to celebrate any occasion!

I have a confession. I’m not really a cake person, at least not usually. I much prefer brownies. Or fresh blueberry pie. Mmmmmmm…pie…

The problem I have with most cakes is that they are either too dry or the frosting is too sweet (or both).

That was, of course, until I discovered this particular cake, which is apparently a Southern institution, right along with sweet tea and pimiento cheese. It is a little like banana bread with frosting, but even better. The original recipe comes from a 1978 issue of Southern Living Magazine but cuts back a little on the oil and nuts and adds a little coconut as well. You could just as easily skip both the nuts and the coconut if those aren’t your thing. Also, it is a great way to use up those overripe bananas!

And the frosting. Oh, the frosting. I use my Browned Butter Cream Cheese Icing because, well, it is pretty much the yummiest thing on the planet, and the slightly caramelized flavor of the brown butter is the perfect complement to the richness of the cake. Don’t skimp on the frosting or flake out and buy the store-bought stuff. It’s not that hard, and it is totally worth the effort!

Easy Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake ingredients.

Here is what you need:

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups very ripe chopped bananas
8 oz. crushed pineapple (undrained)
½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
½ cup coconut
Browned Butter Cream Cheese Icing
¾ cup coconut for top (optional)
½ cup pecans for top (optional)
softened butter & flour for greasing pan
 

Grease and flour the cake pans.

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease & flour 2 9″ round baking pans.

Beat eggs with a whisk.

Step 2: Beat eggs in small bowl. In a separate larger bowl mix flour, baking soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon together and set aside.

Your kids can help mix the batter for this hummingbird cake recipe.

Step 3:  Add eggs and oil to flour mixture; stir with spatula just until moistened.

Add bananas, pecans and coconut into mixer.

Step 4: Stir in bananas, pineapple, pecans, vanilla and coconut. Mix at medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute.

Pour batter evenly into two cake pans.

Step 5: Pour batter into baking pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until knife inserted into middle of cake comes out clean.

Cool the hummingbird cakes on a cooling rack until fully cooled.

Step 6:  Cool in pan on wire rack for 10-15 minutes, then invert cakes onto wire rack and cool completely.

Toast coconut and pecans on a baking sheet.

Step 7:  Spread coconut and/or pecans on baking sheet; bake at 350ºF for 5-8 minutes until toasted.

Ice the hummingbird cake with cream cheese icing.

Step 8: Spread Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle top with pecans and/or coconut if desired.

3.5 from 2 votes
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Hummingbird Cake

This truly Southern cake is simply to die for!

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Hummingbird Cake
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups sugar
  • teaspoons vanilla extract
  • teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups very ripe chopped bananas
  • 8 oz. crushed pineapple un-drained
  • ½ cup chopped pecans optional
  • ½ cup coconut
  • Browned Buttter Cream Cheese Frosting
  • ¾ cup coconut
  • softened butter & flour for greasing pan

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease & flour 2 9" round baking pans.

  2. Beat eggs in small bowl. In a separate larger bowl mix flour, baking soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon together and set aside.

  3. Add eggs and oil to flour mixture; stir with spatula just until moistened.
  4. Stir in bananas, pineapple, pecans, vanilla and coconut. Mix at medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute.

  5. Pour batter into baking pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until knife inserted into middle of cake comes out clean.

  6. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10-15 minutes, then invert cakes onto wire rack and cool completely.
  7. Spread coconut and pecans on baking sheet; bake at 350ºF for 5-8 minutes until toasted.

  8. Spread Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle top with pecans and/or coconut if desired.

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Have you ever tried Hummingbird Cake?

Ruth Soukup
Ruth Soukup is dedicated to helping people everywhere create a life they love by follwing their dreams and achieving their biggest goals. She is the host of the wildly popular Do It Scared podcast, as well as the founder of Living Well Spending Less® and Elite Blog Academy®. She is also the New York Times bestselling author of six books, including Do It Scared®: Finding the Courage to Face Your Fears, Overcome Obstacles, and Create a Life You Love, which was the inspiration for this book. She lives in Florida with her husband Chuck, and 2 daughters Maggie & Annie.
Ruth Soukup

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