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Classic Hummingbird Cake

This classic Southern cake reminds me of a hybrid cross of carrot cake, meets banana cake (well, minus the carrots). I find banana bread to be a bit boring, but this cake has the addition of pineapple and pecans. The oil and eggs yields a very moist cake, and you don't need to use an electric mixer! What's not to love about cream cheese frosting?
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Hummingbird Cake
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 8
Author Debby - www.AFeastfortheEyes.net

Ingredients

CAKE:

  • 2 8-ounce cans crushed pineapple in juice
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour 15-ounces
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups granulated sugar 14-ounces
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 large very ripe bananas peeled and mashed (2-cups)
  • 1 1/2 cups pecans toasted and chopped
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

FROSTING:

  • 20 tablespoons unsalted butter softened (I used two sticks)
  • 5 cups confectioners' sugar 20-ounces; (I used 4 cups)
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 20 ounces cream cheese chilled and cut into 20 equal pieces (I used 2-packages)
  • 1/2 cup pecans toasted and chopped

Instructions

Cake:

  • Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°F.
  • Grease 2 light-colored 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans.
  • Drain pineapple in fine-mesh strainer set over bowl, pressing to remove juice. Pour juice into small saucepan and cook over medium heat until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 5 minutes; set aside.
  • Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in bowl.
  • Whisk sugar and eggs together in separate large bowl; whisk in oil.
  • Stir in bananas, pecans, vanilla, drained pineapple, and reduced pineapple juice.
  • Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
  • Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula.
  • Bake until dark golden brown on top and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes (mine was ready in 45 minutes), rotating pans halfway through baking.
  • Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 20 minutes.
  • Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, about 2 hours.

Frosting:

  • Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt together on low speed until smooth; continue to mix for 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.
  • Increase speed to medium-low, add cream cheese 1 piece at a time, and mix until smooth; continue to mix for 2 minutes.
  • Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 2 cups frosting evenly over top, right to edge of cake.
  • Top with second cake layer, press lightly to adhere, then spread 2 cups frosting evenly over top.
  • Spread remaining frosting evenly over sides of cake. To smooth frosting, run edge of offset spatula around cake sides and over top.
  • Sprinkle top of cake with pecans. Refrigerate cake for at least 1 hour before serving. (Cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Notes

Note: This made more than enough frosting for my cake! The frosting is delicious, but it is definitely very sweet. I froze about 1 1/2 cups of the leftover frosting for another use.
Recipe source: Cook's Country Magazine April/May 2014.