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Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake is a Southern classic spiced pineapple-banana cake topped with cream cheese frosting and pecans and about to become a household favorite! This Hummingbird Cake recipe is super easy to make with just a mixing bowl! It is bursting with banana, pineapple, coconut and pecan flavors spiced with cinnamon then enveloped in luscious pineapple cream cheese frosting. This from scratch Hummingbird Cake recipe is fresh yet decadent, light yet dense, PACKED with goodies and possibly the most moist cake you ever sunk your teeth into. This Hummingbird Cake is guaranteed to become a new family, neighbor, friend favorite and birthday, funeral, potluck, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day/Father's Day tradition. I’ve included step by step photos, tips and tricks and everything (and more!) you need to know about how to make Hummingbird Cake a sweet, tender, flavorful success! I’ve also included how to prep ahead, how to store and how to freeze – now you have EVERY reason to make this Hummingbird Cake!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 12 -14

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

Wet ingredients

  • 2 cup pecans divided
  • 1 1/4 cups sweetened coconut flakes divided
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 cup Vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt at room temperature regular or lowfat
  • 1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice drained
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas 3-4 large bananas
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 8 oz. pkgs. Cream Cheese at room temperature
  • 3/4 unsaslted cup butter at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 1/2 cups Powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup pineapple preserves
  • Milk as needed

Instructions

Hummingbird Cake

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
  • Add pecans and coconut to a large baking sheet/jelly roll pan and spread into an even layer (keep them separate). Bake at 300 F degrees for 8-11 minutes, stirring occasionally and watching closely towards the end as coconut can burn quickly. Remove once coconut is golden. Add pecans to food processor and finely chop.
  • Increase oven to 325 degrees F. Line the bottom of three 9” round cake pans with parchment paper then spray with nonstick cooking spray WITH FLOUR or grease and flour pans.
  • In a large bowl, mix all of the Dry Ingredients together. In a separate bowl, gently whisk eggs then stir in 3/4 cup toasted coconut, 1 cup toasted pecans (reserve the rest for garnish) and all remaining Wet Ingredients, including drained pineapple, until combined.
  • Stir Dry Ingredients into Wet ingredients just until moistened, being careful not to overmix – batter will be THICK.
  • Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Drop the pans a few times on the counter to get rid of air bubbles. Bake at 325 F degrees for 32-38 minutes (check earlier if using light pans), or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and the cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans.
  • Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.

Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in vanilla yogurt, and salt. Gradually beat in confectioner's sugar, until desired consistency is reached. Beat in pineapple preserves. Add additional powdered sugar if desired for thicker frosting or add milk 1 tablespoon at a time for thinner frosting.

Assemble

  • Place a small dollop of frosting in the center of the cake stand to keep the cake from moving and top with one leveled Cake.
  • Top cake with 1 cup frosting and spread evenly. Top with a Second Cake and spread evenly with 1 cup frosting. Top with remaining Cake.
  • Create Crumb Layer by scooping 1/2 cup of frosting into a smaller bowl to use. Frost cake with this 1/2 cup frosting starting with the top and working down until the cake is evenly frosted in a thin layer. Refrigerate Cake and remaining frosting for 30 minutes or until crumb layer has set.
  • Frost the outside of cake as you desire with the remaining frosting. Garnish with reserved coconut and pecans.
  • Time permitting, cover cake with cake dome and refrigerate cake 30 minutes to let the frosting set. Let the cake come to room temperature (1-2 hours) before serving).

Storage

  • Frosted Hummingbird Cake can be covered with cake dome and stored at room temperature for 2 days or covered and refrigerated for up to 7 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Notes

MADE AHEAD 

  • This Hummingbird Cake tastes exponentially better after a few hours of assembling, so I highly recommend making ahead of time and covering with a cake cover.  If the cake has been refrigerated, let it come to room temperature (about 1-2 hours) before serving. 
  • You can also bake the cake layers the day before you plan on assembling the cake.  Let cake layers cool completely then tightly wrap the layers individually in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature for up to 24 hours.

HOW TO FREEZE

To freeze FROSTED Hummingbird Cake:
  1. If you are planning on freezing, then prep/frost your cake on a freezer safe plate/platter.
  2. Place frosted Hummingbird Cake in the freezer until it is firm to the touch.
  3. Once firm, wrap tightly in plastic wrap then repeat with a second layer of plastic wrap. Next wrap tightly in 1-2 layers of foil until completely sealed.
  4. If you are freezing individual slices, then place these plastic/foil wrapped slices in a freezer bag. If you are freezing your entire Hummingbird Cake for an extended period of time, then secure the aluminum foil with freezer tape to prevent freezer burn.
  5. Frozen Hummingbird Cake can be stored for up to 4 months.
To freeze UNFROSTED Hummingbird Cake:
You can freeze the Hummingbird Cake layers individually without the frosting.  To freeze the cake layers:
  • Let cake layers cool completely.
  • Double wrap each cake layer separately in plastic wrap then in 1-2 layers of foil until completely sealed. 
  • Freeze cake for up to 3 months.   
  • Allow the cakes to thaw overnight in the refrigerator then unwrap and come to room temperature on the counter before assembling.