Layers of creamy bananas, sweet pineapple and toasted pecans with a wisp of cinnamon, topped with a buttery, cream cheese frosting loaded with even more toasted pecans. This Southern favorite is sure to give you a bite of summer any day of the year!
Hummingbird Cake has become a classic Southern cake even though it has a fairly modern yet tangled history. The credit for the first Hummingbird Cake takes many different twists and turns, from a classic tube cake minus that dreamy cream cheese frosting to a version whipped up in Jamaica. We’ll happily give credit to any and all involved – it is a wonderful cake that Southerners claim as once of their own! For a twist, we made cupcakes with this dreamy recipe.
It’s actually an easy recipe to pull together. Whole eggs add richness to the cake accented by the fruity notes of crushed pineapple and fragrant, ripe bananas. Cinnamon and pure vanilla extract provide the perfect highlight with toasted pecans adding a glorious nutty bite.
The cupcakes are wonderful on their own but let’s top them with a luscious cream cheese frosting – full of vanilla and more toasted pecans – simply luscious!
You can certainly bake this cake in three 8” cake pans, two 9” cake pans or a 9”x13” baking dish. But if you’re looking to share, cupcakes are our choice!
No matter your pan preference, Hummingbird Cake is sure to attract fans!
Hummingbird Cupcakes
For the cake:
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1-½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 extra-large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 small can crushed pineapple, with juice, 8-ounces
2 cups ripe mashed bananas, about 4 medium bananas
1 cup toasted chopped pecans
For the cream cheese frosting:
1 package cream cheese, 8-ounces, room temperature
¼ cup butter, room temperature
3-½ to 4 cups powdered sugar, measured after sifting
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup toasted chopped pecans
To make the cake:
Put the flour, sugar, baking soda, kosher salt and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Blend on medium speed until the dry ingredients are mixed together, about 30 to 60 seconds.
Lightly beat the eggs then add to the dry ingredients along with the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, crushed pineapple and any juice, the bananas, and toasted pecans.
Mix on low speed just until the wet and dry ingredients are blended together, about 1 to 2 minutes. Line 24 to 26 cups in muffins tins with paper liners. Fill the cups about ¾ full. Using a large ice-cream scoop is an easy way to tackle this task.
Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for about 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting:
Add the cream cheese and the butter together in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until blended and very creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time starting on low speed, then blending in on medium speed.
Add the vanilla with the last cup of powdered sugar, scraping down the bowl as needed. Use the last ½ cup of powdered sugar if needed for a stiffer frosting.
Toss in the toasted pecans blending into the frosting on medium speed.
Spread a dollop of the cream cheese frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes.
This recipe makes 24 to 26 cupcakes, depending on the size of the cups in your muffin pans. You can also bake the cake using three 8″ pans, two 9″ pans or a 9″x 13″ baking dish.
If you love to bake, KitchenAid’s 7-quart mixer will not disappoint. https://go.shopmy.us/p-19176151 And Pyrex has been in our kitchen for generations to help with mixing and measuring. https://go.shopmy.us/p-19435156
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Hummingbird Cupcakes
Equipment
- 2 to 3 Muffin tins, with a total of 30 wells
- Electric mixer
Ingredients
- For the cake:
- 3 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1-½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 extra-large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 small can crushed pineapple, with juice, 8-ounces
- 2 cups ripe mashed bananas, about 4 medium bananas
- 1 cup toasted chopped pecans
- For the cream cheese frosting:
- 1 package cream cheese, 8-ounces, room temperature
- ¼ cup butter, room temperature
- 3-½ to 4 cups powdered sugar, measured after sifting
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup toasted chopped pecans
Instructions
- To make the cake:
- Put the flour, sugar, baking soda, kosher salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Blend on medium speed until the dry ingredients are mixed together, about 30 to 60 seconds.
- Lightly beat the eggs then add to the dry ingredients along with the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, crushed pineapple and any juice, the bananas, and toasted pecans.
- Mix on low speed just until the wet and dry ingredients are blended together, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Line 24 to 26 cups in muffins tins with paper liners. Fill the cups about ¾ full. Using a large ice-cream scoop is an easy way to tackle this task.
- Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for about 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting:
- Add the cream cheese and the butter together in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until blended and very creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time starting on low speed, then blending in on medium speed.
- Add the vanilla with the last cup of powdered sugar, scraping down the bowl as needed. Use the last ½ cup of powdered sugar if needed for a stiffer frosting.
- Toss in the toasted pecans blending into the frosting on medium speed.
- Spread a dollop of the cream cheese frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes.
