Hummingbird Cake (Southern Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting)
A magnificently tender three-layer Southern cake featuring caramelized bananas, crushed pineapple, and toasted pecans, finished with silky cream cheese frosting. The secret to its extraordinary moisture lies in the combination of fruit acids that tenderize the gluten while three forms of fat create an impossibly delicate crumb.
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Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 628kcal
Equipment
Three 9-inch round cake pans
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Large mixing bowls
Wire cooling racks
Offset spatula
Cake Turntable (optional)
Fine Mesh Sieve
Rubber Spatula
Ingredients
For the Cake Layers
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 360g, spooned and leveled
- 2 cups granulated sugar 400g
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon preferably Vietnamese or Ceylon
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil 360ml, neutral-flavored
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 can crushed pineapple 8 oz, undrained
- 2 cups mashed ripe bananas about 4 large, heavily spotted
- 1 1/2 cups pecans toasted and chopped, divided
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 oz cream cheese full-fat, slightly softened
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, room temperature
- 6 cups powdered sugar 720g, sifted
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
For Assembly
- 1/2 cup pecan halves toasted, for decoration
Instructions
Preparing the Pans and Oven
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Butter three 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, then butter the parchment. Dust lightly with flour, tapping out excess.
Toasting the Pecans
- Spread 2 cups pecans on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, stirring halfway, until fragrant and golden. Cool completely before chopping. Reserve 1/2 cup whole pecans for decoration.
Mixing the Dry Ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until thoroughly combined. The spices should be evenly distributed throughout the mixture with no visible clumps.
Preparing the Wet Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk eggs until pale and slightly foamy, about 1 minute. Add oil and vanilla, whisking until emulsified. Fold in crushed pineapple with its juice and mashed bananas.
Combining the Batter
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into the well and fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined—some small streaks of flour may remain. Fold in 1 cup of the chopped toasted pecans.
- The batter will be quite thick and fruit-studded. Do not overmix; the gluten development should be minimal to maintain tenderness.
Baking the Layers
- Divide batter evenly among prepared pans (approximately 2 cups per pan). Spread into an even layer, creating a slight depression in the center to prevent doming.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until layers are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. The internal temperature should reach 205-210°F.
- Cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges, then invert onto racks. Remove parchment and cool completely, at least 1 hour.
Making the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and lump-free, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl thoroughly.
- Add softened butter and beat until fully incorporated and fluffy, about 3 minutes. The mixture should be completely homogeneous with no visible butter streaks.
- Reduce speed to low and gradually add sifted powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Once incorporated, add vanilla and salt. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
Assembling the Cake
- Place one cake layer, bottom-side up, on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread 1 cup frosting evenly to the edges. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped pecans.
- Add second layer, bottom-side up, and repeat with frosting and pecans. Top with final layer, bottom-side up.
- Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting to the entire cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
- Apply remaining frosting in generous swirls. Arrange toasted pecan halves around the top edge and press remaining chopped pecans around the bottom third of the cake.
Chilling and Serving
- Refrigerate assembled cake for at least 1 hour before slicing. Remove from refrigerator 20-30 minutes before serving to allow frosting to soften slightly. Slice with a thin, sharp knife dipped in hot water between cuts.
Notes
The bananas must be very ripe—the peels should be heavily spotted with brown or nearly black. Underripe bananas lack the sugar content and enzymatic activity necessary for the proper texture.
For best results, use full-fat cream cheese (not whipped or reduced-fat) and ensure it's only slightly softened—too warm and the frosting becomes loose and difficult to work with.
This cake improves with time. The flavors meld and the texture becomes even more tender after 24 hours in the refrigerator.
The cake layers can be baked up to 2 days ahead, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 628kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 298mg | Potassium: 215mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 61g | Vitamin A: 425IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg
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