If you love carrot cake and banana bread, hummingbird cake might just become your new favorite dessert. This classic Southern layer cake is unbelievably moist, packed with ripe bananas, crushed pineapple, warm spices, and toasted pecans, and finished with tangy cream cheese frosting.
I originally published this recipe in 2017, and I’ve since updated it with new photos and extra success tips for consistently excellent results.
A friend from Savannah served hummingbird cake at her bridal shower, and after 1 bite, I knew this cake was something special. Forget mingling, because I needed a moment alone with my cake! 😉
If you’ve never had the pleasure of tasting it before, hummingbird cake is an ultra-moist, spiced cake made with banana and pineapple, layered with tangy cream cheese frosting and pecans. When I first began making this cake from scratch, I was curious about its name and origins. I learned that it became wildly popular after appearing in Southern Living magazine in 1978, where it quickly became one of the magazine’s most requested recipes. I also learned that its roots trace back to Jamaica, where a similar “Doctor Bird Cake” inspired it!
Think of hummingbird cake as a cross between:
…and yes, it’s as delicious as that sounds!
It’s an unforgettable layer cake that’s surprisingly easy to make—no mixer required for the cake batter! Whether you’re baking it for Easter dessert, a spring gathering, or simply because you have overripe bananas on the counter, hummingbird cake always gets rave reviews.
One reader, Marcy, commented: “Made this for the first time yesterday and shared with my colleagues today (I had never had hummingbird cake before). Delicious!!!! And my colleagues LOVED it. Recipe was easy to follow and not complicated. ★★★★★“
Why You’ll Love Hummingbird Cake
This recipe is a longtime favorite because it checks every box for a truly fabulous homemade layer cake:
- Incredibly moist crumb: Crushed pineapple and mashed bananas add natural sweetness and tons of moisture.
- No mixer needed for the cake batter: Just whisk, stir, and pour into pans.
- Warm cozy spices: Cinnamon and allspice give the cake a subtle spice cake flavor.
- Cream cheese frosting: The tangy frosting balances the sweetness of the fruit-filled cake layers.
- Perfect for making ahead: Like carrot cake, the flavor actually improves after a day!
Key Ingredients in Hummingbird Cake
- Pecans: Chopped pecans add texture. You’ll use some in the batter and the rest as garnish. Toast them first—it only takes 8 minutes and it makes a world of difference, trust me!
- Baking Soda + Baking Powder: We’re using both leaveners here, for double-duty to lift up this naturally heavy cake.
- Cinnamon + Allspice: These warm spices pair beautifully with the banana and pineapple.
- Vegetable Oil: Oil helps create a soft, plush crumb that stays moist for days. For hummingbird cake, you want a neutral-flavored oil that won’t overpower the banana and pineapple. Vegetable oil is my top choice, though avocado oil also works nicely here.
- Bananas: You want the super-ripe, brown and spotty ones like you use for banana cake. You can also use thawed, previously frozen bananas. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking.
- Pineapple + Juice: Crushed and canned—be sure to include the juice, too. Pineapple doesn’t see nearly enough action in the baking/dessert world, and that’s a shame! If you want even more pineapple flavor in your hummingbird cake, try layering in some pineapple curd like we do in this pineapple coconut cake.
You also need flour, salt, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla.
This cake comes together in just a few simple steps. Start by whisking the dry ingredients together, then mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Combine the two and gently fold in the pecans. Divide the batter between your round cake pans.
I recommend using 8-inch round cake pans, which produce thick, lofty cake layers. 9-inch pans can work in a pinch, but expect thinner layers.
Let the cakes cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting and finishing with the leftover toasted pecans.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Hummingbird cake wouldn’t be the same without silky cream cheese frosting! It’s tangy, creamy, and perfectly complements the sweet banana-pineapple cake layers.
I increased my favorite cream cheese frosting recipe to ensure I had enough for the 3-layer cake. You only need a few ingredients: full-fat brick-style cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
Beat until smooth, fluffy, and spreadable. Cream cheese frosting can be gloppy (technical term), so if yours is extra creamy and thin, it can benefit from a brief chill in the refrigerator before using to frost the cake.
It’s light and creamy, so it glides onto the cake pretty effortlessly. I use a large flat icing spatula to frost the layers and exterior of the cake.
Crumb coat? While you can certainly add one, there’s no need for a crumb coat; the cake isn’t super crumbly and the frosting is ultra soft and creamy. If needed, use this post and video tutorial on how to assemble a layer cake as your guide!
The cake is even better after a few hours because the flavors have had a chance to settle, mingle, and marry. For that reason, it’s a wonderful cake to make ahead of time… even the day before! Honestly, I enjoyed the cold leftover slices more than anything.
If you can’t get enough of these flavors together, try my hummingbird Bundt cake next.
Tips for Success
After testing this recipe many times, here’s what my team and I learned:
- Don’t drain the crushed pineapple: The juice is essential for moisture.
- Toast the pecans first: Toasting makes for deeper nutty flavor.
- Measure flour correctly: Weigh or spoon and level it to avoid a dense cake.
- Use room-temperature eggs: They mix more evenly into the batter.
- Chill the cream cheese frosting & the cake: Let it firm up a bit before you assemble the cake, then chill the whole cake after assembling/frosting, to ensure it’s stable before you cut into it.
Hummingbird Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 28 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This hummingbird cake is an ultra-moist Southern layer cake made with bananas, pineapple, warm spices, and toasted pecans, all topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. I adapted this recipe from Southern Living magazine; though it was delicious as-is, we loved the cake with a little less oil and banana, plus a little more leavening and vanilla. We also reduced the total amount of sugar, and incorporated brown sugar and allspice into the mix.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) chopped pecans*
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (226g/240ml) vegetable oil (or avocado oil)
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (345g) mashed bananas (about 3 large ripe bananas)
- one 8-ounce can (226g) crushed pineapple (do not drain)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces (452g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups (480g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt, to taste
Instructions
- Toast the nuts: Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Spread the chopped pecans (or walnuts) on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 6–8 minutes, or until fragrant. Give the pan a shake halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10–15 minutes.
- Turn the oven temperature up to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt together. In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs and oil together. Whisk in the sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Finally, whisk in the mashed banana and crushed pineapple.
- Pour the banana/pineapple mixture into dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Fold in 1 and 1/2 cups toasted pecans. (Save the rest for garnish.) You should have around 6 to 7 cups of batter.
- Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans. Bake for about 26–29 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove cakes from the oven. Cool the cakes in the pans set on a cooling rack for 1 hour. Run a knife around the edges to help loosen the sides, remove the cakes from the pans, peel off the parchment, and place on the rack to finish cooling. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes until completely combined and creamy. If the frosting seems a bit thin and runny, refrigerate it for 30 minutes before using.
- Assemble the cake: (For extra help with this step, see this video & post on how to assemble a layer cake.) First, using a large serrated knife or cake leveler, slice a thin layer off the top of each cake to create a flat surface. Place a cake layer on your cake turntable, cake stand, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with 3/4 to 1 cup (180–240g) of the frosting. Top with the second cake layer, upside down, and spread the same amount of frosting as on the first layer. Top with the third layer, right side up, and spread the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Garnish with the remaining toasted nuts (I applied them around the bottom of the cake and a few on top). Refrigerate the cake for at least 20 minutes and up to 4 hours before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I like to use a cake carrier for storing and transporting.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, covered, and stored at room temperature overnight. Likewise, the frosting can be prepared, then covered and refrigerated overnight. When ready to decorate, let the frosting sit at room temperature to slightly soften for 15 minutes, then give it one more mix with the mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute before frosting cake. Frosted cake or unfrosted cake layers can be frozen up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before decorating/serving. See this post on how to freeze cakes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheet | 8-inch Cake Pans | Parchment Paper | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cooling Rack | Cake Turntable | Icing Spatula | Cake Carrier (for storage)
- Nuts: Feel free to omit the pecans. No other changes to the recipe required.
- Frozen Bananas: You can use thawed frozen bananas in this recipe. Thawed bananas are extra wet, so drain off as much of the excess liquid as you can before mashing. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking.
- Cupcakes: This recipe will yield around 3 dozen cupcakes. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake 20–22 minutes or until cooked through.
- Non-Layer Cake: This recipe also fits into a bundt pan, though the bake time will be long—55–65 minutes. Use a toothpick to test for doneness, or use my recipe for Hummingbird Bundt Cake. There is too much batter for a 9×13-inch pan, but a 12×17-inch sheet pan would be perfect. Bake for about 20–25 minutes, keep a close eye to not over-bake.
- Update in 2024: After additional recipe testing, and in an effort to lighten up the crumb, I made a few changes to the recipe including adding baking powder, using a touch more granulated sugar than brown sugar, increasing the oil, and decreasing the banana (so it tastes less like dense banana bread and more like a moist cake). If you prefer the old version, leave out the baking powder, reduce the oil down to 3/4 cup (180ml), use 3/4 cup (150g) each brown sugar and granulated sugar, increase the mashed banana to 2 cups, and drain off about half of the pineapple juice from the can of crushed pineapple.
- Adapted from Southern Living
Reader Comments and Reviews
I made this cake for my brother’s birthday last weekend and it was a huge hit, everyone love it! We have a dinner party on this weekend and I will be making this cake again. Thank you for a great recipe!
This was a total success. Looked great and tasted amazing. I did use my own frosting though so it wouldn’t be too sweet. I also did 2 layers as my pans are very big. Cooking time was the same.
I’ve made this before and LOVED it! My only thought is that I wish I tasted a bit more of the pineapple. Is it possible to add more pineapple? If so, should I leave out one of the bananas?
Absolutely! You can replace some of the mashed banana with more crushed pineapple.
This looks great! Can it be made in a sheet pan instead? Not sure how long to bake it for in that case though
Thanks Jenna! See my recipe note for details about different size cake pans.
Hi Sally! I’m planning to bake this cake for my husband’s birthday. Was wondering if I could divide the ingredients by 2/3 and just make two layers instead of 3 (only got 2 cake tins) Will that work?
Thanks!
Hi Himaya, I recommend baking the cake with 3 layers as instructed- simply leave the batter for the 3rd layer at room temperature while the first 2 layers bake. You could also make cupcakes with the batter you’d use for the 3rd layer (instead of the 3rd layer). Hope this helps!
This cake is AHHHH-MAZING!! It’s super moist and the cream cheese frosting compliments this cake beautifully! I made it exactly as printed, and it was a BIG hit at my office potluck! Thank you so much for sharing!
This recipes was absolutely delicious! My 10 year old daughter baked it with me standing by. I love that there were plenty of leftovers for the whole family to enjoy the next day.
I have never left comments, but….Loved this cake! Made it just as written and turned out wonderful! Gave a slice to my mother in law for mother’s day, it was a huge hit. Will make again soon. You always have great recipes, thank you!
This cake was amazing but someone tell me how it’s possible to use all the icing! I iced the whole cake and had about half the icing left still! I guess I’ll make another cake to use it up!
Hi Sally!
Do you think it would be possible to maybe like half this recipe and make in a 5×7 loaf pan?
Hi Ashley, I believe that would still be too much batter. Each 9 inch round layer would fit into a 9X5 inch loaf pan. For helpful information on calculating different size pans you can visit my post Cake Pan Sizes and Conversions.
I made this cake yesterday to use up four overripe bananas. The cake turned out well. I only used two 9″ cake pans and it cooked perfectly. I did substitute Pumpkin Pie spice for the cinnamon, as cinnamon alone is too pungent for my taste. I also added toasted nuts directly to the frosting, rather than as garnish. The frosting went a long way – about a 1/3 was left over (I’ll make breakfast rolls later this week to use it up. Delicious last night for dessert, and I suspect it will be even better today.
I made your carrot cake for my husband’s birthday and he said it was the best cake he ever ate in his life! So now I’m trying this. I’m about 1/3 cup short for the bananas and I don’t have any apple sauce, would it be okay if I topped off the banana with more pineapple? Thank you!!
That should be just fine! So glad my carrot cake recipe was enjoyed. Thank you!
Will it make a difference if I do not add the pecans? As much as I love them we cannot have nuts in our house due to an allergy. Thank you.
Feel free to leave them out!
Love the site! Never had Hummingbird cake before but was making for a friend for her birthday. Agree with other baker who commented that there is hardly enough batter for three cake pans. Made it as above. Decided to google southern cookbook sites and discovered that there is entirely too little oil in this recipe. Most call for 1 1/2 cups of oil to 3 cups of flour. These cakes are super dense and not that tasty. Edible, but more like banana pecan bread.
Hi Sally, have had great success in making your chocolate moose cake and carrot cake so am now addicted to baking and thought I would try more of your recipes! You mention using some of the juice from the canned pineapple , how much exactly? Thanks
Hi Giuseppe! I would say use about 1 Tbsp of juice left in the can of crushed pineapple. Glad you are enjoying my recipes!
I’ve made this twice and have to say that this recipe is perfection! My husband said it’s better than any cake we would get in a bakery. All of your tips are so on point too, although I’ve always forgotten to drain the crushed pineapple. The toasted pecans are such a flavorful compliment to this cake. Even chocolate lovers like me will appreciate this cake – reminds me of summer 🙂
It’s amazing. Absolutely amazing. Just make it. Then eat it
This was wonderful! I made a tray cake for one of my friends who’s been going through a lot the past few weeks. I had some left over batter that was enough for 6 cupcakes. And this was a hit! So yummy and moist. I think next time I’ll add just a little bit more pineapples as I didn’t get enough taste of it.
We loved this cake recipe. Didn’t change a thing. The texture is delicious especially. It’s moist without being heavy. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Sally..My 14-year old son wants to try to make this cake (with some supervision) for my birthday on April 26, but using our 9X13 cake pan. By how much would we need to modify the recipe to adapt?
Hi Kristy! For best results, I recommend making the batter as written and using extra for cupcakes on the side. Fill the greased 9×13 inch baking pan halfway with batter. I’m unsure of the exact bake time, but use a toothpick to test for doneness. (Bake time should be similar to my pineapple carrot cake.)
I made your hummingbird cake for Easter, and it was delicious! The texture was perfect. I wish I could post a photo, because I did some toasted shredded coconut “nests” with pink, yellow, and blue Robin Eggs malt candies on top for the occasion.
Thanks for the recipe! I have a feeling my family is going to request this cake next Easter, too. 😉
How do you think this would turn out in a bundt pan?
Hi Jen, see my recipe note.
Would it be ok to omit the pineapple. Not a fan of pineapple. Cake sounds wonderful
If you omit the pineapple you would just be left with a banana cake. I suggest following this recipe for my Banana Cake.
This looks so good but too big for my small family. Do you think I could halve it and make it in an
8 X 8 inch pan with icing on top? Thank you!
Hi Ellen! Halving this recipe would still be too much batter for an 8-inch pan. You find this Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions post helpful though!
This cake is to die for!!!! My kids that don’t like pineapple loved it. I made a banana cake from another website and it is nothing compared to this cake. I would give it a million if I could. Incredibly moist and the tang of the icing pairs perfectly. I made 2 (6 in) cakes, 1 (4 in) cake and 12 cupcakes from the recipe. I only had 1 cup of nuts and can’t wait to make it with 2 cups.
I bake pretty often and I have always loved hummingbird cake. But this may have been the best recipe EVER!! This cake was moist without being overly oily, well balanced, not too sweet, had great structure and tasted AHHHHMAZING!! Don’t skip the allspice. It made a world of difference.
Awesome cake! Delicious! Thank you!
Can walnuts be used instead of pecans in the hummingbird cake?
You can use chopped walnuts, yes. Same amount.
Im thinking the origin of the name is from the room full of people tasting is saying “mmmmm” and thereby sounding like a room full of buzzing hummingbirds. Anyone who has had one of those beauties fly by will know what I’m talking about. Any way you call it… its delicious!
I have never tasted Hummingbird cake, but loved the outcome of this recipe.. I used fresh pineapple and the cake tasted great.. 🙂