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
How should I scale down this recipe to make a 6-inch layer cake? Should I do 1/3 of everything?
Hi Bryn, Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes.
Really want to make this for Easter, but this is too big a cake for the four of us. How many cupcakes would this make if I made two 8″ layers? I went to your page with the cake pan information, but couldn’t quite figure it out.
Hi Barbara, as written this recipe will make at least 32-35 cupcakes. You can halve the recipe for less cupcakes, but things get tricky with the eggs. I recommend using 1 egg plus this: crack a 2nd egg in a separate bowl, whisk it, and use about half. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake 20-22 minutes or until cooked through. Happy baking!
I’d like to bake this in a bundt. Does it still require the same amount of frosting as the layer version? Thanks!
Hi Andi! You’ll need less frosting for a bundt – you can use the proportions from this recipe instead. Enjoy!
Made this in a bundt pan and it did not turn out at all. My husband took a bite and spit it into the garbage. Maybe should have changed some things…not sure. But it is not edible.
Putting this on my list for cakes to try in January. Do you feel like you could use this recipe for a tiered cake? Sometimes I find that these super moist cakes don’t have enough structure.
Thanks just discovered you and running thru all your muffin recipes at the moment
x
Sharon
Hi Sharon! It should work beautifully in a tiered cake with the proper supports. You can ready more about baking tiered cakes in this post!
Hi Sally, I would like to try out this cake. Are the peacans toasted or raw?
Hi Alyce, we prefer to use toasted pecans in this recipe.
Hi Sally,
thank you so much for this recipe. I am about to make this cake this weekend and I was wondering about two things: firstly, the flour. I’ve read your post about how the all-purpose and cake flour make a difference in different cakes, so I want to get this right. I live in Italy, you see, and for a cake I’d go with what we call “00” flour here. There is also a “0”, but seems a bit too thick for a cake base. Are you familiar with these? In which case, which one would you say is closer? And secondly, I only own one cake pan. Is there a way to make the three layers with just one cake pan?
Thank you so much for your help and for this beautiful website. I just love that I can trust everything you post is yummy stuff.
Best,
Marketa
Hi Marketa, 00 flour should work for this cake, but we have not tested it. From our understanding the protein content of 00 flour can vary depending on what type of wheat was used. Typically all purpose flour has protein content anywhere between 9-11%. Check your bag and if it is similar it should be ok to use. We also suggest using the weight measurements. Please let us know if you give it a try!
Hi Stephanie,
thanks a lot for your response. The flour worked ok, although it was a bit dense, so next time I may try the 0 just for comparison.
Unfortunately the icing turned into a disaster. The first batch came out liquid, so I skipped the milk when remaking it. It still didn’t help. I have no idea what the cause might have been. Maybe you have different cream cheese. I used Philadelhia (full-fat version), followed the instructions precisely, from temperature of ingredients to times of beating. No chance to get a cream stiff enough to be able to spread it instead of pouring it on. Do you have any idea what the problem could be? I don’t want to abbandon the recipe, the taste is lovely.
Do you have directions for baking in a 4×3 pan? I’m planning on making this for my daughter’s birthday because it’s her favorite, and plan to have the small cake surrounded by cupcakes.
Hi Laura, for a smaller pan, you’ll want to fill half way and then bake for less time (we’re unsure of the exact time). You can use leftover batter for cupcakes.
Would I still bake it at 350?
I haven’t made this cake recipe just yet, going to soon!, my idea is to add about 1 cup of grated carrots along with the pineapple, little extra flour might be needed?, that way you can have your banana pineapple cake and carrot cake all in one! Sounds very good and doable! I also do fruit breads and cookies each week to sell at farmers markets and will have to add this recipe to my others to try selling! YUM! Can’t wait to try it! Let you all know how it turns out with carrots added.
Hi Laura, adding carrots would require some recipe testing since it’s adding volume and moisture to the cake. If you decide to do any experimenting, let us know how it goes!
Hi, would the Hummingbird cake be suitable as part of a tiered cake, maybe on the bottom, but cover in fondant? Thanks
Hi Serena, this cake should be plenty sturdy to use as the bottom tier. For extra stability, we recommend using cake rounds and dowels like we do in our Homemade Wedding Cake post. We haven’t tried covering this cake with fondant, but let us know if you do!
Hello, I only have a 9×13 cake tray available. I’ll use the leftover batter to make cupcakes, but how long should I bake the cake in the 9×13 pan, and to what height should I fill up the pan? Thanks
Hi Meena, fill your greased 9×13 pan about 1/2 to 2/3 full. I’m unsure of the exact bake time, but use a toothpick to test for doneness. (Bake time should be similar to our pineapple carrot cake.)
Hi Sally!
I love all your recipes, so came to you first for a hummingbird cake recipe. I want to make one for my grandmother’s birthday because she loves them, however she recently stopped being able to eat bananas. I know that doesn’t really make it a true hummingbird cake, but was wondering your advice on omitting the bananas. I’m worried it will totally change the chemistry of the cake, and I’m not skilled enough to know how to adjust. Was thinking I would need to add something for moisture (maybe applesauce?) and perhaps some extra sugar? Any thought/advice you have on tweaks and/or quantities would be so appreciated! Thanks so much.
Hi Claire, thank you so much for making and trusting our recipes! Bananas are the main flavor in this cake, so we don’t suggest making a substation. How about a carrot cake or spice cake instead?
Hi Sally, would it be possible to bake this cake in a loaf pan (perhaps in two, given the amount of ingredients)? Thank you, Katerina
Hi Katerina, that would likely 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 our post on Cake Pan Sizes and Conversions.
This cake was such a hit for Father’s Day 2021! My husband requested this cake as a food memory from when we lived in Washington, DC and it was only available at this one bakery. Now living in Toronto, no one has heard of this!
I only had 2 6″ cake pans, so I made the full batter, and portioned it out into 2 rounds of baking, resulting in 4 separate layers (about 420 grams of batter in each). I made it into a 3-layer 6″ cake (perfect size for a small family), and froze the 4th layer to make as a small sheet-cake down the road! (or just a tasty treat!)
Thank you for another fool-proof recipe!
How long did you bake the 6 inch cakes?
I make this often with gluten free flour and it turns out wonderfully (as does Sally’s carrot pineapple cake)! I’ve used cup4cup and King Arthur Flour’s GF blend. We’re also dairy free, and both cakes are fantastic with vegan buttercream.
This cake sounds amazing!
I am planning to make it for my friend’s birthday next week. I have two questions please:
We don’t have all spice here, what can I use instead?
Can I use walnuts instead of pecan?
Thank you!
Hi Sally,
I want to say Thank You for sharing your Hummingbird cake recipe.
I baked it today as a birthday present for my husband co-worker, and It looks so good. (I wish I could show you the picture of the cake.). I’ve never tasted a Hummingbird cake, so I was more then happy to eat the tops after leveling the cakes. SO YUMMY!!!
Now I have to bake it again to serve at my house. Thanks again, for a great recipe!
Hi Sally,
I will be baking your Hummingbird cake as a Birthday present for my husbands co-worker.
I’ve never made or tasted a Humminbird cake but after reading all the comments, I’m excited to try it.
I’m wondering if this recipe will work out ok, if I was using three 8″ pans, or is it a must to use the 9″ pans?
ps: I love that I can bake it the day before, so It has time to set.
Thank you in advance for your time and help!
Hi Vivian, you can certainly use your 8 inch pans here instead. The bake time will be slightly longer to account for the thicker layers. Hope it’s a hit!
Hi Sally. I just wanted to take a second to let you know how much I adore your recipes. I have a small-ish scale at home bakery business. I make milkbar style cakes and your recipes are my GO TO! I use your vanilla and triple chocolate cake recipe more than any other, but I had a request to make a hummingbird cake this week. Let me just say… this is the best cake I have ever eaten. It turned out perfect. I just wanted to hop on and thank you for what you do!
Of course I garnished it with fresh pineapple and banana! I wish I could post a picture! It turned out beautiful!
Many Blessings from Nappy Valley Farms LLC in South East Georgia!
I made this cake for a birthday dinner. The young man’s father is a chef so I was challenged but not daunted. I put a couple of skewers in it so it could travel across town and still be together. Success!! Since there was one person who can’t eat nuts I used coconut per your suggestion. The chef inhaled the first piece and came back for a second helping. When everyone had some and cut more to take home, I ended up with one piece left. There were raves all around so I will keep this one to make again and maybe I will be able to use the peans next time. Thank you for a great recipe.
I understand this batter would be too much for just a 9×13 but if I wanted a 9×13 cake AND cupcakes how much batter might I use in the 9×13 pan? 2/3 full maybe?
Hi Kendra! Yes, about halfway to 2/3 full for a 9×13 pan. Happy baking!
Made for Easter-Loved the cake and the frosting is to die for!! My cake did seem a little dry. I used a kitchen aid stand mixer to mix up. Should I just mix by whisking by hand instead, or did I over bake?
Hi Alaine! We’re so glad you enjoyed this Hummingbird Cake. If it was a bit dry, it sounds like it was simply over baked. This post on how to prevent dry and dense cakes might also be helpful. Thank you again for giving this recipe a try!
Hi! Do you have an approximation on the amount of reserved pineapple juice? I’m using a much larger can and making a smaller batch (1/3) for a mini cake. I tried to find an 8oz Can to drain and measure but no luck!
Thanks!
I made this cake for Easter, and my family loved it. It turned out very moist and flavorful. I didn’t have any issues spreading the batter over three cake pans to make a triple-layer cake, as other reviewers did. I’m glad you suggested refrigerating it for a while before serving, as I suspect it would have fallen apart when cut if I hadn’t. The only modification I would make is to increase the amount of pineapple- I love pineapple and I didn’t think there was enough of it in this cake. Still delicious, though!
I just made this recipe today. The layers came out to about 1 inch each…is that accurate? They just seem so thin…I hope I did everything correctly. Thanks for your recipes!
Hi Steph, that sounds about right. This is a very moist and denser cake, so the layers aren’t very light, springy, or fluffy.
Loved it…great Easter success with family. I added caramelized pecans as a the garnish. Really yummy!
Oh no! I thought I was only debating the carrot cake vs. the pineapple carrot cake for Easter, but then there’s this! Your banana cake is a family favorite, with the brown butter cream cheese icing. How good would brown butter be on this cake?!! YUM! I am going to end up with 10 SBA deserts on my Easter table! Lol.
Hi Sally, can I substitute almond flour for the all purpose flour? I would like to make a healthier version of this if possible.
Hi Linette! Unfortunately, that wouldn’t be a 1:1 swap and would require additional testing.
This is an excellent recipe! I made the cupcake/muffin version I iced half and left half plain, they were a huge hit! I halved the recipe and got 12 large pieces and baked a little bit longer at 25 mins and they came out perfectly. I’ll definitely be making more!
This recipe looks delicious! I’m wondering if I can bake the layers of cake and freeze them, to thaw and frost later? Some cakes with pineapple or banana when frozen become a little to moist and spongy. What’s your opinion, freeze ahead of time or make fresh? Thank you!
Hi Brooks, sure can! See recipe notes and our How to Freeze Cakes post for more details.
Can I make this recipe into cupcakes instead?
Hi Rhonda, Absolutely! See the recipe notes for cupcake instructions. Enjoy!
How would you modify baking for a convection oven?
Hi Cheryl, All of the recipes on this site are written for conventional settings. If you do use convection settings for baking, lower your temperature by 25 degrees F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake. Hope this helps!