Best Southern Hummingbird Cake

Here’s my treasured Southern hummingbird cake recipe, with its moist layers of banana-pineapple cake, warm spices, and creamy cream cheese frosting topped with crunchy pecans.

This hummingbird cake is what everyone asks me to bring to family gatherings and church potlucks. I always end up making an extra one because it disappears so quickly at parties. And let’s be honest – who doesn’t love having a slice of this sweet cake with their morning coffee?

What Kind of Bananas Should I Use?

For hummingbird cake, you’ll want to use very ripe bananas – the ones with lots of brown spots or that have turned mostly brown. These overripe bananas are sweeter and mash more easily, which is exactly what you want for this classic Southern cake. If your bananas aren’t quite ripe enough, you can speed up the process by placing them in a paper bag with an apple for a day or two. When measuring, remember to mash the bananas first and then measure out the amount you need – this ensures you get the right proportion for the recipe. If you have extra ripe bananas, they can be frozen (peeled and stored in a freezer bag) until you’re ready to bake, just thaw them completely before using.

Options for Substitutions

This classic Southern cake is pretty adaptable! Here are some helpful swaps you can try:

• Regular flour: You can use cake flour for a lighter texture – just add 2 extra tablespoons per cup. For a gluten-free version, try a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, but the texture might be slightly different.
• Vegetable oil: Feel free to use melted coconut oil, canola oil, or even applesauce (use 1/2 cup oil + 1/4 cup applesauce) for a lighter version.
• Pecans: Walnuts make a great substitute, or you can use chopped macadamia nuts for something different. If you need a nut-free cake, just leave them out!
• Cream cheese: For the frosting, mascarpone cheese works well as a swap. If you’re dairy-free, try dairy-free cream cheese – just note that the frosting might be a bit softer.
• Crushed pineapple: This is pretty important for the classic flavor, but in a pinch, you can use the same amount of well-drained crushed mandarin oranges or extra mashed banana.
• Icing sugar: Also called powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar – there’s really no substitute for this in the frosting if you want that smooth texture.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making Hummingbird Cake is not properly draining your pineapple – while the recipe calls for undrained pineapple, excess liquid can make your cake too wet, so give it a gentle squeeze in a fine-mesh strainer to remove any excess juice while keeping the flavorful bits. Another common error is overmixing the batter, which can lead to a tough, dense cake – instead, fold the ingredients just until combined, and you’ll get that perfect tender crumb. When it comes to the cream cheese frosting, starting with cold ingredients is a recipe for disaster – make sure both your cream cheese and butter are properly softened to room temperature (about 1 hour on the counter) to avoid lumpy frosting. For the best texture and flavor development, let your finished cake chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving, as this allows the frosting to set and the flavors to meld together perfectly.

What to Serve With Hummingbird Cake?

This sweet Southern classic pairs wonderfully with a hot cup of coffee or tea, making it perfect for afternoon gatherings or dessert time. Since hummingbird cake is rich and sweet with its cream cheese frosting, fresh fruit on the side like strawberries or fresh pineapple slices can add a nice balance. For a true Southern experience, serve it alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream. If you’re hosting a dessert party, this cake goes great with other Southern favorites like pecan pralines or butter cookies for a varied dessert spread.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Since this Hummingbird Cake has cream cheese frosting, it needs to be kept in the refrigerator. Place it in an airtight container or cover it well with plastic wrap, and it’ll stay fresh for up to 5 days. The cake actually gets even better after a day as the flavors have time to meld together!

Freeze: You can freeze this cake either frosted or unfrosted for up to 3 months. If freezing the whole cake, place it in the freezer unwrapped for an hour until the frosting hardens, then wrap it well in plastic wrap and foil. For individual slices, wrap them separately – this way you can thaw just what you need when the craving hits!

Serve: When you’re ready to enjoy your refrigerated cake, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving – this lets the frosting soften up a bit. If you’re thawing from frozen, move the cake to the fridge overnight, then let it come to room temperature before serving.

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	45-50 minutes
Total Time	65-80 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4500-5000
• Protein: 40-50 g
• Fat: 230-250 g
• Carbohydrates: 600-650 g

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 3 large eggs (room temperature for better mixing)
• 1 cup chopped pecans (roughly 1/4-inch pieces)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon (freshly ground preferred for more flavor)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas)
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil (or any neutral oil like canola)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 8 oz crushed pineapple, undrained (I use Dole canned pineapple)
• 2 cups sugar

For the frosting:

• 3 cups powdered sugar (sifted to remove lumps)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 1/2 cup salted butter, softened (I prefer Kerrygold for richness)

Step 1: Prepare Your Mise en Place and Preheat Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center.

While the oven heats, prepare your baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray or lightly oiling it.

Gather all your ingredients and measure them out—I’ve found that having everything ready before you start mixing makes the process smoother and helps prevent overmixing the batter.

Make sure your eggs, cream cheese, and butter are at room temperature, as this ensures they’ll blend smoothly and incorporate air properly for a tender crumb and fluffy frosting.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

Make sure to break up any clumps in the cinnamon and distribute the baking soda evenly throughout the mixture—this ensures even leavening and consistent flavor throughout the cake.

I prefer freshly ground cinnamon here because it gives a more vibrant, complex spice flavor compared to pre-ground.

Set this dry mixture aside while you prepare the wet ingredients.

Step 3: Build the Wet Ingredient Base

• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups mashed bananas
• 8 oz crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and vegetable oil, mixing until they’re well blended and slightly emulsified.

Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition—this helps them incorporate fully and creates a stable emulsion that aerates the batter.

Once smooth, add the mashed bananas, crushed pineapple (with its juice, which adds moisture and acidity), and vanilla extract.

Mix until everything is evenly combined and you have a homogeneous wet mixture with no streaks of banana remaining.

Step 4: Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients and Add Pecans

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• wet ingredient mixture from Step 3
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Pour the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 into the wet mixture from Step 3.

Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold gently until just combined—do not overmix, as this develops gluten and results in a tough, dense cake.

You want to see just a few streaks of dry flour disappear before you stop.

Fold in the chopped pecans gently so they’re distributed throughout the batter without getting crushed.

The batter should be thick, almost like thick oatmeal, which is exactly what you want.

Step 5: Bake the Cake

• batter from Step 4

Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with no wet batter clinging to it.

The cake will be golden brown and will spring back slightly when you gently press the top.

Once done, remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

This resting period prevents the warm cake from compressing and allows it to set properly.

Step 6: Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

While the cake cools, make the frosting.

In a clean bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter together until completely smooth and creamy—this takes about 1-2 minutes of beating.

I prefer Kerrygold butter for this frosting because its higher butterfat content creates a richer, more luxurious flavor.

Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar a little at a time, beating on low to medium speed to avoid having sugar fly everywhere.

Once all the sugar is incorporated, add the vanilla extract and ground cinnamon, then beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable.

Step 7: Frost and Serve

• cooled cake from Step 5
• frosting from Step 6
• chopped pecans

Once the cake has cooled completely, spread or swirl the frosting from Step 6 evenly over the top and sides of the cake using a spatula or offset knife.

If desired, top with extra chopped pecans for added texture and visual appeal.

Slice into generous portions and serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

The cake actually tastes even better the next day once the flavors have had time to meld, so don’t hesitate to make it ahead.