Clean Eating Hummingbird Cake

I had never tried hummingbird cake until I moved to Portland in my thirties. Growing up, our desserts were usually chocolate chip cookies or apple pie. When my neighbor brought over this Southern classic filled with bananas, pineapple, and pecans, I couldn’t believe what I’d been missing all those years.

The original recipe is pretty indulgent, loaded with sugar and oil. But after some experimenting in the kitchen, I’ve come up with a lighter version that keeps all the good stuff while cutting back on the not-so-good stuff. And you know what? My kids can’t even tell the difference between this and the traditional recipe.

What Kind of Pineapple Should I Use?

For this hummingbird cake, you’ll want to use canned pineapple packed in 100% juice rather than syrup to keep things on the healthier side. While fresh pineapple might seem like a good choice, canned pineapple actually works better in this recipe because it’s more consistent in moisture content and sweetness. Make sure to drain the pineapple well before weighing and adding it to your batter – you can even give it a gentle squeeze to remove excess liquid. If you’re shopping for canned pineapple, you’ll find it either in chunks, rings, or crushed form – crushed or finely chopped chunks work best here since they’ll distribute more evenly throughout the cake.

Options for Substitutions

This healthier version of hummingbird cake has several ingredients that you can swap if needed:

• Whole wheat pastry flour: You can use regular whole wheat flour, though the texture will be slightly denser. All-purpose flour works too, or for a gluten-free option, try a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.
• Whey protein powder: Feel free to use any unflavored protein powder you have – pea protein, egg white protein, or even collagen peptides work well here. Just make sure it’s unflavored to maintain the cake’s taste.
• Pecans: Walnuts make a great substitute, or you can use chopped macadamia nuts for a different twist. For nut allergies, try using sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
• Greek yogurt: Regular plain yogurt works too – just strain it first to remove excess liquid. You can also use dairy-free yogurt like coconut or almond milk yogurt.
• Grapeseed oil: Any neutral-tasting oil works here – try light olive oil, melted coconut oil, or avocado oil.
• Coconut sugar and liquid stevia: Brown sugar can replace coconut sugar 1:1. For the stevia, you can use monk fruit drops or increase maple syrup by 2-3 tablespoons (though this will add more moisture).

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge when making a healthy hummingbird cake is dealing with excess moisture – be sure to thoroughly drain your canned pineapple and use ripe (but not overripe) bananas to prevent a gummy texture in your finished cake. A common error is overmixing the batter once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, which can lead to a tough, dense cake instead of a light and tender crumb – mix just until the ingredients are incorporated. To ensure the best texture, make sure your Greek yogurt and eggs are at room temperature before mixing, as cold ingredients don’t blend as smoothly and can affect the cake’s rise. For perfect results, toast your pecans before adding them to the batter, as this simple step brings out their natural oils and adds an extra layer of nutty flavor to your cake.

What to Serve With Hummingbird Cake?

This lighter take on traditional hummingbird cake pairs wonderfully with a hot cup of coffee or tea for an afternoon treat. Since the cake already has tropical flavors from pineapple and banana, try serving it alongside a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt or a dollop of whipped Greek yogurt for added creaminess without going overboard on calories. For a nice breakfast or brunch spread, you could serve slices of this cake with fresh fruit like berries or mango on the side – the fresh fruits complement the natural sweetness of the cake perfectly. A sprinkle of toasted pecans on top adds an extra crunch that makes each bite even more special.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This healthy hummingbird cake stays moist and delicious when kept in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll stay fresh for up to 5 days, making it perfect for when you want a slice of something sweet throughout the week. The flavors actually get even better after a day or two!

Freeze: Good news – this cake freezes really well! Cut it into individual slices, wrap each piece in plastic wrap or foil, and pop them in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. It’s super handy when you want just one piece of cake without defrosting the whole thing.

Serve: When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen cake, just transfer a slice to the fridge the night before. Let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving – this helps bring out all those yummy tropical flavors of pineapple and banana. A quick 10-second zap in the microwave can make it taste almost fresh-baked!

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	50-60 minutes
Total Time	65-80 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 900-1000
• Protein: 50-60 g
• Fat: 40-50 g
• Carbohydrates: 90-100 g

Ingredients

For the dry ingredients:

• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (finely chopped, about 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (freshly ground preferred for more flavor)
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I use King Arthur)
• 1/3 cup unflavored whey protein powder

For the wet ingredients:

• 2 tbsp coconut sugar
• 2 tbsp grapeseed oil (or any other neutral oil like canola)
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 5.1 oz pineapple in juice, drained (I use Dole canned pineapple)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large egg whites (room temperature)
• 2.6 oz ripe banana (about 1 medium banana, mashed)
• 1 large egg (room temperature)
• 1.5 tsp liquid stevia extract
• 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place and Preheat

• 5.1 oz pineapple in juice, drained
• 2.6 oz ripe banana
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, finely chopped

Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray an 8-inch cake pan with cooking spray, making sure to coat the bottom and sides evenly.

While the oven heats, drain the canned pineapple thoroughly (reserve the juice for another use or discard), and mash the banana until mostly smooth with just a few small lumps remaining.

Finely chop the pecans to about 1/4-inch pieces and set aside.

Having everything prepped and ready before you start mixing will keep the batter from sitting too long and losing its rise.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/3 cup unflavored whey protein powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, whey protein powder, freshly ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.

This whisking step is important because it distributes the leavening agents and protein powder uniformly throughout the flour, which ensures even rising and crumb structure.

Fold in the finely chopped pecans gently with a spatula until they’re evenly distributed, then set the bowl aside.

Step 3: Blend the Wet Ingredients Until Smooth

• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tbsp grapeseed oil
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1.5 tsp liquid stevia extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5.1 oz drained pineapple
• 2.6 oz mashed banana

Add the room temperature egg, egg whites, plain nonfat Greek yogurt, maple syrup, grapeseed oil, coconut sugar, liquid stevia extract, and vanilla extract to a blender.

Blend on high speed for about 60-90 seconds until completely smooth and well combined.

Add the drained pineapple and mashed banana last, pulsing them in until just incorporated—you want the batter smooth but not over-processed.

I like using room temperature eggs because they blend more easily and create a more uniform batter texture.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures

• wet ingredient mixture from Step 3
• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2

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

Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the ingredients together using a sweeping motion from the bottom of the bowl up and over the top, rotating the bowl as you go.

Stop folding as soon as no streaks of flour remain—overworking the batter at this stage will develop too much gluten and result in a dense, tough crumb.

The batter should be thick but pourable.

Step 5: Bake Until Set

• batter from Step 4

Pour the batter into the prepared 8-inch cake pan and smooth the top gently with a spatula.

Place the pan in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).

I suggest checking at 50 minutes first since oven temperatures vary, and this cake is lighter and more delicate than traditional hummingbird cakes, so it may bake slightly faster.

The cake is done when the top is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched.

Step 6: Cool and Rest

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes at room temperature.

This resting period allows the cake to set and firm up enough to handle without falling apart.

After cooling in the pan, you can turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely, or serve it directly from the pan.

The cake will continue to firm up as it cools completely.