Tasty Gluten-Free Hummingbird Bundt Cake

Finding a gluten-free cake that actually tastes good can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Between the dry, crumbly textures and odd aftertastes, it’s enough to make anyone skip dessert altogether. And when you’re trying to recreate a classic like hummingbird cake without regular flour, the challenge gets even trickier.

That’s why this gluten-free hummingbird bundt cake is such a game-changer. It’s got all the tropical flavors of the traditional recipe – sweet pineapple, ripe bananas, and warm spices – but uses a blend of alternative flours that keep it moist and tender, just like the original.

What Kind of Gluten-Free Flour Should I Use?

For this bundt cake, you’ll want to use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that contains xanthan gum – this helps give your cake the right structure and prevents it from being crumbly. Most store-bought blends like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 or King Arthur Measure for Measure work great here since they’re already formulated with the right mix of rice flour, starches, and binders. If your blend doesn’t include xanthan gum, you’ll need to add about 1/2 teaspoon per cup of flour. Just avoid using single-grain flours like almond or coconut flour alone, as they won’t provide the right texture for this classic bundt cake.

Options for Substitutions

This gluten-free cake has several ingredients that you can swap if needed:

• Gluten-free flour: While you need to stick with gluten-free flour for this recipe, you can use different brands. Just make sure your blend contains xanthan gum – if it doesn’t, add 1 teaspoon to the mix.
• Oils: You can replace coconut oil with more avocado oil, or use any neutral-flavored oil like canola or vegetable oil. Melted butter also works well as a substitute.
• Pecans: Walnuts make a great alternative, or you can use chopped macadamia nuts for a tropical twist. If you need to avoid nuts, simply leave them out.
• Mascarpone: Cream cheese works perfectly as a substitute – just make sure it’s at room temperature before mixing. You could also use ricotta cheese, though the texture will be slightly different.
• Heavy whipping cream: For the filling, coconut cream (the solid part from a can of coconut milk) can work as a dairy-free option.
• Coconut flakes: You can skip these or replace with chopped nuts, or even toasted cake crumbs for texture.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge with gluten-free cakes is preventing them from becoming dry and crumbly – make sure to measure your gluten-free flour carefully using the spoon-and-level method, as packing the flour will lead to a dense, heavy cake. Working with room temperature ingredients is crucial for this recipe, so take your eggs, bananas, and mascarpone cheese out of the fridge at least an hour before starting. Another common mistake is overmixing the batter – stop as soon as the ingredients are combined, as excessive mixing can make your cake tough and gummy. For the best texture, don’t skip the resting time of 10-15 minutes after baking, which allows the cake to set properly and makes it easier to remove from the bundt pan without breaking.

What to Serve With Hummingbird Bundt Cake?

This tropical-inspired cake is perfect for afternoon tea or dessert, and there are several tasty ways to serve it! A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side adds a cool, creamy contrast to the sweet cake, while a hot cup of coffee or tea helps balance out the richness. For a brunch setting, try serving it alongside fresh fruit like sliced strawberries or a mixed berry medley – the fresh fruits complement the banana and pineapple flavors in the cake. If you’re feeling fancy, a dollop of lightly whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted pecans on top of each slice makes this dessert even more special.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This gluten-free hummingbird bundt cake stays moist and yummy when kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you’ve added the mascarpone filling, it’s best to pop it in the fridge where it’ll stay good for up to 5 days. Just make sure to cover it well to prevent it from drying out!

Freeze: Want to make this cake ahead? You can freeze the unglazed cake for up to 3 months! Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil, and place in a freezer bag. I recommend adding the glaze and filling fresh after thawing – they’ll taste better that way.

Thaw & Serve: When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen cake, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then bring it to room temperature for about an hour before serving. If you’re adding the mascarpone filling and glaze after thawing, wait until the cake is completely at room temperature before decorating.

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	70-80 minutes
Total Time	90-110 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 3200-3600
• Protein: 30-40 g
• Fat: 150-180 g
• Carbohydrates: 400-450 g

Ingredients

For the cake batter:

• 3 cups gluten-free flour blend
• 1 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 4 medium overripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup canned crushed pineapple with juice
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the cream filling:

• 4 oz mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

For the glaze:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tbsp milk

Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prepare Bundt Pan

• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Grease a nine-inch or larger bundt pan with coconut oil, making sure to coat all the crevices to prevent sticking.

Set the prepared pan aside for later.

Step 2: Mix Wet Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 4 medium overripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup canned crushed pineapple with juice
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the granulated sugar, eggs, mashed bananas, canned crushed pineapple with its juice, melted coconut oil, avocado oil, and vanilla extract.

Beat the mixture until all the ingredients are well blended and smooth.

I like to use very overripe bananas here because they add a natural sweetness and more flavor.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients

• 3 cups gluten-free flour blend
• 1 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp sea salt

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend, finely chopped pecans, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder, and sea salt.

Mix until all the dry ingredients are evenly distributed.

Step 4: Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients to Form Batter

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

Gradually add the dry ingredients from Step 3 into the wet mixture from Step 2.

Blend just until a smooth batter forms.

Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cake dense.

Step 5: Assemble and Bake the Cake

• cake batter from Step 4

Pour half of the cake batter into your greased bundt pan.

Smooth the surface with a spatula.

(Note: The mascarpone filling, coconut flakes, and powdered sugar mentioned in the steps are not found in your provided ingredient list, so we’ll proceed without the filling.) Pour the remaining cake batter evenly over the first layer.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the top is browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Step 6: Cool the Cake

Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.

Then, carefully transfer it to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely before slicing or glazing.

I always let it cool fully to help the texture set nicely.