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    Home » Recipes » Cakes

    Hummingbird Cake

    Published: Apr 3, 2024 · Modified: Sep 8, 2024 by Stephanie @ Pretty.Simple.Sweet. · This post may contain affiliate links · 15 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This easy single layer hummingbird cake is super soft, moist, and pairs perfectly with coffee. It’s slightly spiced and flavored with banana and pineapple, and frosted with classic cream cheese frosting to complete its deliciousness. If you like banana or carrot cakes, you’ll fall in love with this one. It’s so moist, it will melt in your mouth!

    Easy one layer hummingbird cake with a slice on a white plate next to a fork.

    This post may contain affiliate links for products or services I use and love. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

    In this post…

    • Main Equipment Used
    • One-Layer Hummingbird Cake
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
    • Cream Cheese Frosting
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
    • Frequently Asked Questions

    Main Equipment Used

    Cake pan: I prefer to use my 9-inch round cake pan or 9-inch springform pan as well. For alternate pan sizes, see the FAQs below or go to my cake pan conversion article.

    Mixer: I prefer to use a handheld mixer or stand mixer when making most cakes.

    Can I make hummingbird cake by hand?

    You can! The result will be better, yielding a very tender, soft crumb, but it will take slightly longer to make.

    Easy single layer hummingbird cake frosted with cream cheese frosting and topped with pecans with slice removed.

    One-Layer Hummingbird Cake

    Ingredients

    • All-purpose flour
    • Baking soda and salt
    • Ground cinnamon
    • Granulated sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • Canola oil (or vegetable, safflower)
    • Crushed pineapple
    • Half of the pineapple juice from the can (drain half of the juice from the can pineapple and add the rest to the cake batter)
    • Pure vanilla extract
    • Ripe bananas
    • Toasted pecans, roughly chopped, plus more for garnish

    Instructions

    1. In a large bowl sift together dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, set aside.
    2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix eggs and sugar until combined, then add the oil, pineapple and juice, vanilla extract, and bananas ingredients. Add flour mixture to the dry mixture and mix on low just until combined. Stir in pecans.
    3. Pour cake batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes. If cake is browning too much while baking, cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

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    Unfrosted cake next to a bowl of cream cheese frosting with spatula and chopped nuts on a cutting board.

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    Ingredients

    • Cream cheese, softened to room temperature
    • Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
    • Powdered sugar, sifted
    • Pure vanilla extract

    Instructions

    1. In a bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
    2. Add sugar in 2 additions, beating well after each addition until smooth. Add vanilla extract and beat for about another 2 minutes on high speed until completely smooth.

    Pro tip: If the frosting is too runny, add more sugar as necessary until you reach the desired consistency. You can add a pinch of salt or lemon juice to cut the sweetness if you like.

    Garnish: Spread frosting over the top (and sides if you want) of the cake, and sprinkle with chopped pecans for garnish, if you like.

    Partially frosted hummingbird cake with cream cheese frosting in a bowl to the side with spatula.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I make hummingbird cake without nuts?

    You can leave out the pecans if you want without replacing with anything or you can use shredded coconut instead.

    Can I turn this into a 2-layer cake?

    Yes, you can easily double this cake and frosting recipe to take it from a single layer humming bird cake to a double layer cake.

    Can I make this as a sheet cake?

    if you want to use a 9×13-inch sheet pan, multiply the recipe by 1.5 and bake for 40-45 minutes.

    Does a hummingbird cake need to be refrigerated?

    If the cake has been frosted, it should be stored in the refrigerator. An unfrosted cake can be left at room temperature, but wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in a Ziploc bag to keep it airtight. Alternately, freeze this cake frosted or unfrosted for longterm storage.

    Easy single layer hummingbird cake topped with cream cheese frosting and nuts.
    Hummingbird Cake
    5 from 1 vote
    Print

    Hummingbird Cake

    Single-layer cake spiced and flavored with banana and pineapple and frosted with classic cream cheese frosting to complete its deliciousness. The prominent flavor is banana, with bits of juicy pineapple. It’s so moist, it will melt in your mouth!

    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 45 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour
    YIELD 1 9-inch cake
    Author Stephanie @ Pretty.Simple.Sweet.

    Ingredients

    Cake:

    • 2 cups (280 g/10 oz) all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (225 g/8 oz) granulated sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • ¾ cup (180 ml) canola oil (or vegetable, safflower)
    • 8 oz/227 g can crushed pineapple
    • half of the pineapple juice from the can (drain half of the juice from the can pineapple and add the rest to the cake batter)
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 3 ripe bananas
    • ¾ cup (75 g) toasted pecans, roughly chopped, plus more for garnish

    Cream Cheese Frosting:

    • 8 oz/227 g cream cheese, softened to room temperature
    • ½ cup (1 stick/115 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
    • 2 – 2 ½ cups (240 – 300 g) powdered sugar, sifted
    • 1-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

    Instructions

    Hummingbird Cake

    1. Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Grease a 9-inch cake pan or springform pan. Set aside.
    2. In a large bowl sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, set aside.

    3. Either mixing by hand or in the bowl of a stand mixer eggs and sugar until combined, then add the oil, pineapple and juice, vanilla extract, and bananas. Add wet mixture to the flour mixture and mix on low or by hand just until combined. Stir in pecans.

    4. Pour cake batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes. If cake is browning too much while baking, cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    1. In a bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.

    2. Add sugar in 2 additions, beating well after each addition until smooth. Add vanilla extract and beat for about another 2 minutes on high speed until completely smooth. If the frosting is too runny, add more sugar as necessary until you reach the desired consistency. You can add a pinch of salt or lemon juice to cut the sweetness if you like.

    3. Spread frosting over the top (and sides if you want) of the cake, and sprinkle with chopped pecans for garnish, if you like.

    Recipe Notes

    Storing:

    Store cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving. Alternately, the cake can also be frozen for up to two months in an airtight container.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Rachna says

      November 02, 2017 at 11:11 am

      Wow, looks so delicious. Love it

      Reply
    2. Nabila says

      June 04, 2018 at 3:18 pm

      How long would you bake in a muffin tray?

      Reply
      • Shiran says

        June 05, 2018 at 3:36 am

        Bake for 15-20 minutes in standard-sized pans.

        Reply
    3. Nabila says

      September 15, 2018 at 7:16 pm

      So I made cupcakes with this recipe and it turned out beautiful…can the cupcakes sit out for 2 hours with frosting on top of i had previously refrigerated it since the night before? Making it for an event

      Reply
      • Shiran says

        September 17, 2018 at 2:49 am

        Yes, it can sit outside for several hours. For cupcakes I usually add more sugar to the frosting, like in this recipe.

        Reply
    4. Sruthi says

      April 09, 2020 at 11:26 pm

      Loved the recipes! Can you please tell me what can be used as a replacement for eggs in the humming bird cake and lemon cake?

      Reply
      • Shiran says

        April 13, 2020 at 7:23 am

        I’m glad you like them! I’m sorry but I have no experience baking without eggs.

        Reply
        • Donna says

          January 25, 2024 at 6:07 am

          I’m thinking of trying either “flax eggs” or egg replacer in this recipe due to anaphylactic egg allergy in our house. I also have to make it gluten free. Baking is a tricky science experiment for me with most recipes.

          Reply
          • Stephanie @ Pretty.Simple.Sweet. says

            January 27, 2024 at 2:01 pm

            Hi Donna, flax egg should work with this cake. I do have to admit, I’ve never used an egg replacer like flax egg while making a cake gluten free. Sometimes our experiments turn out and other days we wish we had a magic wand to fix them, right?! I do like the King Arthur and Bob’s Red Mill brand gluten free 1:1 flour for baking cakes. Good luck, Donna!

            Reply
      • Cheri Baker says

        December 28, 2020 at 10:29 am

        I recieved a recipe with no eggs in a cake and it was great 1 8oz can crushed pineapples 1 jar of cherries 1/2 cut a box of pineapple cake mix placed on top of pineapple and cherries sprinkle entire box of cake don’t stir and 1 1/2 stick of unsalted butter cut on top of cake mix cover entire pan place in the oven at 350 for 40 minutes or golden brown serve with vanilla ice cream. Delicious

        Reply
    5. Evangeline says

      June 20, 2020 at 11:45 am

      Can we use fresh pineapple in crushed form

      Reply
      • Shiran says

        June 29, 2020 at 3:02 am

        It’s possible but because you also need some of the liquid from the can, I recommend using the canned one.

        Reply
    6. Suzanne says

      August 26, 2020 at 4:23 pm

      This looks so good! Do you use this frosting for any other recipes?

      Reply
      • Shiran says

        August 30, 2020 at 5:20 am

        Hi Suzanne. I use a similar recipe for all my recipes with cream cheese frosting.

        Reply
    7. Vanessa says

      August 26, 2020 at 4:25 pm

      Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make it?

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Stephanie! Join me in my kitchen, where we’ll be making simple and classic desserts and learning the science of baking along the way.

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