Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake Recipe
An Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake recipe is essentially 'banana bread meets canned pineapple' and is the most popular of all Southern cakes.
Servings: 12 servings
Cost: $0.99 per serving
Equipment
- 3 9-inch round cake pans
Ingredients
for the cake layers
- 3 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting pans
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 large eggs room temperature; lightly beaten
- 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple undrained
- 4 medium bananas chopped
- 1 cup pecans chopped; toasted and cooled
- vegetable shortening for greasing cake pans
for the cream cheese frosting
- 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 4 cups (32 ounces) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
optional for garnish
- pecans halves and some chopped; toasted and cooled
- lavender flowers food grade
Instructions
for the cake layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, bananas, and toasted pecans.
- Divide batter evenly among 3 well-greased (with shortening) and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
- Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely, about 1 hour.
for the cream cheese frosting
- Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
to assemble
- Use (3) 3-inch-wide strips of parchment to aide in keeping the cake plate clean while frosting by laying atop the plate in a triangle. Place the bottom cake layer atop the parchment, ensuring a good portion is sticking out and covering the plate. Spread the top of the first layer with 1 cup of the frosting. Top with second layer and spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with third layer and spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange chopped pecans and pecan halves on the top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with lavender flowers if desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 799kcal | Carbohydrates: 146g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 308mg | Potassium: 235mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 116g | Vitamin A: 573IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg