Truly a vintage classic yet easy recipe for this cake, very popular in the Southern states.
The cake is lavished with cream cheese frosting which makes this irresistible in every bite.
Many prideful bakers enter their prized recipe for this hummingbird cake as the best during the Kentucky State Fair competitions and people enjoy being a judge taste tester for sure.
This cake is sweet and moist and the nuts give it that crunchy roasted perfect bite.
This is one of my favorite recipes when I need to use up at least 4 bananas that are overripe, this is the perfect solution!
More often you will see this cake displayed with three layers with several layers of pillowy soft cream cheese frosting.
I take the easy way out and either pour the mixture into a 13 x 9 sheet cake pan or bundt to save time.
Either way, the flavors are a wonderful blend of spice, banana, and pineapple enjoyed by all.
If you love banana recipes also try my Banana Streusel Bars and my Banana Oatmeal Cookies both family favorites.
Scroll down to my printable recipe card for both the easy delicious cake and frosting recipes.
Easy Scratch Cakes
This cake is so easy, it just requires keeping the wet ingredients dry separately and just blending them together evenly.
I use the mixer just to get the bananas creamed with the sugar, oil, and pineapple blended then it's just a quick stir to moisten the flour evenly.
If you're looking for an easy scratch cake and not fond of baking, this will be your favorite cake recipe, it's super simple.
Ingredients You Will Need (scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements
- flour
- sugar
- eggs
- bananas
- pineapple crushed not drained
- cooking spray oil
- vegetable or canola oil
- cinnamon
- allspice
- vanilla
- baking soda
- toasted pecans (pecans are called for in the original recipe, I prefer toasted walnuts)
- butter for roasting the nuts in
- For the Frosting:
- cream cheese
- powdered sugar
- butter
- milk
- vanilla
Tools You Will Need
- electric beater
- spatula
- large 6-quart bowl
- 13 x 9 sized pan, bundt pan, or 3 - 9 inch layer cake pans
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
Additional Suggestions:
- orange or lemon zest
- mandarin oranges instead of pineapple
- coconut
- raisins
- macadamia nuts or almonds
More Cake Recipes To Try:
Carrot Cake Mix Cake
Fresh Blueberry Cake Mix Cake
Texas Sheet Cake
A Few Baking Tips
- The cake batter will be more than a 12-cup bundt pan and require another smaller pan for the excess batter
- Bundt pan takes around 50 minutes to bake
- If using 3 - 9inch pans for a layer cake baked for around 25 to 30 minutes
- A 13 x 9 sheet cake took around 45 to 55 minutes
Pin for later
Homemade and Delicious
If you're looking to use up banana's don't miss trying this cake it's really a deliciously moist cake and so simple the kids can help make it.
I love everything about the flavors, it's great any time of year and makes just a large cake that can feed a crowd with no problem.
The best part about the cake is that decadent cream cheese frosting on top it's truly addicting!
Hummingbird Cake

Yield: 15
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 H & 1 MTotal time: 1 H & 16 M
This recipe is popular in the Southern States called Hummingbird Cake. It's moist with banana, pineapple and cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 2 cups of sugar
- 1 teaspoon. salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups canola or vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
- 1 (8-ounce) can of crushed pineapple, with juice don't drain it
- 2 cups very ripe bananas ( around 4 medium)
- 1 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts
- Frosting Ingredients:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 or 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 4 ounces of butter
- 4 ounces of cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare the pans you're using grease and flour them or use a cooking spray.
- Toast the nuts ( these will go on the bottom of the pans you use)
- Pans that can be used:
- 12 cup bundt and the extra batter in a smaller pan
- 3 - 9 inch cake pan evenly distributed
- 13 x 9 sheet pan
- (I do this in a 13 x 9 pan and toast the nuts in the pan with a little butter.)
- Cake Directions:
- Beat the bananas with an electric mixer to make them smashed then stir in the pineapple with juice.
- Add the vanilla, eggs, and oil.
- Stir in the flour, spices, sugar, baking soda, and salt until just blended evenly together.
- Fold in the nuts.
- Pour into the pan you prefer to use.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees see below for the size pan for times:
- 13 x 9 around 45 minutes
- Bundt pan for 55 to 60 minutes
- Cake pans 9 inches around 25 to 30 minutes
- Cool the cake completely before frosting.
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces of butter
- 4 ounces of cream cheese
- 2 cups of powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- Beat all ingredients until smooth.
Nutrition Facts
Sugar (grams)
50.84 gSodium (milligrams)
316.33 mgSat. Fat (grams)
9.56 gProtein (grams)
5.45 gNet carbs
71.3 gFiber (grams)
2.47 gFat (grams)
37.16 gCholesterol (grams)
61.09 mgCarbs (grams)
73.78 gCalories
636.66 kcalPin for later
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I have always wanted to make hummingbird cake, and your recipe looks perfect!! Bookmarked to make for Christmas, thank you so much for this recipe :)
ReplyDeleteThis cake is always a moist and delicious treat! Fabulous for the holidays!
ReplyDeleteThis cake looks finger-licking good! Just wow, I am definitely making this for the holidays! Thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI love Hummingbird cake, your recipe looks great!
ReplyDeleteNever heard of hummingbird cake before but it sure looks so dense and delicious! I love all the cakes with nuts. This one looks easy to make, gonna give it a try this weekend!
ReplyDeleteI can almost taste this cake. Looks so good!
ReplyDeleteIt must have tasted amazing with all the walnuts and cream cheese frosting! Love the moist crumb, which reminds me of my favourite carrot cake.
ReplyDeleteLove this recipe! Now I have a use for my over ripe bananas when I accidentally let them sit out too long.
ReplyDeleteI think I need to try with the macadamia nut idea. What a fun way to dress up the cake.
ReplyDeleteI only tried this for the first time recently and it's amazing. I need to try making it myself.
ReplyDeleteAmazing cake recipe. Thank you for sharing such nice recipes
ReplyDeleteYummy! This looks so delicious! My family is going to love this recipe! Can't wait!
ReplyDeleteClaudia, this cake is AH-mazing! It's the best hummingbird cake I've ever eaten. Thanks for this winner of a recipe. I love it!!
ReplyDeleteIt looks delicious in the close up and I believe I remember eating it way in the past and liking it.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of hummingbird cakes before - looks so incredibly rich and delicious!
ReplyDeleteThis was my first time having this cake and it's amazing - thank you!
ReplyDeleteWe will love your hummingbird cake, it looks delish! Hope you had a great Christmas and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday,516. We hope to see you back here again soon!
ReplyDeleteMiz Helen
Great combination of flavors. First time making, everything loved the banana, pineapple combo. Will make again for sure.
ReplyDeleteomg - i'm making this asap - this sounds so good!!!! i love pineapple!
ReplyDeleteI've heard of Hummingbird Cake before but can't recall ever having it. It's beautiful and sounds like a must try!
ReplyDelete