Hummingbird Cake Recipe with Dried Pineapple Flowers

Hummingbird Cake is a sweet and delicious dessert for any occasion. This beautiful banana pineapple cake with cream cheese frosting is a popular Southern cake recipe that everyone should try. Make this Hummingbird Cake recipe (with pineapple flowers) for Easter, bridal showers, and more!

Hummingbird Cake Recipe with Dried Pineapple Flowers

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 1

Servings: slices

Calories: 1020kcal

Author: Becky Hardin | The Cookie Rookie

Hummingbird Cake is a sweet and delicious dessert for any occasion. This beautiful banana pineapple cake with cream cheese frosting is a popular Southern cake recipe that everyone should try. Make this Hummingbird Cake recipe (with pineapple flowers) for Easter, bridal showers, and more!

Print Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Cake

16 ounces crushed pineapple in juice 454 grams (2 cans)
4 cups whole pecans 500 grams, toasted and divided
3 cups all-purpose flour 425 grams
2 teaspoons baking powder 8 grams
1 teaspoon baking soda 6 grams
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 grams
1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
2 cups granulated sugar 400 grams
3 large eggs 150 grams
1 cup vegetable oil 200 grams
4 very ripe bananas peeled and mashed (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 8 grams

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

16 ounces cream cheese 454 grams, room temperature (2 bricks)
10 tablespoons unsalted butter 141 grams, room temperature (1¼ sticks)
⅓ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt 76 grams, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
2 cups powdered sugar 226 grams
Dried Pineapple Flowers for garnish, optional

Instructions

For the Cake

Set the oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 3 (8-inch) cake pans or 2 (9-inch) cake pans with nonstick baking spray and line with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
Drain the pineapple in a fine-mesh strainer set over to bowl to catch the drippings. Press the pineapple with a rubber spatula to extract as much juice as possible. Set a small saucepan over medium heat and add the pineapple juice. Cook until reduced to ⅓ cup, about 6-8 minutes; set aside to cool.
16 ounces crushed pineapple in juice
While the juice reduces, place the pecans on a large baking sheet and place in the preheated oven, on the middle rack. Toast the pecans until darker in color and fragrant, about 6-8 minutes. Watch closely after the 5 minutes mark – pecans burn easily. Remove the pecans from the oven and pour them onto a large plate to cool.
4 cups whole pecans
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar and eggs until incorporated. Continue whisking while adding the oil. Stir in bananas, toasted pecans, vanilla, drained pineapple and the cooled reduced pineapple juice.
2 cups granulated sugar, 3 large eggs, 1 cup vegetable oil, 4 very ripe bananas, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Add the flour mixture and mix just until no flour is visible.
Pour the batter, evenly, between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
Bake at 350°F until dark golden brown for 25-40 minutes (depending on the pan size), or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Rotate the pans halfway through baking.
Transfer the cakes to a cooling rack to cool (in the pan) for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, remove the cakes from the pans, discard the parchment, and let cool completely on the cooling rack.

For the Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until fully incorporated and smooth, about 3 minutes.
16 ounces cream cheese, 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
Add sour cream and vanilla extract and beat on medium-high speed another 2 minutes.
⅓ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Set the speed to low and add the powdered sugar. Once all the powdered sugar has been added, set the speed to medium-high and whisk an additional 3 minutes. The frosting will be fluffy, smooth, and gorgeous.
2 cups powdered sugar

Assembly

Place one layer of the cake on a cake stand or plate. Add enough frosting to cover the top of the layer, then stack the second layer on top. Repeat with the third layer, if using.
Add more frosting to the top and sides of the cake, smoothing with an offset spatula.
Garnish with pineapple flowers, if desired.

Video

Notes

Adapted from Cook’s Country

Serves 12-16

Yield: 3 (8-inch) round cakes or 2 (9-inch) round cakes

You need super ripe bananas for this recipe, so look for a bunch at the store that is covered in brown spots, or buy a bunch and let it sit for a few days before making this cake.
If very ripe bananas can’t be found, use ripe bananas and add 1 tablespoon agave syrup or honey to the bananas when mashing – it will add the missing extra sweetness of overly ripe bananas.
If you're short on time and you can't find bananas that are ripe enough, add a tablespoon of agave syrup or honey when mashing up the ripest bananas you have (no green bananas!). This will help to make it sweeter.
I recommend toasting whole pecans so some can be reserved for decorating the cake, if desired. I then chopped enough pecans to make 1½ cups to add to the cake batter.
You can use 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans to make the layers. 8-inch will make three layers, and 9-inch will make two layers.
A can of crushed pineapple is a better option than crushing up fresh pineapple because you want to make sure you get allll the juices mixed into the batter.

Storage: Store hummingbird cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition