Hummingbird Cake

How To Make Hummingbird Cake

This recipe is super quick to whip up. Most of its time is spent baking, so all you have to do is kick back and let the oven do its thing.

1. Prep Your Materials: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray.
2. Combine the Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, both kinds of sugar, baking soda and powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set it aside.
3. Combine the Wed Ingredients: Cream together the eggs, oil, pineapple, mashed bananas, vanilla extract and chopped pecans in another bowl. Add the creamed mixture into the dry mixture and beat them until they’re just combined.
4. Bake: Evenly divide the batter into the prepared pans and bake your cakes for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck into the center of each one comes out clean.
5. Start the Frosting: Remove your cakes from the oven and allow them to cool. As they cool, begin beating the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together in a large bowl using a hand or stand mixer. Gradually add in the confectioner’s sugar. Mix everything until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
6. Separate the Cake Layers: Take one of the two cooled cakes and set it on a cutting board, along with a long piece of unwaxed, unflavored dental floss. Wrap the dental floss around the middle of the cake, then cross the two ends and pull. Insert a spatula between the two layers to separate them. Do the same with the second cake so that you have 4 even layers.
7. Stack the Cake: Transfer the first tier onto a cake platter and apply a layer of frosting. Repeat this process until all four layers are stacked. Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of your cake.
8. Decorate and Serve: Decorate the top of the cake with whole pecans, slice it and serve.

Tips for Success

Every time I make this cake, it comes out so tender and wonderful. Follow these tips to get the same results!

• Use Fresh Pineapple: If you have a chance, grab a whole fresh pineapple from the produce aisle and slice it up yourself. Pineapple has a lot more flavor when it’s fresh, but canned will still work if it’s the only thing available.
• Spoon and Level: Don’t scoop your flour directly out of the bag. This packs it in there, giving you a denser and drier cake. Instead, spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with the back of the spoon.
• Don’t Over-Mix the Batter: This cake is a bit heavy with all the fruit, so over-folding the batter can push all the air out and make your cake too dense. Just lightly mix it until the streaks are gone.
• Be Careful Not to Over-Bake: Baking your cake longer than needed will make it dry out. Take it out of the oven as soon as the center is set. You’ll know it’s ready when a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.
• Toast the Nuts: Popping the nuts in the oven for a few minutes before adding them can really help to unlock the flavor. Raw nuts are much blander, and don’t have the same satisfying crunch.