Hummingbird Cake Bananas Pineapple (Printable Version)

Southern-inspired cake with bananas, crushed pineapple, toasted pecans, and smooth cream cheese frosting.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - ½ teaspoon salt
06 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 cup vegetable oil
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped, plus extra for garnish
10 - 2 cups ripe bananas, mashed
11 - 1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

12 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
13 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
14 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
15 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans or line with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
03 - Beat eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla in a separate bowl until well combined.
04 - Stir mashed bananas, undrained crushed pineapple, and chopped pecans into the wet mixture.
05 - Gently fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined; avoid overmixing.
06 - Evenly distribute batter among prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
08 - Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.
09 - Gradually beat in powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until fluffy and spreadable.
10 - Spread frosting between cake layers and over the top and sides of the assembled cake.
11 - Decorate the frosted cake with extra toasted pecans.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It stays tender and moist for days, getting better as the flavors settle and mingle together.
  • Three layers with that silky cream cheese frosting make it feel fancy enough for company but easy enough for a quiet Tuesday afternoon.
  • The toasted pecans add a buttery crunch that cuts through the sweetness in exactly the right way.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the layers completely before frosting or your frosting will melt and slide off like you've made a mistake.
  • The crushed pineapple juice is not something to drain away—it's essential to keeping the cake moist and gives it that signature tender texture.
  • Toasting your own pecans changes everything; raw pecans taste flat by comparison, but toasted ones add a depth that makes people ask for your recipe.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients beat cold ingredients every single time—take the cream cheese and butter out of the fridge at least an hour before you start frosting.
  • If your frosting ends up too soft, chill it for 10 minutes and it'll firm up enough to spread without falling apart.
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