Description
Southern charm meets sweet indulgence in this classic Hummingbird Cake, blending bananas, pineapple, and pecans into a moist, spiced masterpiece. Cream cheese frosting crowns this beloved dessert, promising delightful memories with each delectable slice you savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 large ripe bananas (200g-250g/7oz-9oz), peeled and mashed
- 1 × 432g tin of pineapple chunks, drained and finely chopped
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 175 milliliters (6 fluid ounces) sunflower oil
Dry Ingredients:
- 250 grams (9 ounces) self-raising flour
- 250 grams (9 ounces) caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 50 grams (2 ounces) walnut pieces, chopped
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 175 grams (6 ounces) butter, softened
- 100 grams (4 ounces) butter, softened
- 175 grams (6 ounces) full-fat cream cheese
- 300 grams (11 ounces) icing sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C and line two 20cm round cake tins with parchment paper.
- Thoroughly combine the dry ingredients in a spacious mixing bowl, ensuring an even distribution of flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and chopped walnuts.
- In a separate large bowl, mash ripe bananas and blend with crushed pineapple, cracked eggs, fragrant vanilla extract, and vegetable oil until well incorporated.
- Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined to maintain a tender cake texture.
- Pour the batter evenly between the prepared cake tins, smoothing the surfaces with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- Test cake doneness by inserting a clean skewer into the center – it should emerge without any raw batter.
- Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool completely in the tins for approximately 10 minutes.
- Transfer cakes to a wire rack and cool entirely to room temperature.
- Prepare the cream cheese frosting by whipping butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until silky and spreadable.
- Once cakes are fully cooled, carefully layer and generously frost the cake, covering top and sides evenly.
- Optional: Garnish with additional chopped walnuts or decorative cake crumbs for texture.
Notes
- Ensure ripe bananas provide maximum sweetness and deeper flavor profile for the cake.
- Toast walnuts before adding to dry ingredients to enhance their nutty, rich taste and release natural oils.
- For gluten-free version, substitute regular flour with almond or coconut flour and add xanthan gum for better binding.
- Reduce sugar content by using overripe bananas and replacing some sugar with natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern United States
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 321
- Sugar: 27 g
- Sodium: 112 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2.1 g
- Protein: 3.7 g
- Cholesterol: 42 mg