Hummingbird Bundt Cake

This delicious Hummingbird Bundt Cake is easier than the traditional layer cake and has the taste of spring in every bite. Rich with bananas, pineapple, pecans, and spice, it’s the perfect dessert for any spring or summer occasion from birthdays to baby showers and everything in between. 

The amazing Hummingbird Cake is said to have gotten its name because it’s “sweet enough to attract a hummingbird”. Originating in Jamaica then gaining popularity in the American south, Hummingbird cake is rich with bananas, pineapple, coconut, pecans, and spice reflecting the flavors of the island. 

This scrumptious, from-scratch Hummingbird Bundt Cake version is topped with a creamy and decadent cream cheese frosting and chopped pecan pieces for an elegant dessert cake. Serve it for special occasions, birthdays, bridal showers, or just as an “It’s finally spring!” dessert, and watch your guests flock like hummingbirds.

Once you’ve mastered this cake, try this sour cream pound cake for a slightly more indulgent but still easy homemade treat.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Classic – Hummingbird spice cake became wildly popular in the southern US during Jamaica’s almost ever-present travel promotions and campaign in the 1970s and has been beloved here ever since. Do you remember their jingle?

Delicious – Moist and tender spice cake filled with bananas, pineapple, and pecans topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting for an amazing flavor. If you’ve never tried this cake before, you are in for quite a treat.

Easy – This bundt cake adaptation is a lot easier to make than the usual triple layer cake version. You can also adapt the recipe to make cute Hummingbird Cupcakes, great for potlucks!

Hummingbird Cake Ingredients

To ensure the very best flavor from this cake, make sure your ingredients are fresh – especially your spices. 

For the Cake Mix

• All Purpose Flour – use a trusted gluten free baking flour alternative if needed
• Cinnamon – make sure your spices aren’t out-of-date for best flavor
• Baking Soda – not baking powder
• Salt 
• Ground Allspice 
• Bananas – mashed
• Pineapple Chunks – with juice
• Shredded Coconut – can be omitted if you don’t like coconut
• Granulated Sugar 
• Brown Sugar – light or dark can be used
• Eggs – room temp
• Butter – softened, but not melted
• Vanilla Extract – use a quality extract to achieve optimal flavor

For the Cream Cheese Frosting 

• Cream Cheese – softened
• Powdered Sugar – also known as confectioners’ sugar
• Pecans – omit if allergic

Equipment Needed To Make 

• Large mixing bowl
• Electric mixer or stand mixer
• Bundt cake pan or tube pan

Substitutions & Alterations

• You can omit the coconut or the pecans if you wish.
• Use a quality gluten-free flour alternative if required
• Use a dairy free butter and cream cheese if you have a dairy allergy
• Instead of a bundt cake, you can make cupcakes, a sheet cake or a layer cake with this recipe.  

How to Make a Hummingbird Bundt Cake

Use the full directions at the bottom of the post for specific temps and times for the best result.

Step 1 – In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and allspice set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, Blend the softened butter and sugars.

Step 2 – Add fruits, eggs and vanilla to wet ingredients.

Step 3 – Blend wet ingredients.

Step 4 – Add the dry ingredients and blend.

Step 5 – Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake as directed.

Step 6 – Prepare frosting while the cake is cooling. Frost cake.

Step 7 – Top with pecans.

Time Saving Tips & Tricks

• Use room temperature butter, eggs, and other dairy. This helps these ingredients incorporate into the batter more fully resulting in a better final texture.
• When preparing the bundt pan, use vegetable shortening or baking spray with flour. Ensure every cranny is coated or the cake may stick.
• For best results, bake the cake in the middle oven rack position to allow for optimal air circulation around the pan.
• Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to finish cooling. 
• If you want to get the drizzle effect when icing your cake, you may need to thin the frosting a little first. Don’t make it too thin.

Serving and Storage Suggestions

Serve a slice of this cake with a scoop of vanilla or butter pecan ice cream, if desired. 

Store any leftover cake in an airtight container. Hummingbird cake will be good for 2-3 days stored at room temperature or up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

More Bundt Cake Recipes

• Chocolate Pudding Cake
• Buttermilk Pound Cake
• Sour Cream Pound Cake
• Lemon Bundt Cake

Hummingbird Bundt Cake

Raquel Pineira

This Hummingbird Bundt Cake is bursting with sweet pineapple, ripe bananas, and chopped pecans, for a delicious homemade cake. This bundt cake is great dessert for brunches, potlucks, and picnics. This cake is delicious and memorable.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 438 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 4 ripe bananas
• 1 cup pineapple chunks with juices
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• ½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 large eggs beaten
• 2 sticks butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 2 to 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans for garnish

Instructions

 

• Set your oven to 350°F and generously grease a 8’’-10’’ Bundt pan with cooking spray.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and allspice, then set it aside.
• Add the softened butter to a bowl with the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Whisk well until smooth and creamy.
• Mash the bananas, crush the pineapple, then mix with creamed sugar, coconut, eggs, and vanilla. Beat the mixture on medium-high speed until all the ingredients are well combined.
• Gradually fold in the flour mixture until it is just combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, ensuring that it is 2/3 to 3/4 full.
• Bake the cake for approximately 1 hour, starting to check the cake after 50 minutes, as it may be done in under an hour. To test for doneness, insert a long skewer (or toothpick) into the cake. If it comes out mostly clean, the cake is ready.
• After baking, allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a rack to cool completely.
• Add the softened cream cheese to a mixing bowl and add the powdered sugar gradually until desired thickness is achieved.
• You can spoon the frosting to the cake or you can add it to a piping bag with a large hole cut for thicker frosting. Slowly add the frosting to the crown of the cake allowing for a variety of drips to form.
• Top the frosting with the chopped pecans.

Nutrition

Calories: 438kcalCarbohydrates: 87gProtein: 5gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 362mgPotassium: 241mgFiber: 2gSugar: 58gVitamin A: 280IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 2mg

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