Southern Hummingbird Cake

Ingredients

• 3 cups All-purpose flour, 360 g
• 2 cups Granulated sugar, 400 g
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Fine salt
• 3 Large eggs
• 1 cup Neutral vegetable oil, 240 ml
• 2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups Very ripe bananas, about 450 g, mashed
• 8 oz Crushed pineapple in juice, 227 g, undrained
• 1 cup Pecans, 113 g, toasted and chopped
• 16 oz Full-fat cream cheese, 454 g, softened
• 1 cup Unsalted butter, 226 g, softened
• 5 cups Confectioners' sugar, 565 g
• 2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp Fine salt
• 1/2 cup Pecans, toasted and chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and parchment-line three 9-inch round cake pans.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
3. In a second bowl whisk eggs, oil, and vanilla. Stir in mashed banana, crushed pineapple with its juice, and toasted pecans.
4. Fold wet ingredients into dry just until no dry pockets remain. Do not overmix.
5. Divide batter evenly among the pans and bake 25–30 minutes, until the centers spring back and a tester comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
6. Cool in pans 10 minutes, turn onto racks, remove parchment, and cool completely.
7. Beat cream cheese and butter smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, then vanilla and salt.
8. Stack the three cooled layers with frosting between each. Frost the top and sides and garnish with toasted pecans if desired.
9. Chill 20–30 minutes before slicing for cleaner layers.

Nutrition

Chef's Notes

This is the classic banana-pineapple-pecan style of Southern hummingbird cake. Coconut is not part of this canonical version; it can be offered as a variation rather than added by default. Refrigerate covered up to 4 days because of the cream cheese frosting.

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