Looking for something new for dessert? Try Hummingbird Cake!

The hummingbird cake is a typical Southern dessert.

This recipe originates from Jamaica. In the late 70s, the Jamaican Tourism Board tried to attract more American tourists by releasing press kits featuring the island’s classic recipes.

One of them was a delicious “hummingbird cake,” named in honor of Jamaica’s national bird, the hummingbird, with a gluey tail.

Southern Living magazine printed the recipe in 1978, and over the past 40 years, it has become the most requested recipe of all time in that country.

The hummingbird cake has become a staple of Southern celebrations. And that’s why you should try it, no matter which country you live in. It will bring you warmth and happiness!

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 3 cups (345 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) ground cinnamon
• 1¼ teaspoons (6 g) kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon (1 g) ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) baking soda
• 3 beaten eggs
• 1½ cups (337 g) sugar
• 1⅓ cups (325 ml) vegetable oil
• ¼ cup (65 g) buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
• 2 cups (500 g) very ripe bananas, mashed (about 4 medium bananas)
• 1 can (250 ml) crushed pineapple or fresh pineapple chopped
• 2 cups (250 g) toasted chopped pecans, divided

For the frosting:

• 1 cup (225 g) softened butter
• 2 packages (500 g total) softened cream cheese A pinch of kosher salt
• 6 cups (900 g) powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F/175 °C.
2. Grease and flour three 8-inch (20 cm) cake pans.
3. In a large bowl, mix the flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and baking soda.
4. Add the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract and stir until the dry ingredients are moistened.
5. Stir in the mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, and one cup of chopped pecans until the mixture is smooth.
6. Evenly divide the batter among three cake pans (about 22 ounces/623 g per dish).

7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes and remove them from the pans to transfer to racks to cool completely.
9. Beat the butter, cream cheese, and salt with a hand mixer until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
10. Gradually add the powdered sugar at low speed until fully incorporated. Whip the vanilla extract.
11. Decorate the cake: if desired, use a serrated knife to cut the rounded tops of each cake to level them. (If you don't want to do that, you can also simply fill in the gaps with more frosting.)
12. Place the first layer of cake on a serving plate or a decorative turning stand, and spread the top of the first layer with about ¼ inch (1/2 cm) of frosting.

13. Flip the second layer of cake and place it on the first frosted layer.
14. Frost with about the same amount of frosting and place the last layer of cake, upside down, on the second frosted layer.
15. Cover the whole cake with the remaining frosting.
16. Sprinkle the rest of the chopped pecans.
17. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

If desired, you can add coconut to the recipe, to taste.

Enjoy!

Watch all the steps of this succulent recipe in the video:

Note: this recipe makes 12 servings.