A moist, flavor packed cake that can feed a crowd is always a great to your recipe folder. This old-fashioned hummingbird cake is actually like a bird humming into your ears at the first bite. Ingredients like pineapple, bananas, coconut and walnuts, it gives a deep and rich flavor.
What is Hummingbird Cake?
Hummingbird Cake is an incredible cake that is bursting with tropical fruits flavor like bananas, pineapple and coconut. It is and old- fashioned style cake and one of the most popular cakes in Southern America. It has moist layers of cake sandwiched and topped with cream cheese frosting. I have used toasted walnuts instead of pecans because here in this part of the world, walnuts are more readily (and cheaply) available.
What does hummingbird cake tastes like?
When it comes to taste and texture, it resembles carrot and banana cake but in taste you really can’t compare. You can find my carrot cake recipe here that is super quick to make.
Why it is called Hummingbird Cake?
Its origin is from Jamaican Island whose national bird is hummingbird. Food historians agree that in 1978 Mrs. L. H Wiggin send this recipe to be printed in Southern Living. You can find some interesting facts regarding its name and origin here.
Does it needs to be refrigerated and how long does it lasts?
The cake itself usually doesn’t need refrigeration but since it has ingredients like pineapple and bananas, I would recommend it storing in fridge specially in hot and humid weather.
If using cream cheese frosting, it must be refrigerated and due to oil (and not butter) it remains moist for at least 3 days in an airtight box.
Recipe at a glance
It is made with basic pantry ingredients like flour, oil, sugar, eggs, salt, vanilla and baking soda.
Pineapples, coconut, bananas, walnuts and spices like nutmeg and cinnamon are also used for that signature hummingbird flavor. Walnut and coconut are however optional and can be skipped.
For the frosting, Cream cheese buttercream frosting goes really well which uses butter, icing sugar, salt and vanilla in addition to cream cheese.
If you want to make sheet cake or bundt cake or cupcakes you can check out Sallys Baking Addiction blog for instructions. I personally have not tried it.
Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake Recipe
A moist, flavor packed cake that can feed a crowd is always a great to your recipe folder. This old-fashioned hummingbird cake is actually like a bird humming into your ears at the first bite. Ingredients like pineapple, bananas, coconut and walnuts, it gives a deep and rich flavor.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup Walnuts
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
- 1 can crushed pineapple with most of the liquid reserved (8 ounces can)
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup soft brown sugar
- 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup canola/neutral flavored oil
For the Frosting
- 180 grams Creamcheese
- 1/2 cup soft butter
- 4 cups icing sugar (confectioner's/powdered)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the Cake
- Lightly toast the Walnuts by spreading them on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for about 10 minutes. Chop them roughly, cool and set aside.
- Prepare two 9 inches cake pans by using cake release or brushing with oil, dusting with flour, tipping off extra.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon powder. Whisk in nutmeg, salt and coconut.
- Whisk sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs and mashed bananas in a separate bowl.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, whisk until well combined.
- Stir in walnuts.
- Divide the batter into two pans.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 325 F for 25 minutes until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool slightly before taking it out from the pans.
- Cool completely while preparing the frosting.
- Or you can wrap them in plastic wrap and chill in fridge to use next day.
For the Frosting
- Cream butter, cream cheese, salt and vanilla for about 5 minutes.
- Add in icing sugar and beat really well.
For the Assembling
- Place the cake on serving plate.
- Spread a little less than half frosting or pipe using large round tip.
- Place the second layer and press lightly.
- Repeat with remaining frosting.
- Decorate with pineapples or walnut halves. (optional)
- Chill for 1 hour before serving.
Notes
*You can use coconut oil
Based on 1 Review(s)
Leave a Reply