Description
Southern charm meets tropical delight in this irresistible hummingbird cake, blending bananas, pineapple, and pecans into a moist masterpiece. Cream cheese frosting crowns this classic dessert, promising pure indulgence with each heavenly bite you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients (Main):
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cups mashed ripe bananas
- 8 ounces (226 grams) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Additional Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes
Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
- 16 ounces (454 grams) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (or up to 4 cups, as needed)
- 1/4 cup caramel sauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Instructions
- Prepare the dry ingredients by mixing flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a spacious mixing bowl, creating a uniform base for the cake.
- Incorporate wet components including oil, eggs, mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, coconut flakes, and vanilla extract, stirring gently until ingredients are just blended without overmixing.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare three 9-inch round cake pans by greasing, flouring, and lining bottoms with parchment paper to ensure easy cake removal.
- Evenly distribute the cake batter among the prepared pans, ensuring consistent layer thickness for uniform baking.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, checking doneness by inserting a toothpick near the center – it should emerge clean when the cake is fully cooked.
- Allow cakes to rest in pans for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to wire racks to cool completely, preventing moisture condensation.
- Create the frosting by whipping cream cheese, butter, caramel sauce, vanilla, and salt until smooth and airy, gradually integrating powdered sugar for desired consistency.
- Level cake layers if needed, then assemble by placing the first layer on a serving platter and spreading a generous frosting layer.
- Stack remaining layers, applying frosting between each, and completely cover the cake’s exterior with remaining frosting.
- Optional: Garnish with toasted coconut and pecans around the cake’s perimeter for added texture and visual appeal.
- Let the cake rest at room temperature to optimize flavor and ensure optimal texture before serving.
Notes
- Customize the cake’s moisture by adjusting banana ripeness, with overripe bananas providing deeper sweetness and more intense flavor.
- Enhance texture by toasting coconut flakes before adding to batter, which intensifies nutty undertones and creates a more complex taste profile.
- Prevent potential sinking of fruits by lightly coating banana and pineapple pieces in flour before mixing into batter, ensuring even distribution and preventing ingredient settling.
- Create gluten-free version by substituting all-purpose flour with a reliable gluten-free flour blend, maintaining the cake’s tender crumb and rich tropical character.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern (American)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 49 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg