Hummingbird Cake Bananas Pecans (Printable Version)

Moist Southern cake with bananas, pineapple, toasted pecans, and rich cream cheese frosting.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 cup vegetable oil
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
10 - 2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
11 - 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

12 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
13 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
14 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
15 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt

# How-To:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans or line them with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed.
04 - Fold the mashed bananas, crushed pineapple with juice, and chopped pecans into the wet mixture.
05 - Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Evenly distribute the batter among the prepared cake pans.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.
10 - Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable.
11 - Spread frosting between the cake layers and cover the top and sides evenly.
12 - Decorate the frosted cake with additional toasted pecans as a finishing touch.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It stays moist for days, which means it actually tastes better on day two or three.
  • The combination of bananas and pineapple creates this subtle tropical sweetness that doesn't feel cloying or heavy.
  • You can bake the layers a day ahead, so the actual frosting and assembly takes maybe thirty minutes.
02 -
  • Don't skip toasting the pecans—they go from one-note and flat to rich and nutty in just five minutes in a 350°F oven, and it completely changes the cake.
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more smoothly and create a more tender crumb; cold eggs and cream cheese will fight you and create a lumpy batter.
  • If your frosting seems too soft after beating, refrigerate it for fifteen minutes and it will firm up enough to spread without sliding off the layers.
03 -
  • If you don't have three round pans, you can bake two layers, let them cool, then bake a third—the oven space matters less than not overbaking.
  • A perfectly ripe banana should be soft and spotted with brown; it has more sugar and flavor than a barely-yellow one.
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