Hummingbird Cake and Hydrangeas, A Dreamy Combo

Birthdays and special occasions are usually celebrated with Hummingbird Cake here at Domaine de Manion. There is something special about the combination of sweet banana, pineapple, and cream cheese in this elegant cake recipe that lives on and on. A Certain Mrs. L. H. Wiggins submitted in 1978, the original Hummingbird Cake recipe to Southern Living, and the rest is history. It has become one of Southern Living’s most popular cake recipes of all time, more than forty years later. It really is a crowd pleaser, and lives up to the occasion it is served at.

I have written about and shared my Hummingbird Cake recipe in a post back in February 2021 (see below). Recently I saw a link from Southern Living on 8 Fresh Ways with Hummingbird Cake That Can’t Get Any Sweeter, and thought to myself, there is a real cult following going on. Think Hummingbird Bundt Cake, Hummingbird Pancakes, the Original Hummingbird Cake Recipe, Lightened Hummingbird Cake, Hummingbird Snack Cake with Brown Butter, and more.

My version of Hummingbird Cake recipe below is not too far off from the original, as best as I can see. It makes a very nice 8” three layer or 9” two layer, where in the original recipe, ingredient amounts are larger to make a 9” three layer cake. The original recipe also calls for not draining your crushed pineapple, and mine does. I suggest you drain your crushed pineapple, as the cake is still very, very moist. I also often forgo the nuts as top and side garnish.

Hummingbird Cake

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups sugar

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. cinnamon

1-8oz. can crushed pineapple—juice packed, drained

½ cup canola oil

4 eggs slightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup chopped bananas

1 cup chunky-style applesauce

2/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions:

Grease and lightly flour two 9” round cake pans. Place a circular parchment paper fitting each pan on top of greased and floured cake pans for ease of removing baked cakes. Set pans aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add drained pineapple, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Stir in bananas, applesauce, and walnuts. Divide batter between two prepared pans.

Bake in 350 degree F. oven about 35 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool cake layers on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, cool thoroughly on wire racks. Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting and frost cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large mixing bowl, beat one 8oz. package cream cheese (softened), ½ cup butter (softened), and 1 tsp. vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add 5 cups of sifted powdered sugar, beating until smooth and spread consistency.

Ice cake in one direction, trying not to get cake crumbs in the icing. Ice top of first layer of cake, add second cake layer, finish icing cake top and sides.

Press 1-1/2 cups finely chopped pecans, toasted into the sides of the cake. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of finely chopped pecans on top of the cake. (I usually just cover the top of cake with toasted pecans, and not the sides.) Enjoy!!

Great Down to the Last Piece

Past Related Posts:
Elegant Hummingbird Cake

Love Is A Four Letter Word And So Is Cake

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie