Oh, great choice — Hummingbird Cake is a Southern classic! 🕊️🍍🍌🥕
It’s ultra-moist, warmly spiced, and filled with banana, pineapple, and pecans — kind of like a mash-up between carrot cake and banana bread. Making it as a sheet cake keeps it super easy to bake, frost, and serve.
Here’s the perfect Hummingbird Sheet Cake recipe 👇
🍰 Hummingbird Sheet Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable oil (or canola oil)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 (8 oz / 227 g) can crushed pineapple with juice (do not drain)
- 2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3–4 bananas)
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional, but traditional)
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3½–4 cups (420–480 g) powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: extra chopped pecans for garnish
🥣 Instructions
1. Preheat oven
- To 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan (or line with parchment for easy removal).
2. Mix the dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Add the wet ingredients
- Stir in eggs, oil, and vanilla until just combined.
- Add the crushed pineapple (with juice), mashed bananas, and pecans.
- Mix gently — the batter will be thick and lumpy (that’s good!).
4. Bake
- Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan before frosting.
5. Make the frosting
- Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.
- Mix in vanilla and salt.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until fluffy and spreadable.
6. Frost and finish
- Spread frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
- Sprinkle with chopped pecans if you like.
- Slice and serve right from the pan!
💡 Tips
- For extra flavor, toast the pecans before adding them.
- You can make the cake a day ahead — it actually gets better as it sits!
- Store covered in the fridge up to 4–5 days (bring to room temp before serving).
Would you like me to give you a version with coconut or browned butter frosting next? Those take it to the next level.
