Hummingbird Cake-A Tried and True Dessert

Hummingbird Cake has a deeply sensory appeal—both in flavor and story—which is a big part of why it remains so beloved. The late Frank Spence, a gifted raconteur and Southern food commentator observed that the dessert’s flavor combo “hits all the right notes.” Elaborating, the Nashville native and long-time Atlanta Braves and Falcons executive told me that “it’s moist, fragrant, and rich without being heavy.” He said that the blend of particular ingredients like bananas bring tenderness and natural sweetness, that combined with pineapple added brightness and tropical tang, while toasted pecans offered a buttery crunch. The cinnamon provided a warm, comforting depth.

Topped with cream cheese frosting? According to Spence, “it becomes a Southern symphony of sweet, tart, and spice that smells like home.”

Personally, I associate the aroma of baking bananas and cinnamon with warmth, nostalgia, and the family kitchen. Add in the rustic beauty of the cake—often stacked high, sometimes dusted with chopped nuts or adorned with pineapple chunks—and it becomes both a sensory and visual treat.

With big flavors, tall layers and plenty to share, Hummingbird Cake feels abundant and celebratory.

Generous. Like the South.

Hummingbird Cake comes from Jamaica, where it was first known as “Doctor Bird Cake,” named after the island’s national bird, a type of hummingbird.

Frank Spence

Frank's “Tried-and-True” Hummingbird Cake Recipe

Ingredients

Cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup vegetable oil

1½ tsp vanilla extract

1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained

2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4)

1 cup chopped, toasted pecans (plus extra for garnish)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla extract

6 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.

Stir in eggs, oil, and vanilla until combined. Fold in pineapple (with juice), mashed bananas, and pecans.

Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in pans 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.

Make frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add vanilla, then gradually beat in sugar until smooth.

Frost layers, stack, and cover sides and top. Sprinkle with pecans. Chill slightly before serving.