Hummingbird cake

This vintage classic cake recipe for Hummingbird cake draws inspiration from the Southern Living recipe for hummingbird cake published in the 1970s.

Hummingbird cake was created in the 1960s and has its origins in Jamaica. Hummingbird cake is an abundantly-moist and fragrant cake flavoured with pineapple and banana, studded with toasted walnuts, and scented with warm spices such as all spice, nutmeg and ginger.

Hummingbird cake is named after Jamaica’s national bird: the ‘doctor bird’ or humming bird. However, when Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina submitted her recipe for hummingbird cake to Southern Living, she had no idea the cake would become a ‘Southern’ classic dessert and the magazines most popular recipe.

There are many versions of hummingbird cake. Some are made as layer cakes, but my take on the hummingbird cake is a sheet cake – because more surface area means more cream cheese buttercream!

The secret to the success of this cake is the use of both butter and oil. Butter gives wonderful flavour, that pairs so well with fruit and spices, and oil contributes to the wonderful crumb and shelf life of the cake.

The other secret is to thoroughly puree the fruit. This gives the cake a wonderful fruity flavour and sweetness, without impacting the light texture of the cake.

This is only one of a range of classic cake recipes on my website – many based on classic cake recipes such as those from Southern Living. Check out the full range of recipes here!

Ingredients

For the cake:

115g toasted walnuts or pecans (about 1/2 cup)

210g tinned pineapple, puréed (about 1 cup minus 1 tbsp)

125g (2 small) banana, puréed (about 1/2 cup)

255g (about 1 cup plus 2 tbsp) golden caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp (4g) flaky salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp baking soda

150g (3 large) eggs, fridge cold

2 tsp (10g) vanilla extract

155g unsalted butter, melted

100g sunflower oil

230g plain flour (about 1 1/2 cups)

For the cream cheese frosting:

300g Swiss meringue buttercream, room temperature – my go to recipe by the wonderful Stella Parks is here

240g Philadelphia cream cheese (block), room temperature

Or any ratio of 1 (SMBC): 0.8 (cream cheese)

Method

1. Grease and line a 13 x 9 inch brownie tin. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 150°C. Spread walnuts on an oven tray and toast until golden brown, about 10 minutes, then let cool completely. Turn oven up to 180°C
2. Combine sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, baking soda, eggs and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on low to moisten, then increase to medium and whip until thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add melted butter and oil in a steady stream, then reduce speed to low and add flour. Once smooth, add fruit purée and mix only until well combined. Scrape the bowl along the bottom and sides to ensure batter is well mixed throughout.
3. Transfer batter to cake tin and level. Scatter the top evenly with walnuts. Bake until the cake is well risen and golden brown, about 25 – 30 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center will have a few crumbs still attached when removed. Transfer to a wire rack until completely cool, around 60 minutes.
4. For the cream cheese buttercream, follow the recipe for Swiss meringue buttercream here. Measure out 300g and place aside at room temperature. Beat the cream cheese until lump free and creamy. Gradually add in the meringue buttercream and whip to fully combine, but do not overwhip.
5. Once the cake is cool, top with cream cheese buttercream and level out with an offset spatula. Store in the fridge for up to 2-3 days, bring to cool room temperature before eating.