For Smitten Kitchen’s Hummingbird Cake Recipe She Went To Another Famous Cookbook Author and Online Baking Rockstar
Studded with banana, nuts and crushed pineapple!
Deb Perleman, creative genius behind the popular website Smitten Kitchen loves a big slice of cake as much as the rest of us. And for Smitten Kitchen’s Hummingbird Cake recipe, she started with a recipe from another trusted foodie, Zoë François, of Zoë Bakes. If you’re aren’t familiar with this treat, the classic components are fruity, nutty layers that get stacked with creamy vanilla frosting. To make this one her own, Deb swapped in a less-sweet cream cheese frosting and added allspice to the batter. She then offered it up to her friends and family—because there’s no easier way to make any night special than to serve up cake!
Deb shares on her site that this cake originated in Jamaica. But it’s also a fave in the Southern US. It closely parallels the flavor profile of a carrot cake (nuts, pineapple, spices) with the addition of ripe banana. And if you have extra ripe bananas, try these easy and fun pudding parfaits. They start with a from-scratch custard that is truly divine. If you’re making Smitten Kitchen’s Hummingbird Cake recipe and you don’t have 3 9-inch round cake pans, Deb suggests you divide 2/3 of the batter between 2 pans and leave the remaining batter at room temp. Bake the last layer after the two first layers cool.
Yields
Total Time
Prep Time
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulater sugar
- 1 cup mild-flavored oil
- 3 large eggs
- 4 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp. fine sea salt + a pinch
- 1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, do not drain
- 11/2 cups chopped ripe bananas (2 or 3)
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. allspice (optional)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup pecan halves, toasted, chopped
- 2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, at room temp.
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temp.
- 22/3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice (optional)
- 2 Tbs. milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (for garnish)
Instructions
PrintHeat oven to 350°F. Coat three 9" round cake pans with nonstick spray; line bottoms with parchment. In bowl, whisk granulated sugar, oil, eggs, 2 tsp. vanilla and ¾ tsp. salt until evenly mixed. Add pineapple and banana; whisk to combine. Sprinkle top of batter with baking soda, cinnamon and allspice (if using). Whisk thoroughly into batter, giving it several more stirs than seems necessary. Add flour and nuts; stir to combine. Divide batter between pans (2 cups per); spread evenly using small offset spatula. Bake layers until pick inserted into center comes out clean, 22–25 min. If you’re not in a rush, cool cakes completely in pans.
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat cream cheese on low speed until smooth. Scrape down bowl and paddle often. Add butter and continue mixing until smooth, scraping often. You want to make sure none of cream cheese or butter is sticking to paddle, or it may end up creating lumps. Mix in 2 tsp. vanilla, lemon juice (if using) and milk. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar; beating until smooth.
Run knife around edge of first layer, then flip out upside-down, remove parchment, and flip it back onto a serving plate. If layer is domed, level with serrated knife. Spread ¼" thick layer of frosting over cake, making sure it goes all the way to edge. Place next cake over frosting (leveling, if needed) and top with another layer of frosting. Top with final cake layer, flat side up.
Coat sides and top of cake with thin layer of frosting; chill until frosting is firm to touch, 30 min. Use remaining frosting to evenly coat sides and top of cake. Decorate with chopped pecans.
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