Similar in taste to carrot cake or spice cake, this Hummingbird Cake combines traditional and tropical flavors like banana and pineapple and is topped off with a classic buttercream frosting. 

Today I’m sharing a scrumptious southern recipe for Hummingbird Cake, which dates back to 1978 when it was submitted to Southern Living Magazine. As far as I know, no one knows where the name comes from but it is a southern gem! Over the years I’ve had this cake in different variations and have heard it called different names. I’m willing to bet if you try it you’ll recognize the taste too! Hummingbird cake is very similar to carrot cake, but instead of carrots and raisins inside, you have bananas and pineapple.

The addition of mashed ripe bananas and juicy pineapple make this cake extra moist and delicious. My family appreciates a less sweet cake, so I use some whole wheat flour in my version, making it taste a little more like a banana bread instead of a lighter, spongier cake. But don’t worry, the buttercream frosting ups the sweet factor for those of us that are into that (raises hand). For decorating the cake, I tried out a rustic look by scraping the sides a bit to reveal some of the layers. It’s cute, but I’m glad I had extra frosting to add to my piece on the side later! Frosting for the win!

Making a cake from scratch can be intimidating, but once you do it a couple of times you realize that the benefits far outweigh the extra trouble of combining your own dry ingredients. To me, homemade cakes always taste richer and more dense than a box mix. That doesn’t mean that I don’t also love and use box mixes! My most popular recipe on the blog uses a mix and you can make fabulous muffins with a box as well!

I have to admit, Molly Yeh has really been inspiring me with my baking lately on her new Food Network show Girl Meets Farm. She makes the prettiest cakes! I’ve been following her blog forever and being a food blogger myself it’s super motivating to see all her success.

One thing that sets this cake apart is that it has a great texture due to the nuts baked inside. I used pecans but you could also use walnuts. I’ve heard that toasting your nuts before they go in the batter makes a big difference in taste but in the interest of time I did not do that. Maybe I’ll give it a try next time and see! If you don’t like the crunch in your cake you could also leave them out entirely. Another added bonus is that this cake smells wonderful while it’s baking!

Even though most Hummingbird Cakes that I’ve seen use a cream cheese frosting, I really enjoy a simple buttercream for this cake. Making your own frosting, even if you use a box mix for your cake, is an easy way to up your game. It takes just 5 minutes to whip up and is positively heavenly!

I hope you will try and love this cake as much as we do! Let me know what you think by leaving a comment, or tagging me on social media with #allthekingsmorsels and @allthekingsmorsels.

Looking for more cakes? Try my most popular recipe, the Pig Pickin’ Cake!

Hummingbird Cake

A version of spice cake with tropical flavors of banana and pineapple baked with pecans and topped with a buttercream frosting.

5 from 1 vote

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Keyword: cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Cooling/Frosting: 1 hour

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 12

Author: Kristen King

Ingredients

For the Hummingbird Cake

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup coconut oil, melted
• 3 bananas, very ripe, mashed
• 8oz can crushed pineapple, with juice
• 1 cup nuts, chopped

For the Buttercream Frosting

• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 3.5 cups powdered sugar
• 1/8 cup milk, whole
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Grease three round 9-inch cake pans
• In a large bowl mix all dry ingredients - flour, sugar, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon
• Using an electric mixer combine wet ingredients (eggs, coconut oil, mashed bananas, and pineapple with juice) with dry ingredients
• Add even amounts of batter to cake pans and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
• Remove cakes from pans and let cool completely (use a wire rack if you have one to speed up the time)
• For the frosting, use an electric mixer to combine the softened butter and vanilla in a medium bowl
• While mixing, gradually add in powdered sugar and mix until smooth
• Add in milk and beat until desired texture (smooth and a little fluffy)
• When cake layers are completely cooled, add frosting between layers, on the sides, and on top (I lightly frosted the sides for a rustic look)
• Garnish with chopped nuts
• Note: I usually make 2 batches of the frosting when I want the cake to be heavily iced. You will have some left over.

Never wonder what to bring to a potluck or cookout again with this easy banana pudding. It takes just 10 minutes to make and will soon become your most requested dish!

It’s almost independence day here in the US and today I have the perfect recipe for your upcoming celebration: Easy 10 Minute Banana Pudding! The recipe was shared with me by a wonderful nurse I worked with in a previous job and I’ve been loving and sharing it ever since. (Hi Donna Lou if you’re reading!)

This banana pudding is extra creamy, with that delicious cookie and banana layer that takes you back to your childhood. I have always been a big fan of banana pudding, both with a traditional meringue topping and without, but this recipe makes getting that awesome flavor in your mouth super fast. So fast that I’m going to break it down for you here with a step-by-step!

Step 1: Slice 3-4 bananas and place in the bottom of a 9×13 dish.

Step 2: Add mini wafer cookies in the bottom of the dish with the bananas.

The brand name cookies for these are the Mini Nilla Wafers and I wish I could find a more healthful (less artificial) version of these but so far no luck there. Let me know if you find any! You can also use the regular size instead of mini, but I love how the mini cookies are close in size to the banana slices. It gives it a nice texture that way. Cover most, but not all of the dish (like pictured).

Step 3: In a large mixing bowl combine two packages of instant vanilla pudding and four cups of whole milk. Mix until thickened.

You could certainly experiment with other kinds of milk but whole milk is going to make your pudding rich and delicious. And for the pudding, you can definitely find healthier and even organic brands instead of the Jello brand if you’re into that like I am!

Step 4: In the same bowl add one container of extra creamy whipped topping.

Again, I’m wishing there were some healthier options for the this ingredient but the Extra Creamy Cool Whip makes a big difference in the creaminess factor here! As a side note, my favorite non-junky brand of whipped topping is definitely Tru Whip. The taste is perfect and it has no artificial ingredients.

Step 5: Mix until smooth.

Smooth like yacht rock. Is anyone else as obsessed with that Sirius XM channel as I am??

Step 6: Pour pudding mixture on top of the banana and cookie layer.

Step 7: Spread it all around to completely cover the bananas and cookies.

Step 8: Add another container of extra creamy whipped topping as your top layer and spread it out.

Step 9 (Optional): To make it fancier you can add a few cookies and crumbs to the top. Or depending on the season, you can add some festive sprinkles.

Check out my Instagram this week on July 4th to see my version of that!

So that’s it my friends! I promise you will love this recipe and be the hit of the party with it! Tag me in your social media creations using #allthekingsmorsels and @allthekingsmorsels. Happy and safe 4th to all!

Need more cookout inspiration? Try my squash casserole, tangy southern coleslaw, or pig pickin’ cake!

Easy 10 Minute Banana Pudding

Always a hit at a cookout or potluck, this easy banana pudding can be whipped up in just 10 minutes!

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Course: Dessert

Keyword: banana, banana pudding, dessert

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 3-4 bananas, sliced
• 1 cup mini wafer cookies, or enough to fill up most of the bottom of your dish
• 2 packages instant vanilla pudding
• 4 cups milk, whole
• 2 containers whipped topping, extra creamy

Instructions

• Slice 3-4 bananas and place in the bottom of a 9x13 dish.
  
• Add wafer cookies in the bottom dish with the bananas.
  
• In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 packages instant vanilla pudding with 4 cups milk. Stir until thickened.
  
• In the same bowl, add 1 container of extra creamy whipped topping. Mix until smooth.
  
• Pour pudding mixture on top of the banana and cookie layer.
  
• Spread around to cover the bottom layer.
  
• Add another container of extra creamy whipped topping and spread it smooth as your top layer.
  
• Optional: Add a few cookies and crumbs on top.
  

One of my favorite get-togethers with friends and family here in the south is a good old-fashioned pig pickin’. When I graduated from both high school and college this is the kind of party I wanted. Pig pickins are usually in someone’s back yard and include a pig being roasted in a pig cooker, beer, and a bunch of delicious southern sides or “fixins”, (hence the name of my blog…see what I did there? hehe) and a bunch of homemade desserts, including a pig pickin’ cake.

A pig pickin’ cake is an orange and pineapple flavored yellow cake you will commonly find at a pig pickin’, and I have to imagine it started being called this because it is always a staple at this kind of cookout. (Not because there is pig in it, like you may wonder if you’ve never heard of it!)

A pig pickin’ cake is such a favorite because it’s light and spongy and doesn’t seem too heavy after you’ve already eaten a ton of food. I have a couple family members that really don’t enjoy frosting but they like this cake because the frosting is light. It’s fruity and delicious and if you’ve never tried one I hope you’ll make it.



Let me know what you think by tagging #kristensfixins on social media.

Linking up this recipe with The Weekend Potluck. Check it out for more deliciousness!

Pig Pickin' Cake

Light and spongy cake that's perfect for your summer cookout or potluck.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 12

Author: Kristen King

Ingredients

• 1 butter recipe yellow cake mix
• 11 oz can mandarin oranges
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 8 oz containers whipped topping extra creamy
• 1 20 oz can crushed pineapple in juice
• 2 3.4 oz boxes instant vanilla pudding

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease 2 round cake pans.
• From can of oranges reserve liquid and 8-10 slices for garnish.
• Mix remaining oranges, cake mix, eggs, oil, and vanilla with electric mixer until smooth.
• Pour the mix equally into the two pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• While the cakes are baking, whip together both containers of whipped topping, the pinnapple with juice, and both boxes of pudding with a wooden spoon or similar. Set aside.
• When cakes are finished baking and cool enough to handle, turn them out onto separate plates, poke a few holes in both layers with a knife, then pour the juice from the mandarin oranges over top of the cakes. (It makes it them more moist.)
• When cakes are fully cooled spread frosting on the first layer, top with the second cake layer, and cover with more frosting on the top and sides. Add remaining oranges on top for decoration. 

Notes

This recipe makes a lot of frosting because I hate running out of frosting when icing a layer cake! Don't be afraid to lick the spoon...a lot. Enjoy!