Classic 3-Layer Hummingbird Cake
A tropical cousin to carrot cake, this moist three-layer masterpiece is packed with mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, and toasted pecans, finished with a fluffy cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pecans roughly chopped and toasted
- 3 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp coarse salt sea salt or kosher
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon ground
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg ground
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups brown sugar firmly packed
- 1/4 cup cornstarch tenderizes the crumb
- 3 cups mashed bananas about 6 very ripe bananas
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract pure extract
- 1 1/2 cups neutral oil canola, vegetable, or avocado oil
- 8 oz crushed pineapple do not drain juice
- 2 batches cream cheese frosting your favorite homemade recipe
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper circles.
- Spread chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes. Let cool completely.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, coarse salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until no clumps remain.
- In a separate bowl, mash bananas. Whisk in eggs, oil, vanilla, and the entire can of crushed pineapple (with juice).
- Fold the wet ingredients and 1 3/4 cups of toasted pecans into the dry ingredients using a spatula. Mix just until flour streaks disappear.
- Divide batter among pans and bake for 30-32 minutes until centers are firm. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then move to wire racks to cool completely.
- Level the cooled cakes. Stack with generous layers of frosting between each, then frost the outside. Decorate with remaining pecans.
Notes
Pull the cake out of the fridge one hour before serving. This allows the cake to soften and the flavors to open up. If you don't have pineapple, add an extra 1/2 cup of mashed bananas.