Southern US · Desserts

Hummingbird cake

Name: Hummingbird cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 42 min
Total time: 2 h 27 min
Yield: 15 squares
Cuisine: Southern US
Ingredients: 3 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 3/4 cups (350 grams) granulated sugar; 3 large eggs; 1 cup (200 grams) neutral oil; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided; 2 cups (450 grams) mashed very ripe banana; 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained; 1 cup (113 grams) toasted chopped pecans, divided; 8 ounces (226 grams) full-fat block cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened; 3 cups (360 grams) confectioners' sugar; Pinch of fine sea salt, for frosting

A lush banana-pineapple sheet cake with cinnamon, toasted pecans, and cream cheese frosting.

About 2 hr 30 minTotal

About 1 hr 15 minActive

$$Cost

ModerateDifficulty

Makes 15 squares

Equipment

Use another light-colored 9 × 13-inch metal pan and begin checking browning early.
Best metal 9-by-13 pan
USA Pan 9-by-13-Inch Rectangular Baking Pan · 1110RC
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Use another light-colored 9 × 13-inch metal pan and begin checking browning early.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched exact interior dimensions and metal heat behavior, then checked material, maximum temperature, coating care, stable model identity, and retail destination. Kwilt has not baked with this pan.
USA Pan 9-by-13-Inch Rectangular Baking Pan · 1110RC: The exact 9-by-13-inch baking surface and aluminized-steel construction match recipes whose dough depth and bottom browning depend on a standard metal pan. Trade-off: The nonstick surface calls for hand washing and nonmetal tools, and efficient heat conduction can brown faster than glass.
Another workable path: Use another light-colored 9-by-13-inch metal pan; glass changes heat behavior and is not an equal substitute for every high-heat bread method.
Sources
USA Pan 1110RC specifications
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 15 squares

3 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 3/4 cups (350 grams) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup (200 grams) neutral oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
2 cups (450 grams) mashed very ripe banana
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 cup (113 grams) toasted chopped pecans, divided
8 ounces (226 grams) full-fat block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups (360 grams) confectioners' sugar
Pinch of fine sea salt, for frosting

Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a and line with parchment. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon salt. In another bowl whisk sugar, eggs, oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Fold in banana, undrained pineapple, and 3/4 cup pecans, then fold in dry ingredients just until no flour pockets remain. Spread in the pan and bake 36 to 45 minutes until the center springs back and a tester shows moist crumbs. Cool completely.
Beat cream cheese and butter just until smooth. On low mix in confectioners' sugar, remaining vanilla, and the pinch of salt. Spread over the cool cake and scatter remaining pecans on top.
Chill 20 minutes for clean squares, but serve closer to room temperature for the most fragrant banana-pineapple crumb. Refrigerate covered because of the frosting; flavor and moisture remain strong the next day.

Jamaica and the American SouthJamaican-to-Southern cake traditions

From the table

About this recipe

Hummingbird cake traveled from a Jamaican tourism recipe known as Doctor Bird cake into the American South, where a 1978 Southern Living submission helped make its banana-pineapple-pecan form famous.

Hummingbird cake traveled from a Jamaican tourism recipe often called Doctor Bird cake into the American South, where a 1978 Southern Living submission made the banana-pineapple-pecan layer cake famous. Those flavors—not tower height—carry its identity. This sheet version keeps the original oil-rich quick-bread-like crumb and cream cheese frosting while removing three-pan assembly from an otherwise easy batter. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Keep every flavor and texture marker from the celebrated 1978 formula while moving it to one sheet pan, explicitly preserving the Jamaican-to-Southern story and removing avoidable layer-cake burden.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe