If you love classic Southern desserts but don't need a huge layer cake sitting on your counter, this 6 inch hummingbird cake is exactly what you want. It has all the flavor of the traditional cake -- ripe bananas, crushed pineapple, and toasted pecans -- but scaled down into a small hummingbird cake that fits two 6 inch round cake pans.
I originally fell in love with hummingbird cake after hearing about the version at Art Smith's Blue Door Kitchen. It's their signature dessert, but every time we go, we fill up on fried chicken and never make it to cake. So naturally, I had to make my own.
This version is based on the classic Southern Living recipe, but scaled down into a small hummingbird cake that's much more practical for everyday baking. It is the perfect small batch layer cake with just the right amount of frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
This is a traditional cream cheese frosting recipe which should be plenty for a cake of this size. You will most likely have some leftover, but it's better to have too much frosting. Also, the frosting measurements I used for this particular cake were 8 oz cream cheese, 4 oz softened salted Land o' Lakes, 3 cups (300 grams) sifted confectioners' sugar and ¾ teaspoon of vanilla. I also added a pinch of salt. Noting this to my future self because I have a habit of jumping around to different cream cheese frosting recipes, but this one hit the spot in terms of flavor, storability and ease of spread.
Hummingbird Cake Tips
Bananas -- To mash or not to mash. Most traditional recipes call for chopped bananas, which gives the cake a slightly chunkier texture and more distinct banana flavor. You can mash the bananas if you prefer a softer texture.
Pineapple -- Crushed pineapple is traditionally used, but chopped tidbits are also acceptable and maybe even a little better in terms of texture.
Use Fresh Oil -- There's a decent amount of oil in the cake, so make sure to use one that's neutral in flavor or freshly opened. Sunflower and grapeseed oil are my top 2.
Pecans -- This is a popular cake in Texas, a pecan growing state. Use pecans if possible, but walnuts will work in a pinch.
Recipe
Six Inch Pan Hummingbird Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (190 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg plus 2 tablespoons beaten egg or an alternative such as 2 tablespoons yogurt or applesauce
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup crushed pineapple in its juice
- 1 large ripe banana, chopped
- ⅓ cup toasted pecans, chopped (optional), plus more for garnish
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened (228 grams)
- 4 oz salted butter, softened (1 stick) (114 grams)
- 3 cups powdered sugar, plus more to taste if desired (300 grams)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (you can use more if you like)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt (add another ¼ teaspoon if using unsalted butter)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 6-inch round cake pans. You can use parchment rounds for extra insurance, or just cross your fingers that the greased and floured pan will release the sticky cake.
- Stir flour, baking soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon together in a large mixing bowl. Make sure the dry ingredients are evenly blended, then make a well in the center of the bowl.
- Add eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Don't overbeat, just shoot for evenly mixed. Stir in bananas and pineapple. Add pecans (if using).
- Pour batter into cake pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Prepare cream cheese frosting. Beat softened cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy. Add more sugar if you prefer it to be sweeter. Beat in vanilla and salt.
- Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; sprinkle ½ cup chopped pecans on top.
Anna says
Cynna, thanks for posting the review! And I'm glad to hear it was still good with the reduced sugar.
Cynna says
I made the cake and it was amazing--everyone loved it! My only, minor changes: I cut the sugar by half a cup, and topped the finished cake with toasted and crushed walnuts.
Anna says
Desserts almost always taste better at home, but there are some restaurants where it's totally worth ordering dessert. Interesting about the Hummingbird Cake. Now I really want to try it so that I can compare the two!
Anonymous says
I've had the hummingbird cake at Table52 another Smith restaurant, and honestly did not find it to be that good. The Southern Living recipe makes a better cake IMO.
Cynna says
Thanks! I like the idea of more banana flavor. The ingredients are on my shopping list!
Anna says
I'd say it leans more toward banana. IF you want more pineapple flavor, just double the amount. If you do use more pineapple,make sure you drain it really well. Another thing you might try is adding pineapple extract. I haven't tried it, but I think it would be good. But overall I'd say it's more like a banana cake.
Cynna says
I've always wanted to make th9, and I think I will this week!
Does the end result taste more like banana, or pineapple?
Sandra says
This looks delicious! The finished cake reminds me of an Italian Cream cake.
Sue says
Your cake and recipe look delicious. I haven't made a cake like that in over 30 years. The ingredients sort of tie in with something I've been craving for a couple of weeks. Sunshine muffins.
Sometime you should head over to Blue Door Kitchen just for the cake. Just because it would be fun.
Sonya says
This cake seriously looks SO good!
d says
This sounds amazing!! I'm going to try it next time I have bananas that need to be used up.
Anna says
Sonya, thanks! Don't worry about pasting it. I'll find it in one of my CCs. I have used twice as much pineapple before, but haven't tried adding baking powder. Does their recipe really use 2 cups of oil? Okay, I found it. Looks like they reduced the oil to 1 cup, but they did some other tricks to improve texture. Seems like a good one to try!
Sonya says
Mmmmm, this looks (and sounds) positively scrumptious!!! Personally I'd never heard of Hummingbird Cake until I saw a recipe at http://www.cookscountry.com, and it did turn out delicious! Their recipe (April/May 2014) uses twice as much pineapple, adds 2 tsp baking powder (keeping the soda as well), an extra 1/2c vegetable oil, and uses 1.5 cups pecans in the cake itself. If you're interested I can paste the recipe below.