Soft, moist, super easy hummingbird cake that makes a beautiful spring and summer dessert. This version of a Hummingbird cake is so easy, it’s made into a poke cake with an extra moist from a layer of sweet, creamy sauce, and smooth cream cheese frosting.
If you’re a fan of easy cakes, make sure to try my Lemon Coconut Banana Cake and Pina Colada Tres Leches Cake.
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Easy Moist and Flavorful Poke Cake
Do you know why I LOVE making a Hummingbird cake? Besides the fact that it is a scrumptious combination of banana, pineapple, and pecan flavors in a cake that is also topped with cream cheese frosting, this cake is SUPER easy to make.
I DON’T have to take out my electric mixer to make this cake! Ok, ok, you still have to use the mixer for the frosting, but only for the frosting. It’s still an easy-peasy, delicious dessert.
I’m serious about being excited about any dessert that doesn’t require me taking out an electric mixer. I can be pretty lazy when it comes to baking. I know, it’s coming from a person who has like 30 cheesecake recipes on the site. Even though, most of my desserts are not exactly two-step-easy, I do enjoy any dessert that makes it easier for me make.
What Is A Hummingbird Cake?
Hummingbird is a delicious and easy cake made with bananas, pineapple, pecans, and cinnamon. This delightful Southern cake originated from Jamaica and was names after their national bird, red-billed streamertail. It was originally called “doctor bird cake” for that reason.
This bird is a type of hummingbird so you can see how eventually the cake became a “hummingbird cake.” Many people also referred to this cake as sweet and aromatic enough for a hummingbirds to love. This cake tastes like the tropical islands because it is sweet, fruity, and spicy!
Ingredient Notes
Oil – to make the cake delightfully moist, this cake recipe uses oil as opposed to creaming butter.
Pineapple – make sure to use an 8 oz can of crushed pineapple with juices in the cake batter and a separate can of crushed pineapple for the topping. The crushed pineapple with juices will help with the moisture and flavor of the cake.
Banana – use ripe or even over-ripe bananas. This will help with cake texture and moisture. Mash bananas by hand for the best texture, don’t blend them.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
Baking Instructions:
This is a very easy cake to prepare so start preheating your oven first and grease a baking sheet. While the oven is preheated, that’s a good time to make the batter.
Step 1: mix your dry ingredients in the bowl, that is flour, both sugars, baking soda, pecans, and cinnamon on a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: whisk your wet ingredients in the separate bowl. Mash the bananas very well in the bowl but don’t blend them. Whisk in oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and crushed pineapple.
Step 3: combine the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients and whisk well, until the ingredients are completely incorporated.
Step 4: Pour the batter into the prepare baking pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 40-45 minutes.
PRO TIP: Make sure to start checking on the cake after 35-40 minutes to see if it’s done. Different types of baking pans, like glass, metal, and ceramic, will affect the bake time slightly.
Step 5: whisk the ingredients for the topping of the cake, NOT the frosting. Set it aside until you’re ready to pour it over the cake.
PRO TIP: Do a toothpick test in the center of the cake to see if it’s done, or do a touch test. To do the toothpick test: insert the toothpick in the center of the cake, if the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is cooked through. (Most cakes are done when internal temperature reaches 200° to 210°, with most cakes needing to get to 210°.)
Step 6: Take the cake out of the oven when done and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Poke holes all over the cake (use something that is about a pencil thickness).
Step 7: Evenly, pour the sweet topping sauce mixture all over the cake. Let it seep in and cool completely before frosting.
Step 8: When the cake is completely cooled to room temperature, prepare the frosting. Beat butter and cream cheese together, on medium-high speed, until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl.
Lower the speed to low and beat-in powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Turn the speed back up to medium-high and beat for about 3-4 minutes, until the frosting is light, smooth and fluffy.
Step 9: Frost the cake: drop dollops of frosting all over the cake and then spread it evenly to frost the cake.
Step 10: spread chopped pecans all over the top of the frosted cake.
PRO TIP: This cake is BEST when served at room temperature so you can serve it right away.
Recipe FAQs
There are a few little tests you can do that will help you determine if your cake it done. First, cakes start to pull away from the sides when they are done. I’m sure most of you are familiar with the toothpick test where you stick a toothpick in the center of the cake to see if it comes out clean. If it comes out clean, it’s done.
You can also touch and gently press the center of the cake to feel how it springs up and if there is a squish anywhere underneath. Cake feels dense and springs up when done.
You can also check the internal temperature of the cake. Although, in baking, internal temperature is not as accurate as it is in cooking. Most cakes are done between 200° and 210°, with most needing to get to 210°. Make sure to take the temperature of the very center of the cake.
Yes, material and the color of the baking pan does affect the exact bake time. That’s why it’s more important to check on your cake than to simply watch the time. Metal is the best heat conductor and heat up quickly in the oven. Metal pans bake the cakes more evenly but do take a little bit longer to bake. There is also an acid/metal reaction that people aren’t fond of.
Glass and ceramic are not as good heat conductors as metal, they take longer to heat up but they also retain heat longer. Glass pan does bake faster than metal though.
Same goes for darker vs lighter/shiny baking pans. Darker pans will transfer more heat into the baked goods, cooking them faster. (With dark bakeware, it’s recommended to lower the baking temperature slightly, by about 25°.)
Make sure to use good quality bakeware no matter what it’s made out of! This bakeware is crafted with best results in mind and will give you even heating and baking.
Poke cakes are also called “poke-and-pour cake” and it is quite a literal name. These cakes are simple sheet cakes where you would poke holes all over the baked cake and then pour some sort of cream, sweet sauce, or custard over it. It is meant to infuse the cake with extra flavor and create an incredibly moist texture.
Storing Suggestion:
You can store the cake in the same pan where you baked it. Make sure to cover the cake air-tight with plastic wrap or a cake pan lid and refrigerate. Keep the cake refrigerated and consume within 3-4 days. Make sure to use a clean knife each time you need to take out a slice.
If you don’t like to eat cold cakes, simply take out as much as you want and let it sit on the counter for 30-45 minutes to get to room temperature.
Some More Sweet Recipes From Me:
If you tried this hummingbird cake or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
Hummingbird Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 medium ripe bananas
- 8 oz crushed pineapple with juice
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Topping:
- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup crushed pineapples most juice squeezed out, not all
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup whipped cream optional
Frosting:
- 16 oz packs of cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans for topping of the cake optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a 9×13 casserole baking pan.
- Combine flour, both sugars, baking soda, pecans, and cinnamon on a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mash the bananas very well but do not blend them. Whisk in oil, eggs, vanilla extract, crushed pineapple into the bananas. Whisk until all combined.
- Combine the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients. Whisk until smoothly combined and all ingredients are incorporated.
- Pour cake batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes. (Make sure to start checking on the cake after 35-40 minutes to see if it's done. Different types of baking pans, like glass, metal, and ceramic, will affect the bake time slightly.)Do a toothpick test in the center of the cake to see if it's done, or do a touch test. (Most cakes are also done when internal temperature reaches 200° to 210°, with most cakes needing to get to 210°.)
- Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes. Poke holes all over the cake (use something that is about a pencil thickness).
Topping:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk sweetened condensed milk, pineapple, cinnamon, and whipped cream (if using) together.
- Evenly, pour sweet sauce mixture all over the cake. Let it seep in and cool completely before frosting.
Frosting:
- Beat butter and cream cheese together, on medium-high speed, until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Lower the speed to low and beat-in powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
- Turn the speed back up to medium-high and beat for about 3-4 minutes, until the frosting is light, smooth and fluffy.
- Once the cake is cooled, evenly frost the cake all over.
- Optional: spread more chopped pecans all over the top of the frosted cake.
- Serve the cake right away or cover and keep the cake refrigerated until ready to serve.
Storing:
- You can store the cake in the same pan where you baked it. Make sure to cover the cake air-tight with plastic wrap or a cake pan lid and refrigerate. Keep the cake refrigerated and consume within 3-4 days.
Video
Notes
- Feel free to use different nuts like walnuts or almonds is you don’t wish yo use pecans. If you need to, you CAN omit the nuts altogether.
- When baking the cake, make sure to start checking on the cake after 35-40 minutes to see if it’s done. Different types of baking pans, like glass, metal, and ceramic, will affect the bake time slightly.
- To check if the cake is done, do a toothpick test in the center of the cake to see if it’s done. To do the toothpick test: insert the toothpick in the center of the cake, if the toothpick comes out clean, the cake it cooked though.
- Most cakes are also done when internal temperature reaches 200° to 210°, with most cakes needing to get to 210°.
- Make sure to use a CLEAN utensil to poke holes in the cake.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting it!
- This cake is amazing at room temperature, so you can serve it right after frosting or let it warm up on the counter after being refrigerated.
Sarah says
This sounds delicious! But I am going to a very small gathering and thinking about only making half in a smaller pan. Maybe a loaf pan? Would appreciate any suggestions on baking times and temperature if making half. Thanks in advance!
Sunny GIrlz says
Do you use sweetened condensed milk, if you are making the frosting?
Kawana says
Good morning I was wondering what type of flour do you use, the recipe doesn’t state self rising or AP?
lyuba says
Hi Kawana!
I use all-purpose flour.
I hope you like it!
Marty Gould says
I can not wait to try this recipe!!
lyuba says
I hope you will, Marty, thank you!
Kathleen Larson says
Can a box mix be used for this cake?
lyuba says
Hi Kathleen,
Sorry for the late response! I’ve never used a boxed cake mix but I would imagine that it will not yield the same texture since boxed cakes and normally fluffy. This is a very simple cake that you just whisk in one bowl. No electric mixer needed!
Dunia says
Oh my! I love hummingbird cake but this poke cake sounds like a winner. I like that you don’t overdo it by putting in more sugar. I have all the ingredients and will be making it. Thank you so much for th8s recipe!
Dunia
lyuba says
I really hope you enjoy every bite! Thank you so much, Dunia!
LIsa says
Made this to bring to my neice’s graduation party and it was a big hit. I knew I was going to top with pecans so i didn’t put any in the frosting. I also felt the frosting tasted like straight cream cheese as is so I added extra powdered sugar (probably almost another cup) and more cinnamon. Until it tasted a little more sweet, less tangy.
Lisa says
Forgot to add that i read the previous post about flour so I used AP flour and just added 2 dashes of salt. Seemed fine to me.
lyuba says
I”m glad it was a big hit, Lisa!
As far as the frosting, I don’t tend to add a lot of sugar to my desserts so definitely don’t feel bad if you felt that you needed more sugar. It’s totally okay to need a little more sugar in the frosting 🙂
Jenny says
I made the cake! It was moist but I used AP flour (not self rising ) since the recipe called for baking soda. My BIG mistake, as the cake was good but needed salt…my family loved it cause it wasn’t very sweet. Lesson learned.
Jenny
Sandy says
Would it work to take the cake out of the pan and frost it like a sheet cake or will it fall apart?
lyuba says
Hi Sandy! There is actually a way you can do it but you’ll need a special pan. Are you familiar with a spring form? It’s used for making cheesecakes and they make it in the round shape and in a rectangle 9×13 shape. So you can use a spring form to bake the cake and then, run a butter knife along the sides of the form to separate the cake sides from the pan. Then, carefully take off the sides of the spring form. I haven’t actually used a spring form for cake but if I had to, that is the way I would go 🙂
I hope it works!
Lorraine Skeen says
I’d like a copy of the Hummingbird Poke Cake Please It looks SO good and has all my favorite things in it. Of course I’ll have to share it with others but that is okay. Can it or left overs be frozen if put into a Glad or Ziploc container for the freezer?
lyuba says
Hi Lorraine!
I haven’t actually frozen a cake before. The only thing I can imagine happening is that it might get more moist once defrosted. Definitely use an air-tight, freezer-friendly container.
I hope you enjoy it!
BJ Bennett says
Looks YUMMY! I have a question about the “crushed pineapple (juice squeezed out)”. Does that mean you use everything in the can or just the juice? Thanks!
lyuba says
Hi BJ!
You will be using the pineapple, just squeeze the juice out of it. You can save and drink the juice if you wish, you just need the pineapple chunks for the recipe.
I hope this helps! Enjoy 🙂
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
Oh, wow! That does look amazingly good, moist, irresistible, and totally decadent! I could go on but my gosh that cake sounds good. A little bit like my Italian cake but with more delicious ingredients. How in the heck can you bake such yummy stuff and keep the weight off? Do you have a secret? I need it because I don’t make a lot of desserts (only for special occasions) and I gain just by looking at food. Oh, the problems of loving Italian food (actually all cuisines). This recipe is a keeper. Have a great weekend.
Lyuba says
Thank you so so much, Marisa! To be completely honest, I have hubby eat most of it if we don’t give it to the restaurant haha! Have a great weekend as well!