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Hummingbird Bundt Cake

This Hummingbird Bundt Cake takes everything you love about the classic dessert and turns it into a simplified Bundt with a cream cheese glaze. With pineapple, banana, and toasty pecans, it’s packed with flavor!

Overhead view of Hummingbird Bundt cake on plate with fork and on wire rack

Easy Hummingbird Cake in a Bundt Pan

Hummingbird cake is one of my very favorite cakes. I don’t make it often because it’s just too dangerous to have within fork’s reach. There’s something so magical about that combination of bananas, pineapple, cinnamon, and cream cheese. It’s hard to resist!

This Hummingbird Bundt Cake is a slight twist on the traditional dessert. It doesn’t vary in ingredients, texture, and flavor—the big change is that instead of baking up separate layers, then assembling and frosting, this version of hummingbird cake is made in a Bundt pan. Not much is simpler in the cake world than a Bundt cake. And this one is topped with a sweet cream cheese glaze that is tangy, sweet, and so much easier than frosting a layer cake.

Basically, you get everything you love about hummingbird cake, with much less effort!

Why Do They Call It a Hummingbird Cake?

Hummingbird cake originated in Jamaica; some say the name comes from the fact that the cake is sweet enough to attract hummingbirds, while others think the yellow streaks of banana in the cake look like the feathers of a variety of hummingbird called the doctor bird by locals. In fact, in Jamaica, hummingbird cake is known as doctor bird cake!

ingredients for Hummingbird Bundt Cake

What You’ll Need

Gather up all your standard hummingbird cake ingredients! Here’s what you’ll need to make this Bundt cake.

For the cake:

  • Chopped pecans
  • All-purpose flour – Here’s how to measure flour.
  • Granulated sugar
  • Baking soda
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Salt
  • Eggs – Let the eggs come to room temperature.
  • Mashed ripe bananas – The riper the bananas, the more banana flavor your Hummingbird Bundt Cake will have.
  • Crushed pineapple
  • Canola oil – Another neutral-flavored oil can be used instead.
  • Vanilla extract

For the glaze:

  • Cream cheese – Let the cream cheese come to room temperature so it’s easy to whip into a smooth glaze.
  • Confectioners’ sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • Milk

How to Toast Pecans

You can either spread the pecans on a sheet pan and roast them in a 350ºF oven for 10 to 15 minutes or toast them in a skillet set over medium heat until they’re lightly browned and fragrant.

What Is the Difference Between Carrot Cake and Hummingbird Cake?

Carrot cake has a similar flavor profile to hummingbird cake, but the primary differences are that hummingbird cake is a little bit lighter, and it’s made with banana instead of carrots.

How to Make Hummingbird Bundt Cake

Here’s what you’ll need to do to make hummingbird cake Bundt-cake-style.

Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 14-cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle 1 cup of toasted pecans evenly into the bottom of the pan.

Make the batter. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Then, stir in the eggs, bananas, pineapple, oil, and vanilla. Continue to stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. 

Overhead view of cake batter in Bundt pan

Bake. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan, then bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. 

overhead view of Hummingbird Bundt Cake on a wire rack

Cool. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the Bundt cake from the pan and return it to the rack to finish cooling. (Learn more: Why Every Baker Needs Wire Cooling Racks)

Make the glaze. Once the cake has cooled, place the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and a tablespoon of milk in a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat until smooth. Continue mixing and add about a teaspoon of milk at a time until the glaze is smooth and pourable.

Whole hummingbird Bundt cake on wire rack with cream cheese glaze and pecans

Finish. Pour the glaze over the Bundt cake, then sprinkle the remaining pecans over top.

Tips for Success

Read my tips for making Bundt cakes before starting this recipe to make sure it turns out perfect! Here are a few additional pointers:

  • Grease the pan generously. Bundt pans have lots of nooks and crannies, so be thorough. I use a cooking spray with flour, like Baker’s Joy or Pam for Baking. If you have trouble with the spray settling at the bottom of the pan before you get the batter mixed, wait to spray the pan until you’re ready to add the batter.
  • Don’t drain the pineapple. The liquid adds more flavor and helps keep the cake moist.
  • Sift the confectioners’ sugar. This will help prevent lumps in your glaze.
Overhead view of whole hummingbird Bundt cake on wire rack

How to Store

Cream cheese frostings and glazes don’t hold up well at room temperature, so store your Hummingbird Bundt Cake wrapped or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Bring the chilled cake to room temperature before serving.

Hummingbird Bundt Cake on a wire rack with slice removed

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

Yes, you can freeze Hummingbird Bundt Cake well-wrapped or in an airtight storage container for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

slice of Hummingbird Bundt Cake on a white and yellow plate

Video Tutorial: Hummingbird Bundt Cake

Hummingbird Bundt Cake

Yield 12 to 16 servings
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Hummingbird Bundt Cake features a delicious combination of bananas, pineapple, cinnamon, and nuts, all topped with a cream cheese glaze.

Hummingbird Bundt Cake on a wire rack with slice removed

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1 & 1/2 cups (180g) chopped pecans, toasted (divided)
  • 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 & 3/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large bananas)
  • 8 ounces (227g) crushed pineapple (undrained)
  • 3/4 cup (177ml) canola oil
  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the glaze:

  • 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 2 cups (220g) sifted confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

To make the cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 14-cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle 1 cup toasted pecans evenly in the bottom of the pan.
  2. Stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the eggs, bananas, pineapple, oil, and vanilla. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
  3. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Then, transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze:

  1. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk until well-blended. Continue mixing and add about a teaspoonful of milk at a time until the mixture is smooth and pourable.
  2. Pour the glaze over cooled cake. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup pecans over top of glaze.

Notes

Recipe slightly adapted from Southern Living.

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    32 Comments on “Hummingbird Bundt Cake”

  1. gorgeous! why not put it in a bundt?

  2. Yuuuuuuuum!! Looks just perfect, I would have a slice (or two, or three..) just right now!!

  3. I’d never heard of Hummingbird cake before reading this post, but now I’m craving it massively…sounds absolutely divine!

  4. Ahhh, i love Hummingbird cake. So DELICIOUS!

  5. hummingbird cakes are so sweet! yum!

  6. Quick question…..I have only a 10 cup Bundt pan. Do you think I could use that and make a mini loaf as well? Any thoughts would be great appreciated.
    Thanks!
    P.S. I love your blog and the recipes are always a big hit when I make them 🙂

  7. I will let you know…..but I am making your Paula Deen Banana Pudding first. Thanks for getting back to me!

  8. mouthwatering……………….

  9. Those toasted pecans are taking it over the top for me. Pics are exquisite too. Thanks for sharing. As soon as the boyfriend is off his current gluten-free kick, this sucker’s going into our bellies – Gary

  10. i shared this post on FB

  11. wow! my mouth is watering! this cake looks divine!

  12. This looks amazing

  13. I made this for a church pot luck and it was very well received! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!

  14. Made this for a school meeting with alot of people that get served the best of the best and they absolutely LOVED this cake, I rec’d numerous compliments of how wonderful this cake was. Thank you!

  15. I made this cake and posted about it (and linked to your blog)on my blog Williams Kitchen – Made with Love. It turned out beautifully and so delicious!!!

    http://williamskitchen.blogspot.com/2012/06/hummingbird-bundt-cake.html

  16. I have to try this recipe! I love all your recipes, thanks for sharing.

  17. Your cake recipe looks and sounds delicious! =)
    I love cake and have been craving a sweet cake like this. Thanks for sharing!
    I repinned earlier today, and it was quickly repinned several times!

  18. Can’t wait to try this oooooouuuutttt!!! Sounds and looks yummmmmmmm!!!!!!!!

  19. Can this be baked ahead of time and frozen? If so, how well do you think the frosting would hold up? Would like to get some things prepared ahead of time for a ladies spring luncheon and this cake sounds devine!

  20. Would this cake work in two 6-cup bundt pans?

    • Hi, Kathryn. The cake is normally baked in a 14-cup Bundt pan, so you would likely have too much batter to use two 6-cup pans. If you don’t mind having some leftover batter, then that’s fine. You’ll likely need to reduce the baking time a bit, too. I’d check them after 50 minutes.

  21. I admit that I only make cakes for special occasions, but this looks like one to add to the repertoire.

  22. I got this recipe out of one of my Southern Living recipe books. This is now my go-to cake. I like it because it is so easy to make. Keep the ingredients on hand. Receive so many compliments and there is never any thing but crumbs left. I share the recipe all the time using the one from the Southern Living page. Actually serving tomorrow and on my way to the kitchen now. Happy Thanksgiving,

  23. Jennifer,  I make this cake quite often, but I add  about 3/4 of a jar  (10 oz ) of chopped 🍒!  I do enjoy your site and you post some interesting and tasty recipes! Keep up the good work!

  24. I make this at least once a year. Great way to use up overripe bananas and always get compliments on it. I really don’t like nuts but realize that they do add flavour so I grind them up and add to the batter.

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