Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake with Bourbon Buttercream

Name: Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake with Bourbon Buttercream
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 135 min
Ingredients: 3½ cups all purpose flour; 1¾ cups granulated sugar; 2 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp baking soda; ½ tsp kosher salt; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground ginger; ½ tsp ground nutmeg; 3 large eggs; 1¼ cups vegetable oil ((see Notes)); 2 cups mashed ripe banana ((about 4 medium)); 8 ounces crushed pineapple ((canned)); 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut; 1 cup chopped pecans; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 2 cups unsalted butter; 1 2 lb bag confectioner's sugar; ⅓ cup bourbon; 4-6 tbsp heavy cream; 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; ½ tsp kosher salt; Additional chopped pecans for decoration

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Old fashioned Hummingbird Cake has been a staple on southern dessert tables since the 1970s. It originally ran as a feature in Southern Living magazine and quickly turned into one of their most requested recipes. I love nothing more than taking a classic, dare I say retro, recipe and giving it my own spin (two words: bourbon buttercream.) And that's just what I've done!

Slice of Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake with Bourbon Buttercream on a white serving plate.

Why do they call it a Hummingbird Cake?

Excellent question, and the same one that my husband asked when I told him that I was making a hummingbird cake! The sweet cake, studded with banana, pineapple, pecans, and occasionally coconut, apparently gets its name from the sugary nectar upon which hummingbirds lunch. That's one theory. Another one, thanks to good ol' Wikipedia, claims that it is named after the island of Jamaica's national bird, also called the "doctor bird." The Jamaican marketing folks decided that the name "doctor bird cake" didn't have as much appeal as "hummingbird cake," so here we are!

Whole Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake with Bourbon Buttercream on a blue cake stand.

So...what makes this Old-Fashioned Hummingbird Cake so special?

There are many iterations of the hummingbird cake out there. BUT, I'd like to think that this one will be the only one you'll ever need! Here's why:

Plenty of warm spices: I've upped the spice quotient in this recipe to include plenty of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
Moist, textured layers: A healthy dose of mashed bananas, crushed pineapple and oil vs. butter mean layers that keep moist for days. Chopped pecans and coconut bring little bits of texture to every bite.
Bourbon buttercream: Cream cheese buttercream is the traditional buttercream on a hummingbird cake. That said, I am not the biggest cream cheese buttercream fan. Instead, I've created a luscious bourbon buttercream with a nutty brown butter base. Southerners know a thing or two about bourbon, so what better way to complement this traditionally southern cake?
Feeds a crowd: This is a rich, sweet cake, so a little goes a long way. Even a small slice will satisfy the biggest dessert fan, so it will feed at least 18. Check out this video on the best way to slice a round cake for a crowd.

Ingredients and Ingredient Notes

Ingredients needed to make hummingbird cake and buttercream.

All purpose flour: To make this cake gluten-free, substitute a reputable gluten-free baking blend.
Oil: I used vegetable oil for this recipe, but you can substitute any neutral oil, such as canola, safflower or melted coconut oil.
Bananas: About 4 medium bananas should yield 2 cups of mashed bananas. Make sure that they are very ripe and fragrant, with black speckles on the skin, as this will result in the best banana flavor.
Crushed pineapple: One 8-oz can, including the juices.
Shredded coconut: You can use sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut. This can be omitted if you're not a coconut fan, as not all hummingbird cakes contain coconut.
Chopped Pecans: Chopped walnuts can be substituted. I decorated the outside of my cake with some lightly toasted chopped pecans, but that step is optional!
Butter: The 2 cups of butter required for this recipe is used to make nutty brown butter for the Bourbon Buttercream. UNSALTED butter is preferred when making brown butter (sew FAQ section below for more on this!)
Bourbon: Whiskey, brandy or scotch can be substituted. If you want your buttercream to be liquor-free, omit the bourbon and just make a brown butter buttercream. Add a few more tablespoons of heavy cream to make up for the lack of liquid from the bourbon.

Step-by-Step Instructions and Photos

Eight inch cake pans sprayed with nonstick spray and lined with parchment.

Dry ingredients for cake in an orange bowl.

Old-Fashioned Hummingbird Cake Layers

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray three 8-inch cake pans with nonstick baking spray. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment rounds (optional, see recipe Notes) and spray the parchment.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

Oil, eggs, bananas and pineapple mixed in an orange bowl.

Dry ingredients mixed with wet ingredients.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and oil to combine. Mix in the bananas and the crushed pineapple (including the juice.)

4. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in the coconut, pecans and vanilla.

Coconut, pecans and vanilla mixed into batter.

Three baked cake layers on a cooling rack.

5. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake 25-35 minutes, until the tops of the cakes are golden and a knife or a cake tester inserted into the centers of the cakes emerges clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 5 minutes and then carefully invert them onto a wire rack to cool completely. At this point, the cake layers can be wrapped tightly and stored overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before proceeding.

Brown butter cooling in a measuring cup.

Bourbon Buttercream

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Continue to cool until the butter is foamy and fragrant and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the butter to a heatproof bowl or glass measuring cup. Cover and chill for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes, until almost firm.
Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the brown butter on medium speed until fluffy, 2 minutes. Add half of the confectioner's sugar, beating on low speed until well blended and smooth. Beat in the bourbon, 4 tablespoon of the cream, vanilla, salt and then the rest of the confectioner's sugar until smooth. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more, until light, fluffy and spreadable, adding the additional cream if desired for a lighter consistency.

Three leveled cake layers and a cake level.

Bourbon buttercream spread on cake for the crumb coat.

3. Use a cake leveler (optional) or a serrated knife to cut the "domed" tops of the cake layers so that you have nice, flat layers.

4. Crumb coat: Spread about 1 cup of the Bourbon Buttercream evenly onto the bottom layer of the cake. Top with the second layer, spreading another cup of buttercream evenly on top. Top the buttercream with the third cake layer. Spread a generous layer of buttercream over the top and sides of the cake. Use an offset spatula, a knife, or a cake scraper to remove excess buttercream and smooth the sides, as shown above. Keep the extra buttercream for the next coat! Chill the cake for 20 minutes to seal the crumb coat.

Second coat of buttercream on the layer cake.

Pecan pieces coating the outside of the cake.

5. Spread a second layer of buttercream over the crumb coat, using your selected tool to smooth the sides and top.

6. (Optional) Press additional chopped pecans into the sides of the cake and decorate the top with any remaining piped buttercream.

Quick Video Tutorial

Watch my Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake come to life!

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a Hummingbird Cake taste like?

A Hummingbird Cake's flavor has many similarities to the flavor of a traditional carrot cake....but uses mashed ripe bananas in place of the carrots. It features warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, crushed pineapple, pecans and occasionally coconut. Its layers are very moist and have pleasing bits of texture in every bite from the nuts, pineapple and bits of banana.

Does a Hummingbird Cake need to be refrigerated?

Yes. I would recommend storing your Hummingbird Cake in the refrigerator, as it will last longer this way. Because it is a very moist cake, you don't have to worry about it drying out in the refrigerator, especially if you keep it tightly covered with plastic wrap or a cake dome. Chilled cakes are easier to slice, so cut as many pieces as you will need straight from the fridge and then (if desired) bring them to room temperature before serving.

How do you freeze layer cakes?

Unfrosted cake layers are easy to store in the freezer for up to two months. Once the cakes are completely cool, wrap the individual layers in plastic wrap or store in zip-top bags. Frozen cake layers are actually easier to frost, since they are firmer and fewer crumbs escape, so no need to bring them to room temperature before proceeding.
Frosted cakes can also be frozen, so long as they are coated in buttercream or cream cheese frosting and not a meringue. Set the cake in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up the frosting, and then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

What kind of butter is best for brown butter?

Although you can use salted or unsalted butter to make brown butter, unsalted butter is preferred. During the cooking process, the salt in salted butter becomes concentrated in the milk solids, which can alter the flavor of the browned butter as well as the recipe that it's being added to.

Slice of Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake next to a blue cake stand on a white plate.

Craving more cake recipes? Good news: I have many! Here are a few favorites:

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