Ingredients
Scale
For the hummingbird cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
- 2 cups bananas, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups pecan halves, toasted, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Shortening and flour, for greasing
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 (16-ounce) packages powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
To prepare the cake layers:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. Add eggs and oil. Stir just until moistened. Fold in vanilla, pineapple and bananas. Chop 1/2 cup of the toasted pecans, and fold into the batter.
- Using the shortening, grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. Spoon the batter evenly into the 3 prepared cake pans.
- Bake the cakes until a cake tester comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer the cake pans to a wire rack, and allow to cool completely, about 1 hour.
To prepare the cream cheese frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-low speed until fully blended. Add the powdered sugar in batches until combined. Stir in the vanilla.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Beat the frosting until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
To assemble the cake:
- Place a cake layer on the center of a serving platter.
- Spread 1 cup of the cream cheese frosting over the entire cake layer. Top with a second cake layer, and frost that layer with a second cup of the frosting.
- Top with the last cake layer. Evenly spread the entire top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Arrange the remaining toasted pecan halves on the top of the cake.