How to Make the Perfect Hummingbird Cake – Full Recipe by Kirsten Tibballs (So Fluffy & So Easy!)

vegetable oil

🥗Healthier: applesauce

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Applesauce reduces fat while keeping moisture.

cream cheese

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: ricotta cheese

Greek yogurt lowers calories while maintaining creaminess.

chopped pecans

🥗Healthier: chopped walnuts

💰Cheaper: sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds are nut-free and more affordable.

powdered sugar

🥗Healthier: coconut sugar

💰Cheaper: granulated sugar

Granulated sugar is a more cost-effective option.

Prepare three cake rings by wrapping foil around the base tightly to seal the edges.

Place a disc of baking paper inside each ring, ensuring it overlaps the edges.

Coat the freshly cut pineapple with a little flour to prevent sinking in the cake.

Sift together the dry ingredients: flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

In a mixing bowl, combine whole eggs with white sugar and brown sugar, whipping for 3 to 4 minutes until well combined.

Gradually add oil in a steady stream while mixing to avoid splitting the mixture.

Add vanilla bean paste to the mixture.

Preheat the oven to 180°C for a fan-forced oven.

Fold in half of the dry ingredients into the egg and sugar mixture.

Add mashed bananas and fold in gently.

Add the remaining dry ingredients and fold in gently to maintain air in the mixture.

Fold in the floured pineapple and chopped pecans.

Grease the lined cake rings and evenly divide the batter among them.

Bake in the oven for approximately 40 minutes, checking for doneness by tapping the top or using a skewer.

Let the cakes cool in the rings for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Cool the cakes completely at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes.

Prepare sugar-coated pecan nuts by dissolving sugar in water over heat.

Add raw, roughly chopped pecan nuts to the sugar syrup and simmer for 5 minutes, ensuring they are coated.

Strain the pecans to remove excess syrup and reserve the syrup for later use.

Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake at 160°C for 15 minutes, checking and rotating every 5 minutes.

Prepare caramelized pineapple by baking at 120°C for 20 minutes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens