Best Classic Hummingbird Cake for Fall
The best Classic Hummingbird Cake recipe for fall, with a moist, spiced crumb and tangy cream cheese frosting. After making this many times, I’ve discovered the secret to keeping it moist and preventing it from sticking to the pan. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Refreshing Strawberry Mint Lemonade Recipe for Summer and Easy Honey Garlic Shrimp Recipe Ready in 30 Minutes.
Why This Best Classic Hummingbird Cake for Fall Is Pure Comfort
- Perfectly moist and tender crumb
- Warm spices and tropical flavors
- Easy to make and impressive to serve
- Better than takeout, perfect for fall
What You'll Need for Best Classic Hummingbird Cake for Fall
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Bananas
- Crushed pineapple
- Chopped pecans
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Vanilla extract
- Cream cheese frosting
- Optional: Additional chopped pecans
- Optional: Maraschino cherries
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Bananas: Overripe bananas work best.
- Pecans: You can substitute walnuts if preferred.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Stand mixer — Ensures even mixing and prevents overmixing. → See on Amazon
- Pecan chopper — Makes quick work of chopping nuts for topping. → See on Amazon
How to Make Best Classic Hummingbird Cake for Fall
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl, beat eggs, then add oil, mashed bananas, pineapple, and vanilla. Mix well.
- Combine ingredients: Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Fold in pecans.
- Bake: Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Frost and serve: Once cakes are completely cool, frost with cream cheese frosting and serve.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Best Classic Hummingbird Cake for Fall
- Common mistake and fix: Avoid overmixing the batter to prevent a tough cake. Mix just until combined.
- Pro tip: For easier frosting, level the cooled cakes with a serrated knife before stacking and frosting.
- Pro tip: To prevent the cakes from sticking, line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper before greasing and flouring.
Storing & Reheating Best Classic Hummingbird Cake for Fall
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store frosted cake in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: Cake layers can be made 1 day ahead and stored at room temperature.
Freezing Best Classic Hummingbird Cake for Fall
Freeze unfrosted cake layers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: No reheating needed. Microwave: No reheating needed.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a shortcut, use a boxed cake mix and add the pineapple, banana, and spices.
- Best substitution: Substitute applesauce for the oil for a lighter version.
- Make-ahead: Cake can be made 1 day ahead and stored at room temperature or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Scaling: This recipe can be halved or doubled as needed.
- Troubleshooting: If the cake is sticking to the pan, try lining the bottom with parchment paper before greasing and flouring.
Want to level up this recipe?
Cake leveler — Ensures even layers for a perfect-looking cake. → Check price on Amazon
Best Classic Hummingbird Cake for Fall
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Bananas
- Crushed pineapple
- Chopped pecans
Seasonings
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Vanilla extract
- Cream cheese frosting
Optional Toppings
- Additional chopped pecans
- Maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl, beat eggs, then add oil, mashed bananas, pineapple, and vanilla. Mix well.
- Combine ingredients: Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Fold in pecans.
- Bake: Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Frost and serve: Once cakes are completely cool, frost with cream cheese frosting and serve.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a shortcut, use a boxed cake mix and add the pineapple, banana, and spices.
- Best substitution: Substitute applesauce for the oil for a lighter version.
- Make-ahead: Cake can be made 1 day ahead and stored at room temperature or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Scaling: This recipe can be halved or doubled as needed.
- Troubleshooting: If the cake is sticking to the pan, try lining the bottom with parchment paper before greasing and flouring.
Storage
- Fridge: Store frosted cake in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze unfrosted cake layers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting.
- Oven reheat: No reheating needed.
- Microwave reheat: No reheating needed.
- Make ahead: Cake layers can be made 1 day ahead and stored at room temperature.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 550
- Protein: 5g
- Fat: 20g
- Carbs: 85g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Cholesterol: 35mg
- Sat. Fat: 3.5g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Best Classic Hummingbird Cake for Fall FAQs
Yes, cake layers can be made 1 day ahead and stored at room temperature or frozen for up to 3 months. Frost the cake just before serving.
Overmixing the batter can lead to a dry cake. Mix just until combined to prevent overmixing.
No, this recipe is not suitable for the air fryer. It requires an oven for baking.
You can substitute crushed pineapple with crushed apples or pears for a similar texture.
Yes, Hummingbird Cake is a classic Southern dessert, originating in the American South.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Best Classic Hummingbird Cake for Fall and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
