How Many Hummingbirds in a Hummingbird Cake?

I now live in Louisville but I came from the Deep South. Southern Living magazine claims that their most requested cake recipe to be Hummingbird Cake, sent in by a reader in 1978. The original recipe called for 1 1/2 cups of oil!

Since my mother has enjoyed Hummingbird Cake picked up at a local deli, I thought I would make her one for her birthday.
Hubby claimed it tasted good but needed carrots. No, I said, that would be a carrot cake. When it is your birthday,, you can have a carrot cake. (a very dependable carrot cake recipe has been posted here before.)
All week I have heard lame jokes about the hummingbirds in the hummingbird cake.

Below is a lightened up recipe and lighter icing because I want my mother to make it to 87.

Hummingbird Cake

1 1/2 cups cane or beet sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup of vegetable oil (I used canola)
2 ripe bananas mashed (I will use 3 next time)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup crushed pineapple with juice (8 ounce can)
3/4 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use cooking spray or bakers spray on one 9 by 13 baking pan or two 9-inch round cake pans.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar, eggs, oil, bananas, and vanilla until well mixed.
In separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Add to sugar/banana mixture slowly and beat until batter is well-mixed.
Fold in pineapple and pecans with a spatula. Pour into 9 by 13 pan or divide evenly between the two cake pans.
Bake 30-35 minutes for cake pans or 45-50 minutes for 9 by 13 pan. Test with toothpick or cake tester. (ovens vary, so your cake may take a few minutes more.)
Cool cake for at least 10 minutes for round cake pans, then remove cake to a rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.
If using 9 by 13 pan let cool for about 30 minutes or until cool to the touch.

Note: you can further lighten this cake by replacing the 3/4 cup of vegetable oil with 6 tablespoons vegetable oil and 6 tablespoons applesauce.


I halved the icing recipe because I was using a 9 by 13 pan and not two round pans. Double the recipe if you choose to use two round pans.

Cream Cheese Icing

4 ounces 1/3 lower fat cream cheese
1/4 cup softened butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using electric mixer, cream cheese and butter beginning on low then turning to high speed. Beat until fluffy. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at time, beating each time until incorporated. Add vanilla and beat another minute or so.

And yes, it does look like a homely, home-made cake!