This Hummingbird Loaf Cake is a delicious pineapple-banana spice cake that’s perfect with your morning tea or coffee. It’s also fabulous topped with a cream cheese frosting and enjoyed as a dessert.
Today I’m sharing one of my favorite cakes folks!
The Best Hummingbird Loaf Cake
A slice of this Hummingbird Loaf Cake is perfect for breakfast with your morning tea or coffee or topped with a cream cheese frosting and enjoyed as a dessert.
The recipe for Hummingbird Cake hails from Jamaica where the hummingbird, actually called “doctor bird” in Jamaica is the national bird. And just a heads up…no hummingbirds were harmed in the making of this cake. It’s just a name folks.
If you’ve never tried a hummingbird cake, think of it as a stepped-up banana bread. It’s got bananas, sweet pineapple and coconut, cinnamon and some chopped pecans for a bit of crunch.
Hummingbird Loaf Cake Ingredients
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- ground cinnamon
- baking soda
- salt
- bananas
- large eggs
- vegetable oil
- vanilla extract
- crushed pineapple
- sweetened coconut
- pecans
This recipe is beyond easy and can be whipped up by even a novice baker. It’s basically three easy steps.
First, you’ll sift your flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Then you’ll add your mashed bananas, eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla just until combined.
You’ll fold in your pineapple, coconut and pecans and then pour the batter into a 9×5-inch loaf pan that’s been sprayed with nonstick baking spray with flour. (I use Baker’s Joy) That’s it. Easy right?
The loaf will take anywhere from one hour to 1 1/4 hours to bake until it’s golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. I cool my loaf on a wire rack for ten minutes before attempting to remove from the pan to fully cool. And if you decide to go with cream cheese frosting on top, make sure to wait until the loaf if completely cool before frosting.
I hope you guys give this loaf cake recipe a try. I just know you’ll enjoy the tropical flavors. It comes together quickly and is such a treat!
Please let me know if you give the recipe a try. And if you have any questions about the recipe, just drop a comment below. Enjoy!
A Few Cook’s Notes for Hummingbird Loaf Cake
I added pecans to my loaf, but you could also substitute walnuts if you’d prefer.
Toasting your pecans gives them an added depth of flavor. Bake them for 5-7 minutes at 350 degrees on a baking sheet and let them cool before adding to the batter.
If you’d like to enjoy the loaf as a dessert you can always opt to add a cream cheese frosting on top.
More Delicious Loaf Cake Recipes to Enjoy
Hummingbird Loaf Cake
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 cup bananas, ripe and mashed
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten, room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
- 1/2 cup sweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add the bananas, eggs, oil and vanilla until just combined. Fold in the pineapple, coconut and pecans. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
- Bake for 1-1 1/4 hours until lightly browned on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from the oven to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to completely cool. If desired, frost top of loaf with cream cheese frosting once the loaf is totally cooled.
my husband hates coconut can I leave it out? Do I need to add more sweetner in place of it?
No, you can leave it out Gwen. Enjoy!
I made this using melted butter instead of oil, was perfect!
So happy you enjoyed it Lisa!
I ABHOR dried coconut; could I simply omit it?
Yes you can.
This recipe is just what I was searching for. If I make muffins instead of a loaf what would be the yield?
Thank you.
Hi Laura. I’ve only made this as a loaf. It would work as muffins though. If you give it a try, let me know.
How high does this loaf rise? I would like to be able to put a lid on it
Hi Melody. I really didn’t measure, but from my photos, it appears about an inch to two? Maybe foil might work better or a cake carrier?