Banana, pineapple, and pecans come together in this easy one-bowl vegan hummingbird cake! It’s a moist and warm spiced dessert bursting with bright, tropical flavors.
This vegan hummingbird cake has become one of my favorite desserts! Each bite has beautiful layers of fruity, nutty, warm and sweet flavors while the cream cheese frosting on top perfectly complements the wide range of complexity. If you like carrot cake, you might like hummingbird cake even more.
Four key ingredients set this popular Southern cake apart from carrot cake and other spice cakes. They are:
- Warming spices, such as nutmeg and cinnamon
- Toasted pecans
- Pineapple slices and their juice
- ripe banana
All in all, they infuse this cake with gorgeous tropical flavors that contrast beautifully with warm spices. Plus, with its moist and fluffy slices, you’ll have a hard time stopping after just one slice!
Why is it called hummingbird cake?
The original hummingbird cake recipe comes from Jamaica, where it is known as Dr. Bird Cake. It gets its name from its national bird, the swallowtail hummingbird.
Eventually, the recipe became popular throughout the southern United States, where it was renamed “hummingbird cake”. Some say the name comes from the sweet taste that attracts hummingbirds or that it’s so good, you’ll want to hover around the cake until you get a piece (just like a hummingbird). The true reason, however, is up for debate.
How to Make Vegan Hummingbird Cake
Find the full recipe with measurements on the recipe card below.
Begin by whisking together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
Next, add the oil, crushed pineapple, mashed banana, almond milk, vanilla and pecans to the same bowl as the dry mixture. Mix until just combined and there are no dry flour streaks.
Pour the cake batter into the two prepared cake pans. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Set them aside to cool while you make the icing.
Once the cake layers are completely cooled, add some frosting between each layer before frosting the sides and tops. Sprinkle more pecans on the outside for decoration, then slice and enjoy!
Decoration ideas
Hummingbird cake is traditionally decorated with cream cheese frosting. It’s lovely with the lemon frosting from my Vegan Lemon Cake and Vegan Buttercream.
Chopped pecans are a must-have decoration for a hummingbird cake, although you can also top with toasted coconut, dried fruit, or other types of crushed nuts.
Vegan Hummingbird Cupcakes
You can use this recipe to make cupcakes by making the batter as normal, then pouring it into a lined muffin tin until each cup is ¾ full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Tips for success
- Always use toasted pecans! They are 10 times more flavorful than raw pecans and will give your cake an extra layer of warmth. Either buy pre-toasted pecans or toast them yourself in a dry skillet over medium-low heat.
- Over mixing the cake batter will make a dense cake. I like to combine the wet and dry ingredients by hand (with a wooden spoon) to avoid over mixing.
- You’ll know the cakes are ready to come out of the oven when the tops are set, the edges are golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few pieces sticking to the toothpick is fine).
- If you’re short on time, refrigerate the baked cake layers so they can cool quickly. Do this only after it has cooled in the pan for 15 minutes.
- This recipe makes enough batter for one Two layer cake. If you want to do one Four layer cake As in the photos, cut each cake layer in half lengthwise with a serrated knife.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make a nut-free hummingbird cake by omitting the pecans and using soy milk or oat milk instead of almond milk. Alternatively, replace almonds with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. The taste will be slightly different but the crunch will still be there.
I have not attempted to make a vegan gluten free hummingbird cake, but a good quality gluten free flour mix, such as better batter, can work in place of all purpose flour.
Old-fashioned hummingbird cake recipes like the original printed in a 1978 copy of Southern Living were made with copious amounts of vegetable oil to achieve a decadent and moist crumb. Although my version doesn’t have as much oil, it is still very important and should not be replaced. Even melted vegan butter should not be used as a substitute because it does not provide the same amount of moisture.
Cake layers will keep moist and fresh for up to 1 week before serving. Wrap them in a layer of plastic and keep them in the fridge or freezer for longer.
Vegan buttercream or cream cheese frosting can also be made 2 to 3 days ahead. Store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge until it’s time to decorate it.
Want more incredible vegan cake recipes?
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare 2 8-inch round pans by lining the bottom with circles of parchment paper and spraying well with non-stick spray.
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In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk well.
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To the dry ingredients, add the oil, crushed pineapple, mashed banana, almond milk, vanilla, and pecans. Mix until just combined, but don’t overmix. It’s helpful to mix by hand so you don’t accidentally overmix the batter and make the cake thick.
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Divide the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the tops of the cakes are set.
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Let the cakes cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully remove them and let cool on a cooling rack until completely cool. Please do not attempt to frost this cake while it is still warm, it will slide and break.
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Once the cake has cooled, prepare the vegan cream cheese frosting. You can also use vegan buttercream or the lemon frosting from my vegan lemon cake if you like.
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For a four-layer cake like my photo, use a large serrated knife to slice each cake into two layers (or just leave as two layers).
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Add frosting between each layer, then frost the outside of the cake and the top as well. Sprinkle with additional chopped or halved pecans for garnish, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
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Store leftover cake in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for longer.
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If necessary, you can omit almonds or use sunflower seeds instead.
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Any plant milk can be used instead of nuts, such as soy or oat.
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I haven’t tried this cake gluten free, but a good quality gluten free mix might work quite well. I love the Better Batter brand.
Worship: 116 slices | Calories: 323kcal | Sugars: 51g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 3g | Monounsaturated fats: 7g | Trans fats: 0.03g | Sodium: 244mg | Potassium: 236mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg