This “Southern-Style Hummingbird Sheet Cake” is a truly irresistible and moist dessert, crowned with a rich cream cheese frosting and generously scattered with chopped pecans, just as depicted in the inviting image. This beloved Southern classic is renowned for its tender crumb and a delightful symphony of flavors, incorporating ripe bananas, crushed pineapple, and often pecans, making it incredibly moist and aromatic. The cake itself is a harmonious blend of sweetness and subtle spice, with the fruit adding natural moisture and a tropical hint. The frosting, a hallmark of Southern baking, is a luxurious, creamy, and slightly tangy cream cheese frosting that perfectly complements the cake’s sweetness without being overly heavy. The visual appeal of the cake in the image is further enhanced by the copious scattering of chopped pecans across the smooth, light-colored frosting, adding a crucial textural element and a nutty flavor that rounds out the entire dessert. This sheet cake format makes it ideal for potlucks, family gatherings, or any occasion where you need to feed a crowd, offering easy slicing and serving. It’s a comforting dessert that feels both traditional and uniquely flavorful, sure to elicit compliments from anyone who tastes it. This comprehensive recipe will guide you through preparing the moist cake batter, whipping up a perfectly smooth cream cheese frosting, and assembling the cake with its signature pecan topping, ensuring a delicious and visually appealing result that echoes the mouth-watering image.
Ingredients:
- For the Hummingbird Sheet Cake:
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil (or canola oil)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 (8-ounce / 226g) can crushed pineapple, undrained
- 2 cups (about 4-5 medium) very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 ½ pounds / 680g unpeeled bananas)
- 1 cup (120g) chopped pecans, plus extra for topping (as seen in image)
- For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar), sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream (as needed for consistency)
- For Garnish (as seen in image):
- ½ cup (about 60g) additional chopped pecans
- Equipment:
- 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Large mixing bowls (2)
- Electric mixer (stand mixer or handheld)
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Sifter (for powdered sugar)
Instructions:
Part 1: Prepare the Hummingbird Sheet Cake
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350∘F (175∘C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan, or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In another large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and vegetable oil until well combined.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs to the sugar and oil mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Incorporate Fruit: Add the undrained crushed pineapple and the mashed ripe bananas to the wet ingredients. Mix well with a rubber spatula until fully combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed with an electric mixer or by hand with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; overmixing can lead to a tough cake.
- Fold in Pecans: Gently fold in the 1 cup of chopped pecans until evenly distributed. The image shows a good amount of pecans on top, implying they are also in the cake.
- Pour into Pan: Pour the cake batter evenly into the prepared 9×13-inch baking pan. Spread it out with a spatula to ensure an even layer.
- Bake: Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake should be golden brown and spring back lightly when touched.
- Cool: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting. This is crucial; frosting a warm cake will cause the frosting to melt.
Part 2: Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat Cream Cheese and Butter: In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and softened unsalted butter on medium speed until the mixture is very smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture, beating on low speed until just combined, then increase to medium-high speed and beat until light and fluffy. If you add it all at once on high speed, you’ll have a cloud of sugar!
- Add Vanilla and Adjust Consistency: Beat in the vanilla extract. If the frosting is too thick, add milk or heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until you reach a smooth, spreadable consistency that is easy to spread but holds its shape, mirroring the smooth frosting in the image.
Part 3: Frost and Garnish the Cake
- Frost the Cake: Once the cake is completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the cake in the pan, ensuring it covers the entire surface.
- Garnish with Pecans: Generously sprinkle the additional ½ cup of chopped pecans evenly over the frosted cake. The image shows a beautiful, abundant scattering of pecans. Gently press them into the frosting so they adhere.
- Chill (Optional): If you prefer a firmer frosting, you can chill the cake in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to an hour before serving.
Part 4: Serve and Store
- Slice and Serve: Cut the “Southern-Style Hummingbird Sheet Cake” into squares and serve.
- Storage: Store leftover cake covered tightly in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days due to the cream cheese frosting.
Tips for Success:
- Very Ripe Bananas: Use very ripe bananas (with brown spots) for the best flavor and sweetness. They are easier to mash and contribute significant moisture.
- Do Not Overmix Cake Batter: Mix the cake batter only until the ingredients are just combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which can lead to a tough cake.
- Sift Powdered Sugar: Sifting powdered sugar for the frosting helps prevent lumps and ensures a super smooth, creamy texture, as seen in the image.
- Softened Ingredients for Frosting: Ensure your cream cheese and butter are thoroughly softened (but not melted) for the frosting. This prevents lumps and ensures a smooth consistency.
- Cool Cake Completely: This cannot be stressed enough. Frosting a warm or even slightly warm cake will result in a melted, runny frosting mess.
- Even Distribution of Pecans: When sprinkling the pecans, try to distribute them as evenly as possible over the entire surface for both visual appeal and consistent texture in every bite, as suggested by the image.
- Customization: You can add 1 cup of shredded coconut to the cake batter along with the pecans for an even more pronounced tropical flavor, though the image does not explicitly show coconut.
- Portioning: A 9×13-inch cake typically yields 12-24 servings, depending on how large you cut the slices, making it perfect for sharing.
Enjoy this incredibly moist and flavorful “Southern-Style Hummingbird Sheet Cake”!