Hummingbird Sheet Cake

This Hummingbird Sheet Cake combines the beloved Southern hummingbird cake flavors in a convenient sheet cake form.

If you need desserts that slice easily and feed a crowd, take a look at my potluck desserts collection, where you’ll also find this similar Preacher’s Cake that is a lot like this one but it’s made without banana.

What is a Hummingbird Cake?

Think ripe bananas, crushed pineapple, and toasted pecans topped with rich cream cheese frosting - all the goodness in one pan. Whether you’re serving it at a family gathering, a potluck, or just because, this cake is sure to steal the spotlight.

Why You'll Love This Hummingbird Sheet Cake

1. Tropical Flavors in Every Bite
   This cake is a perfect balance of sweet, fruity, and nutty flavors. With bananas and pineapple adding moisture and natural sweetness, it's like a tropical vacation in every bite.
2. Super Easy to Make
   From mixing to baking, this recipe takes just about an hour. With simple ingredients and a few straightforward steps, you'll have a stunning dessert without the fuss.
3. Cream Cheese Frosting - Need We Say More?
   The luscious cream cheese frosting is the icing on the cake (literally!). It's smooth, creamy, and adds just the right amount of sweetness to balance the cake's flavor.
4. Perfect for Potlucks, Parties, and More
   This sheet cake feeds a crowd and is an absolute hit at gatherings. Serve it for birthdays, holidays, or even a casual weeknight dessert - it's versatile and always delicious.

Recipe Breakdown

Notes About Key Ingredients:

See the full ingredients list in the recipe card below:

• Flour: Stick with all-purpose flour for the best texture.
• Eggs: Using room temperature eggs helps them incorporate more smoothly.
• Vegetable oil: Canola or refined avocado oil also works.
• Crushed pineapple with juice: Don't drain the juice! You want it for this recipe.
• Mashed bananas: Use bananas with lots of brown spots for the best flavor and texture.
• Chopped pecans: You can substitute with walnuts if you prefer.
• Cream cheese and unsalted butter: Make sure both are softened.
• Powdered sugar: Sifted to avoid clumps and create a fluffy frosting.
• Heavy Whipping Cream: If you don't have heavy cream, you can use whole milk or half-and-half, but start with less since they are thinner.

Directions:

• Preheat & Prepare the Pan:
  Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
• Mix the Dry Ingredients:
  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.

• Add Wet Ingredients:
  Add eggs and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Don't overmix - it'll seem thick at first, but the next steps will loosen it up.

• Add the Fun Stuff:
  Fold in the pineapple (juice and all), mashed bananas, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of chopped pecans (if using). Be gentle here - just mix until everything is incorporated.

• Bake the Cake:
  Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Let it cool completely.

• Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:
  In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla extract and sift in the powdered sugar, mixing until fluffy. If it's too thick, add a tablespoon of heavy cream at a time until you reach a spreadable consistency.

• Frost & Serve:
  Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and sprinkle the remaining pecans on top. Slice into squares and serve!

A Few Tips for Perfection

• Use Very Ripe Bananas: The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful the cake. Brown spots are key!
• Don't Drain the Pineapple: The juice adds moisture, so keep it in the batter for the best texture.
• Let the Cake Cool Completely: For easy frosting, make sure the cake has cooled down completely before you start spreading the cream cheese frosting.
• Make-Ahead Option: You can bake and frost this cake a day ahead. It gets even better the next day as the flavors meld together!

FAQs About Hummingbird Sheet Cake

Why This Hummingbird Sheet Cake is a Must-Make

This cake is everything you want in a dessert - it's easy, it's delicious, and it's sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Whether you’re serving it at a potluck or enjoying it for a cozy family night, this tropical-inspired treat will quickly become a favorite.

Curious About Other Tropical Cake Recipes?

Here are a few more sweet treats you'll love:

Recipe

Hummingbird Sheet Cake

Jessica Burgess

This hummingbird sheet cake is bursting with bananas, pineapple, and warm cinnamon, topped with a rich cream cheese frosting-perfect for any occasion!

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 pieces

Calories 795 kcal

Video

Ingredients

For the cake:

• ▢ 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 3 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice
• ▢ 2 cups mashed ripe bananas about 4 medium bananas
• ▢ 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups chopped pecans optional, divided

For the cream cheese frosting:

• ▢ 2 – 8 ounce blocks cream cheese, softened
• ▢ ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• ▢ 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 4 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted
• ▢ 1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper. Set the baking dish aside.

For the Hummingbird Cake

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt until all the ingredients are combined.
• Add 3 large eggs and 1 cup vegetable oil directly to the dry mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the ingredients are just combined. The mixture will be fairly thick but will thin out after the next step.
• Fold in 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice, 2 cups mashed bananas, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, and 1 cup chopped pecans (optional) until all of the ingredients are combined. Don't overmix the batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared 9×13-inch baking dish and smooth out the top of the batter so that it is even.
• Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean from the center. Let it cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• To make the cream cheese frosting, beat (2) 8-ounce blocks of softened cream cheese and ½ cup (1 stick) of softened unsalted butter together in a large bowl using a hand or stand mixer until smooth and creamy (about 2-3 minutes).
• Add 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, then gradually mix in 4 ½ cups of sifted powdered sugar until the frosting is thick and fluffy. If your frosting feels too thick to spread easily, beat in 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
• Spread the frosting over the cooled cake, making sure to go thick and even across the top. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chopped pecans over the frosting, if using, and then slice into squares.

Notes

This cake gets even better the next day after the flavors have had time to mingle.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 795kcal | Carbohydrates: 116g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 208mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 86g | Vitamin A: 358IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

Keywords cream cheese frosting, old-fashioned cake recipe, sheet cake recipe, vintage recipe

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