Why is it called hummingbird cake?

Created in Jamaica where the dessert is called the doctor bird cake (or Dr. Bird cake), it is named after the island's national bird, the scissors-tail hummingbird (locally known as the doctor bird).

What is hummingbird cake made of?

This hummingbird cake is easy to make with ripe bananas and crushed pineapple . It's covered with a sweet cream cheese frosting for a delicious dessert that's sure to impress! Crush additional nuts and press them into the sides of the frosting for a special occasion.

Why is my hummingbird cake dry?

Why Is My Hummingbird Cake Dry? Your hummingbird cake can be dry due to common mistakes, such as draining your crushed pineapples . Don't drain your crushed pineapple before adding it to the recipe; make sure you're using it along with its juice, which imparts not only tons of flavor, but exquisite moistness, too.

What is the most popular cake in America?

Top 10 Birthday Cakes In America Red Velvet Cake. Let's kick things off with the all-time favorite – Red Velvet Cake. ... Chocolate Fudge Cake. Calling all chocoholics! ... Funfetti Cake. ... Lemon Raspberry Cake. ... Carrot Cake. ... Tiramisu Cake. ... Strawberry Shortcake. ... Black Forest Cake. More items... Oct 2, 2023

What is Elvis Presley cake?

An Elvis Presley cake is a single-layer classic yellow cake that's topped with a pineapple glaze . Much like a poke cake, the syrup and juices of the pineapple will seep into the cake through fork holes, resulting in a decadent, ultra-moist cake.

What does a hummingbird cake taste like?

What does hummingbird cake taste like? Hummingbird cake tastes like the best banana bread ever, crossed with a carrot cake that some absent-minded baker forgot to bake with the carrots and raisins.

Who invented hummingbird cake?

This leads us to the Hummingbird Cake, which was first submitted to Southern Living in 1978 by Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina, and has become the magazine's most popular recipe since.

Why is it called a hummingbird?

The name hummingbird comes from the humming sound their wings make as they fly . These birds' flexible shoulder joints allow their wings to rotate 180 degrees, which enables backward flight and stationary hovering.

Who started Hummingbird Bakery?

Tarek Malouf is the founder and owner of The Hummingbird Bakery, an American-style bakery founded in London's Notting Hill in 2004 to bring the authentic taste of American home baking to the UK.

Why is it called Lady Baltimore cake?

History. The most popular legend of the Lady Baltimore is that Alicia Rhett Mayberry, a Southern belle, baked and served the cake to novelist Owen Wister in Charleston, South Carolina. Wister was said to have been so enamored with the cake that he used it as the namesake of his novel, Lady Baltimore .

Why is it called wife cake?

Another story tells of a dim sum chef's wife creating a pastry with wintermelon paste influenced by a recipe from her mother's family. The new pastry was found to taste better than the dim sums that were being sold in teahouses, and the chef proudly told everyone it was made by his wife , hence it was named "Wife Cake".

Hummingbird Cake with Buttermilk Glaze Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Buttermilk

by: Grant Melton

April5,2018

3 Ratings

Hummingbird Cake with Buttermilk Glaze Recipe on Food52 (1)

Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 40 minutes
Makes 1 layer cake

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

Whether or not you’ve ever actually had a piece hummingbird cake before, you’ve probably seen it on your favorite southern food blog. The quirkily named banana-spice cake with crushed pineapple and chopped nuts is slathered with cream cheese and full of southern charm. My version has a sticky-sweet buttermilk glaze that goes on the cake straight out the oven (a tip from Chrissy Teigen), which adds a luscious, stick-to-your-fork texture that’s absolutely divine and incredibly addictive. It’s a super-simple one-bowl and no-mixer cake (excluding the frosting). But since it’s only one layer, you won’t have to spend a lot of time frosting it, which means less time you’ll have to wait before eating it. —Grant Melton

Ingredients

For the Cake:
¹/₂ cupmashed, over-ripe banana (approximately 2 bananas)
¹/₂ cupcrushed pineapple
¹/₄ cupolive oil
¹/₄ cupcanola oil
²/₃ cupsugar
2 eggs
2 cupsflour
1 teaspoonsalt
1 teaspoonbaking soda
¹/₂ teaspooncinnamon
¹/₄ teaspoonginger
¹/₄ teaspoonnutmeg
¹/₂ cuppecans, chopped

For the glaze and frosting:
¹/₂ cuppowdered sugar
¹/₃ cupbuttermilk
6 ouncescream cheese
4 tablespoonsbutter
¹/₂ teaspoonvanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 cupconfectioner’s sugar
1 pinchsalt
1 handfulchopped pecans, dried pineapples, or edible flowers

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease one 9-inch round cake pan with butter and dust with flour, shaking out any excess. Place a round of parchment in the bottom of the cake pan. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, crushed pineapple, olive oil, canola oil, sugar, and eggs until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. One the batter has come together and is smooth, fold in the pecans. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
While the cake bakes, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and buttermilk until smooth. Set aside.
Let the cake rest for 5 minutes when it comes out of the oven. While the cake is still warm, carefully invert the cake onto a plate. Remove the parchment from the cake and pour half the glaze on top of the cake. Using an offset spatula spread the glaze to the edges of the cake. Let the cake soak up the glaze for a minute and then repeat with remaining glaze. Let the cake rest for a few hours until completely cool before frosting.
While the cake cools, make the frosting. In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and cream cheese. Once mixed well, add the powdered sugar little by little. Add the vanilla and salt.
Put the frosting on to the cake and rustically frost the top. Decorate with chopped pecans, dried pineapple, edible flowers, or a mixture of all three.

Tags:

Cake
Southern
American
Pineapple
Pecan
Cream Cheese
Buttermilk
Nutmeg
Dessert

See what other Food52ers are saying.

keithcancook
DonnaM
Kate K
Nanners

Popular on Food52

8 Reviews

Nanners May 16, 2018

My daughter made me this cake for Mother’s Day and this is now one of my favourites!

keithcancook May 13, 2018

The glaze soaked into the top half making it doughy and an under baked texture.I would make it again but without the glaze

Paul D. April 14, 2018

I'm relatively new to baking and looking forward to trying this recipe. Does the glaze go on the bottom (flat side) and the frosting on the top (rounded) after the cake is inverted?
Paul D

DonnaM April 14, 2018

I inverted the cake, top side up, onto a cake plate with two rectangular pieces of parchment under each half so I can pull them out easily from underneath when finished glazing and frosting. I did glaze the rounded(top) side. I lightly pricked the top with a fork in several places before glazing for better absorption. Also went slowly with the glaze to give each application time to soak in....cake was fantastic! Several raves - one guest said it was one of the best cakes he's ever had!!! Good Luck

Paul D. April 14, 2018

Thank you, Danka. That sounds easy enough.

DonnaM April 6, 2018

I'm having family over Sunday for Orthodox Easter and think this cake would be perfect! Can I make it a day ahead and store covered at cold room temperature?? Looks aaaaahhmaaaaazzzzinnngggg

Kate K. April 7, 2018

I haven't made this hummingbird (yet), but most fruit/spice cakes benefit from a day of rest while covered and kept cool. I would make the cake and glaze it Saturday afternoon/evening and then frost it on Sunday.

DonnaM April 7, 2018

Thank you Kate! Makes sense - just made the cake and put the glaze on. It rose up very nicely and smelled wonderful while baking! I will frost tomorrow - can't wait to taste :-)