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Hummingbird Sheet Cake

This recipe and story were originally posted on September 14, 2012 and updated January 7, 2021.

Hummingbird Sheet Cake with pieces missing

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My Dad has never been an emotional person.  He’s the kind of guy that doesn’t really express his feelings – you know,  the rough, tough exterior kind of thing. I’ve never seen him cry (though my Mom tells me she saw it happen when our beloved family dog, Maggie, died several years ago).  I can probably count on one hand the number of times he’s said “I love you.”  And that’s okay with me.  I know he loves me. We understand each other like that. And honestly, though we might sign it in birthday cards or something, I can’t say that I’ve shared those 3 little words with him often either. But again, I think he knows that I do love him.

Piece of Hummingbird Sheet CakeThe other day, I called to talk to my mom and Dad answered the phone.  We chatted for a few minutes and when we went to say goodbye, I said “love you” in one of those accidental, habitual, that’s-what-I-always-say kind of ways.  It was a slip. It shocked me. Honestly, it caught us both off guard. Neither of us knew what to say after that and Mom quickly came on the line. At first I regretted creating the awkwardness. But the more I thought about it, the more proud I became about what had happened, because the truth is… I do love him. I love him for the father he was and is to me, the husband is to my mother, and the “Papa” he is to my little boy. Maybe you should consider one of those accidental “I love yous” today. You never know how it might make you feel…

Cream Cheese Frosting on Hummingbird Sheet CakeHummingbird Cake is one of my wife’s favorite desserts, but a layer cake can be a little challenging and time consuming. Turning this into an easy sheet cake makes it easier to accomplish in a fraction of the time without sacrificing flavor.

The humble Hummingbird Cake has somewhat of an unclear history. Some say it was created by Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina and first published by Southern Living in 1978.  But some detective work by the Greensboro News & Record in 2014 couldn’t find anyone that actually knew her. Others say that it’s based on something called a Doctor Bird Cake (doctor bird was a nickname for the swallow-tailed hummingbird) and the recipe came from a Jamaican Airline as part of some promotional information. Being that the hummingbird is the national bird of Jamaica, this might stand to reason. That said, I’m not able to confirm either story.

Regardless, I’m just glad someone came up with it because it’s a family favorite for sure. The dense, moist cake is flavored with canned pineapple, banana, vanilla, and just a hint of cinnamon and is studded with chopped pecans.

Bite missing from piece of Hummingbird Sheet CakeThe method is a little different than most traditional cake recipes, as there’s no creaming butter and sugar and it calls for a generous amount of vegetable oil. But it produces a cake that stays moist for days and has a unique texture and flavor.

And then there’s the cream cheese frosting.  I mean… what ISN’T good with cream cheese frosting? 

Now, admittedly, some folks get a little peeved because they see “sheet cake” in the title and complain that it’s not a full 18×24 sheet cake size. The term sheet cake is used here to give the distinction that it’s not a layer cake. That said, a 9×13-inch cake pan is roughly a quarter sheet, so I suppose, technically, it’s still a sheet cake. Calling it a “Hummingbird Quarter Sheet Cake” just doesn’t have the same ring to it. 

See my other “sheet” cake recipes: Sweet Potato Cake with Marshmallow Buttercream, Coconut Sheet Cake, Best Strawberry Sheet Cake, Easy Caramel Sheet Cake, Cookies and Cream Sheet Cake, Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

Bite missing from piece of Hummingbird Sheet Cake
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5 from 10 votes

Hummingbird Sheet Cake

Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 5 mins
Servings: 12
Author: Stacey Little | Southern Bite

Ingredients

For Cake:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 bananas, chopped

For Frosting:

  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

For Cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 °F and lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.  
  • Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk together.  Add the eggs and oil and mix well.
  • Add the vanilla, pineapple, bananas, and pecans. Stir gently to combine.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before

For Frosting:

  • Use an electric mixer to combine the room temperature butter and cream cheese until smooth and completely combined. Add the vanilla and mix well.  
  • Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition.
  • Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.  
Making This Recipe?Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernBite using the hashtag #SouthernBite, so I can see how it turned out!

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Hummingbird Sheet Cake - collage image for Pinterest

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Thanks!! This looks yummy. I’ve always wanted to try making Hummingbird Cake, but I don’t like to make layer cakes. I’m so glad to be able to try it as sheet cake. I will definitely be making this one. Thanks again!!

    Reply

  4. I made this for Easter, and there’s a misprint in the recipe. The pineapple should NOT be drained. Without the pineapple juice, the batter is crumbly. With the juice it is smooth. Compare your recipe to the original (see the Southern Living web site) and you’ll see the difference. Thanks for posting!

    Reply

    • Hi LinC, thanks so much for looking out for me. Actually, the recipe is correct. This recipe is developed specifically as a sheet cake. If you’re comparing to the SL recipe, you’ll see that my recipe has more oil and that makes up for the pineapple juice and yields a more dense, moist cake. Adding the pineapple juice shouldn’t affect the overall outcome, so I think it’s fine to include it. I’m just curious why your batter was crumbly. I’ve never had that problem and we’ve been using this recipe for years and years. Hope y’all enjoy the cake!! Happy Easter!!!

      Reply

  5. This is my all time favorite cake. My mother use to make this for me once a year on my birthday. That meant layers of yumminess. Well, she just sent me this recipe. Now I don’t have to worry with layers. I will be making this more often than once a year! Thank you!

    Reply

  6. Making this right now and it smells great! I doubled the recipe and used a 12×16 pan. I’ve made this before but as a layer cake.

    Reply

  7. I was wondering if this could be frozen? I would love to make it, but too much for just two to consume in a timely fashion Wondering if I could freeze part of it?

    Thank you so much!

    Reply

  9. I just learned about this Pinterest. I love it!
    I’ve been making my family humming bird cake for holidays for years.
    It is their favorite cake. I never thought to make it a sheet cake. Thank you for the idea.
    This is a very old recipe. I believe it’s from England. Not made from humming birds. Lol.
    It’s just sweet, awesome and everyone loves it.

    Reply

  10. I made this tonite, and instead of the pecans in the cake I sprinkled them on top of the frosting. I also added a cup of shredded coconut into the cake batter. YUMMMM!!

    Reply

  11. I learned how to make this cake about 30 years ago from a beautiful lady in our church. My very good friend also goes to the same church and ever since I learned the recipe she wants one every year for her birthday. She know what she’s getting and she’s happy and it makes me happy I learned this one. It is delicious. Thanks for putting it on again.

    Reply

  12. Oh, mercy me!! Forget my diet till this is all gone Smell was wonderful and the taste even better ..oooooh, so devine~~~

    Reply

  13. So moist and tasty! Wish I hadn’t had to skimp on the pineapple but I didn’t have the full amount. Next time it will be that much nicer. Not dry or crumbly at all. Thank you for sharing your family’s recipe…I can see why it’s a tradition.

    Reply

  14. this sounds wonderful but is not a sheet cake. This is an original cake made in a 9×13 pan a sheet cake is made in a cookie sheet pan. Or maybe this can be put in a pan like this let me know would like to make it. Thanks

    Reply

    • Most bakers I know refer to any single layer cake a sheet cake, though the actual dimensions vary – half sheet, whole sheet, quarter sheet. This recipe uses a 9×13 pan.

      Reply

  15. I made this and omitted the frosting completely. My wonderful husband and I don’t like frosting’s but
    a light dusting of powdered sugar worked wonderful. I did not drain the pineapple and it turned out perfect. I’m wondering if I could bake in two loaf pans and serve more like a banana bread. Of course would have to adjust baking times but that’s not a problem. I just might try it next time. Hubby says this is a keeper. Thanks Stacey for all your wonderful recipes.

    Reply

  16. Hi Stacey…I’m all excited about this Hummingbird Sheet Cake, but for some reason, the recipe doesn’t show for me. Don’t know if it’s just my computer, or if something isn’t loading right. Help??

    Deb

    Reply

  19. I have made this twice, and both times I had to bake for much longer than 45 min as the center was jiggly and basically still batter. I think I may have overdone it the first time, but it’s hard to get just right (2nd try is cooling now). The outside browns pretty dark but isn’t burnt. I haven’t noticed any issues like this for my oven with other recipes. Just wondering if others have had variation in bake time, and any ideas on what the issue might be? The cake is very good and I love the combination of ingredients. And it’s so easy! I like to add lemon zest and a bit of juice to the frosting. Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply

  20. Stacey I’ve made the layer Humming Bird Cake. My recipe
    made a very large layer cake. It was very good, however, took entirely too much time. I will happily make this sheet cake for our Easter meal. Thanks for posting the sheet version.
    Also, didn’t you feel really good after saying love you to your Father? I always say “I love you” each time I talk with my family members and close friends. Life is so short, it might be the last time we have to say that. I always hang up the phone and have that smile on my face that I’m so happy.
    I enjoy your stories. Keep up the 7 work.

    Reply

  21. I usually make the Hummingbird bundt cake. It is easy, decorative and always well received. This sheet cake pan will be easier for a small family get together. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  22. I’m not able to eat nuts, and I’m wondering how you think this would be if I leave them out. Thanks – looks yummy!!!

    Reply

  24. I wonder if this cake can be baked in a jelly roll pan (10 by 15.) ?? Just found your site by Pinterest. I could stay here for hours.

    Reply

  26. I LOVE Hummingbird cake! The first time I had it was after my grandmother’s funeral in the church basement. You know that cake was made with love by one of her sweet old friends. I’ve made a healthy version which I loved, too, by Andrew Weil. RECENTLY, I went to a fancy restaurant and was sadly disappointed by their dried out version. bummer. I love to make a pretty layer cake, but sometimes you just need a good sheet cake! And that is what I’m after today. So THANKS a MILLION for providing the recipe in this format. I can see this will not disappoint!

    Reply

  27. Love the story about you and your Dad, make it a habit. My Dad was the same way, he didn’t say it a lot, but I knew he loved me. My Dad has long passed and I sure miss him, so tell your Dad you love him more often. It shouldn’t be awkward for either of you. Because when they are gone, it is too late. Thanks for the easier version of this Hummingbird cake. The original way is time consuming. But, boy are they GOOD. Thanks!

    Reply

  28. Thanks Stacy, Ilike that this so much easier than A layer cake. This will be my first time making this kind of cake. Thanks for the story about you and your Dad, some time we just need to follow our heart.Stay well and God bless

    Reply

  29. HUMMINGBIRD CAKE IS MY FAVORITE CAKE. I REALLY PREFER TO MAKE SHEET CAKES. SOMETIMES I ADD MARASCHINO CHERRIES AND COCONUT TO THE BATTER. WHEN I BAKE I USUALLY DOUBLE THE RECIPE AND SHARE SOME WITH MY NEIGHBORS. THEY ALL LOVE THE HUMMINGBIRD CAKE. IT IS SUCH A FAST AND EASY CAKE TO WHIP UP. THANKS FOR SHARING ALL YOUR WONDERFUL RECIPES WITH US.

    Reply

  30. I want to thank you for such a easy recipe to follow. I made this for a woman’s group and I had so many compliments, It was so easy to make and so super yummy. I will make this several times a year.. It was super good!!!

    Reply

  32. Stacey, thanks for the recipe. My aunt used to make a hummingbird sheet cake, but at 83 can no longer find the recipe. I tried it out yesterday. It was so good my husband has declared the entire cake “his” to “work on all week!” I will make it again in a couple of weeks to share with my mom and aunt. Delicious!!

    Reply

  34. Love this recipe it came out wonderful. Great texture and flavor. My one question to you is like other posts have asked. My batter was very cookie dough like until I added the pineapple juice than batter was fine. So do you have any idea what I could have done wrong being you don’t add juice? I followed the recipe with everything else.
    Thank you.

    Reply

    • Hi Rose! Yes, the batter is very thick, but it bakes up perfectly. I’m not sure why that’s throwing everyone off. We’ve been making this recipe for 30 years and haven’t had trouble with it. Regardless, I’m just tickled you enjoyed the cake!

      Reply

  35. Really great fragrance filled the house while baking. I found the batter had almost that “cookie-dough” look after adding the egg/oil/vanilla to the dry ingredients. Almost gave in to temptation to engineer it myself & add some of that juice drained off the pineapple when I put the fruit into the bowl. But I resisted the urge to second guess the author, electing to wait & see what happened when the fruit was mixed in. Voila! A few turns of the paddle in the old Kitchenaid mixer & the fruit alone smoothed out the batter to a beautiful, slightly thick (just like my carrot sheet cake) batter. I knew it would be fine. And indeed it IS!

    Reply

  36. Does this cake need to remain in the pan and be frosted just on top or can it be inverted without it falling apart. I want to do it for a birthday cake but don’t want to have to leave my wilton pan behind.

    Reply

    • Honestly, Amy, I’ve never done it that way. It’s a very dense cake, so I worry about it falling apart. If you do decide to give it a try, please let me know.

      Reply

  37. Hi. Love this idea! Do you refrigerate it or is it ok to store at room temperature? Also, any thoughts about soaking dried cranberries in the remaining pineapple juice and adding the reconstituted berries to the batter? Just wondering since I’m considering baking this for Thanksgiving. I do not want to ruin this lovely cake. It’s my favorite. Thank you!

    Reply

  38. Saying “I love you” has become so much easier for me as I have aged. I am learning to say it to dear friends and not just to family members. You never know when it may be the last earthly conversation you’ll have with that person, and I don’t want to have the regret of not sharing words of love with those who have meant so much to me.

    As far as the cake goes—this brings back the memories of my mother-in-law helping me to celebrate my birthdays over the years. She always made me Hummingbird cake and my husband, a rich poppyseed cake with cream frosting. Our birthdays are about 3 weeks apart, and we always gained a little extra weight around those celebrations. Mom Pat has not been able to make us cakes for the past several years, but I think in her honor, I will have to try this recipe for my next birthday—or maybe sooner!

    Reply

  40. I just made a full sheet and took it out of the oven and I noticed that the cake is very dense unlike a typical cake that is fluffy and lite. I hope this tastes good as I am feeding 40 people . I am very nervous about how the texture will be.

    Reply

  41. This recipe looks wonderful. Which type of baking pan do you use for it … glass, nonstick with darker coating, or a regular metal?

    Reply

  42. Thanks for the sheet cake recipe…layer cakes are way too much trouble(ain’t nobody got no time for that!) Have you tried this cake with butter instead of veg oil? I use coconut oil for sauteing/frying and butter for baking. And thanks for the info on drained vs not drained pineapple….not sure how softened butter would alter the texture vs oil.

    Reply

    • Ha! I agree! Honestly, I’d opt for melted coconut oil rather than butter in this. Butter has a higher water content than vegetable oil and often an equal swap doesn’t work perfectly.

      Reply

    • Ha! I agree! Honestly, I’d opt for melted coconut oil rather than butter in this. Butter has a higher water content than vegetable oil and often an equal swap doesn’t work perfectly.

      Reply

  43. I made this yesterday. After 40 mins I tested with toothpick. Came out clean. Cake was a fair bit higher in the center but as it cooled it sunk in the center. As I mixed frosting it seemed 3 cups powdered sugar gave a good consistency so I did not add the last cup. When I frosted cake I did use extra in the center to hide the dip. I served it today. The center was a bit undercooked but since the cake is so moist it was not noticeable. It was gobbled up with rave reviews. This recipe seems forgiving…

    Reply

      • Added note & question. My daughter took was was left of the sheet to her workplace. It was quickly taken with all around positive “loves”. Later my daughter texted to say one coworker asked if I would make these in cupcake form for her wedding! So it’s a great recipe. My question is. My daughter now wants this for her birthday day cake. But…she doesn’t care for nuts. If I leave out the 1 cup of pecans how will this affect the outcome?

        Reply

        • I’d say that’s great news! You’re looking like a total rock star! Yes, you con certainly leave out the pecans without much effect in the outcome. The cake will obviously have a different texture, but will still work out just fine. Enjoy!!

          Reply

  45. Hi, I just made this sheet cake and it came out perfectly. I altered it a little bit in that I used a stick of melted butter and a cup of oil in the batter; and I added a cup of coconut and cut back on the regular flour by one cup. The batter, to me, was not like cookie dough at all. I didn’t drain the pineapple in the batter recipe, I didn’t add extra, I took spoonfuls of pineapple out of a 20 oz can and put it into a measuring cup. Even with the changes which were slight, the cake came out perfectly, and was done in 45 minutes. I skipped the butter in the icing and instead used a block of cream cheese, less than a quarter of a cup of heavy cream, couple of teaspoons of the pineapple juice and 3 cups confectioners sugar.
    Thanks! It was a huge success.

    Reply

  46. I am always craving this cake! Thanks, for a easier version of this recipe too. Hey I was wondering could I just use an 13×9 pan instead, or use two 9×11 pans for this recipe?

    Reply

  52. I made this Hummingbird Sheet Cake to feed a party of 7. We only ate half! It is wonderfully moist and rich without being cloyingly sweet. I changed up the frosting by adding some applesauce to it. This was jarred applesauce that had been improved with butter, extra cinnamon and honey. I did not measure the applesauce, but used between 1/8 and 1/4 cup. It was enough to make the frosting more spreadable and added a subtle flavor that went well with the cake. I sprinkled finely ground pecans and graham cracker crumbs across the top for some extra decoration. I would make this cake again.

    Reply

  53. So moist and yummy -even without frosting. I did modify it a little – used half the amount of sugar (1 cup) and doubled the amount of cinnamon (2 tsp). I probably could have reduced sugar to a little less than a cup and it still would’ve been sweet enough for me ( I used very ripe bananas). Added walnuts instead of pecans. Thank you for an amazing recipe!

    Reply

  54. While the cake is cooling down in my kitchen, i thought to message on how easy it was to assemble.
    Taste wise i cant comment for now.
    I didnt have crushee pineapples. So i mashed the cubed ones and left out the syrup. My batter was thick. So i dont know if i should have added the syrup. It was spreadable enough though when i poured it in the greaseproof pan.

    I also substituted half oil and half melted butter.

    I will review it again as i want to do the frosting now.
    Keep your eyes on my feedback for later :))
    Cheers

    Reply

    • Due to lack of time i couldnt frost the cake.
      But its yummy. I find it similar to a carrot cake due to the pecans i guess. Its the 1st time i am eating a hummingbird cake as well.

      My cake took only 30mins to cook and since i found it so fast,i let it bake an extra 5mins which made it slightly drier. But ir goes down well with a glass of milk.

      Thanks.

      For those who want to turn the cake upside down, i did this..but i had lined my baking sheet with greaseproof paper. So it was easy to turn. It didnt break.
      Chamila

      Reply

  55. Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve been wanting to try humming bird cake since I started seeing many different recipes for it on pinterest. Most of them looked kind of intimidating but when I saw this simple, easy to follow recipe I was convinced to give it a try. Also this was the first cake I’ve ever made from scratch. No cake mix! I feel like a true baker now! Lol. The cake turned out spectacular and the cream cheese icing was fantastic! I will definitely be making this again. My husband loved it too and said it reminded him of banana nut bread. Thanks again!

    Reply

    • Awesome, Stacy! I’m honored to hear that you trusted my recipe to be your first scratch-made cake! So proud to hear it turned out great for you!

      Reply

  56. This has become a go-to recipe for me, for gatherings and potlucks of all sorts. It always gets rave reviews (although inevitably, someone always insists on asking if it’s made from real hummingbirds. ugh).
    Anyway, it’s easy, it’s moist, it doesn’t dry out after a day like so many other cakes. It’s flavorful, and who doesn’t love a cream cheese icing. I actually make the recipe exactly as written (which I don’t often do!). It’s a winner, for sure.

    Reply

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