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I have always wanted to make hummingbird cake but most recipes looked daunting. This cake bar was the perfect size and turned out finger licking good !” ~Sari
Who could resist anything called hummingbird cake bars? I think it conjures up lazy Southern afternoons, porch swings, and sweet tea. It sounds like something that’s been around since the rebel yell, but the original hummingbird cake was a reader’s recipe that debuted in a 1978 issue of Southern Living. The fact that it’s become a household word since then is a testament to how wonderful this combination of flavors is.
Today I’ve simplified that epic cake (sometimes coming in at 4 layers!) into a sweet little snack cake that you can whip up lickety split. This hummingbird cake bars recipe will serve you well for so many occasions, whether you’re serving it family style around the kitchen table, or as part of any spring celebration (it’s got Mom, teachers, co-workers, and neighbors written all over it!)
what’s in hummingbird cake bars?
The cake is rich with crushed pineapple, ripe bananas, and pecans, with a unique flavor profile that combines elements of banana bread, carrot cake, and pineapple upside-down cake. And, of course, that insanely delish cream cheese frosting. Mine has a couple of secret ingredients thrown into the mix.
- all purpose flour
- sugar
- salt and baking soda
- egg
- vegetable oil
- bourbon
- substitute vanilla, or use both!
- crushed pineapple
- ripe banana
- pecans
- sweetened shredded coconut
cream cheese frosting
- cream cheese
- I prefer brick style for frostings.
- unsalted butter
- confectioner’s sugar
- lemon juice
- vanilla extract
I don’t know what I love most about these plush little hummingbird cake bars…the moist banana cake, the pineapple…the pecans. Who am I kidding, I love the frosting best. Nothing beats a thick layer of tangy cream cheese frosting. What’s nice about these bars is that the frosting and the cake get equal billing. That means that although these bars are small, they pack a wallop.
But you’re probably wondering about those secret ingredients…ok, I added coconut, and a little shot of Bourbon. I tinkered with the original 1978 recipe that appeared in Southern Living, which you can see here.
hummingbird cake bars faqs
Why is it called hummingbird cake?
- Some believe this tropical cake originated in Jamaica as the “Doctor Bird Cake” and was simply renamed “hummingbird cake” when it gained popularity in the Southern US during the 1970s. (The Doctor Bird is a type of hummingbird, and the national bird of Jamaica.)
Can I make this into a layer cake?
- Sure, double the ingredients for 2 9-inch layer cake pans.
Can I leave out the nuts?
- Yes, the nuts add nice flavor and texture, but you can leave them out. You can also substitute walnuts.
Can I make this gluten free?
- Yes, use a good quality gluten free baking mix that can be substituted 1:1 for the flour.
more bar desserts
If you love the idea of hummingbird cake bars, I’ve got more for you to try!
- White Chocolate Pecan Cookie Bars
- Toffee Bars
- Blackberry Pecan Bars
- Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Amish Man Bars
- Chewy Toffee Pecan Bars
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Hummingbird Cake Bars
Equipment
- 9×9 pan
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp Bourbon
- 3/4 cup crushed pineapple, don’t drain
- 3/4 cup mashed banana (about 1 large, or 1.5 small/medium bananas)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 5 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- squeeze of lemon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F. Grease or butter a 9×9 baking pan, and set aside.
- Put the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix briefly to combine. (You can do this by hand with a whisk, too.) Then add in the eggs, oil, and Bourbon, mixing to combine.
- Blend in the pineapple, mashed banana, coconut,and nuts. Mix just enough to combine all the ingredients thoroughly.
- Spread the batter into your prepared pan and bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out without wet batter clinging to it. (Moist crumbs are ok.)
- Cool the cake before frosting.
- To make frosting, blend the butter with the cream cheese until smooth in a food processor or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar until the frosting is a spreadable consistency. Blend in the lemon juice and vanilla.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake, and top with more finely chopped pecans. Store in the refrigerator.
Oh Sue – this looks wonderful. I’ve always wanted to bake this cake, but then I would have to eat it all! Cream cheese icing is the bomb!!! Love the bourbon and pineapple additions. Have a wonderful trip and congratulations to you and Molly!!!
You are so right; the name of this cake alone is such a winner. I’ve never had it and I’d love to try it this way. It’s so smart to make it in the simpler bar form. The layer versions always look really daunting and, dare I say, somewhat excessive. : ) Happy travels!
I have heard of hummingbird cake, but never knew what it was. It sounds wonderful, especially with your 2 secret ingredients! I also love the ratio of cake to frosting. Perfect for a frosting lover like me! We have a hummingbird feeder above the porch at our cabin and have so much fun watching the hummingbirds. They are so cute! I am saving this recipe to make soon, maybe to eat at our cabin this summer while watching hummingbirds!:)
I don’t think we have hummingbirds in the UK, so that sounds amazing to watch that little hummingbird ‘soap opera’ going on outside your sister’s window. How precious! And I love the way you’ve adapted your recipe to make bars instead of a cake. 🙂
We have lots of hummingbirds that feed, but no nests. Congratulations on Molly. For me it was very bittersweet. My two graduated two years ago and though it is still fun to see their progressions I really miss the cycles of college life. Eating these delicious bars though might make everything go down better! Have fun, Sue!
Anything you can substitute for the bourbon? It’s not something I have in my house. They look delicious.
You don’t need to add the bourbon at all, you can add a little vanilla, if you want, or nothing.
This just sounds delightful, and I’m going to try it… but! I LOVE Hummingbirds and the last addition to your post was sooo exciting to read! We live on an 85 acre farm, so trying to find a Hummingbird nest is like… well, the proverbial needle in a haystack. 🙁 I so want to find one some day. I love my Hummers, and have some fantastic pictures! Can’t wait to make this cake…
Thanks Mid — I would have shared some of my sister’s pictures, but they’re all blurry!
Interesting facts about hummingbirds. Never knew two nests were in play… nor that the babies outgrew their nest!
Did I miss the daily winners for popsicle week? Perhaps they were individually notified.
Anyway, Happy flight… and Happy graduation to Molly.
Oh Kate I posted them on the sidebar but then took it down after a couple of days thinking people wouldn’t want to look at it there for too long!
Hi, Sue.
You said in the narrative that you added coconut but I don’t see it in the recipe. It sounds like a good addition. How much did/would you add?
I noticed, too, that there is no coconut listed. I would guess around 1/2 cup, and maybe toasted first. Sue, do you have an answer for us?
Thanks, I fixed it. Thank goodness for in flight wifi!
Thanks, Sue. Sometimes technology is a good thing! LOL
It’s fun to decorate a layer cake, but I prefer to have just one layer of frosting, so this is the perfect way for me to have hummingbird cake. I never make three-layer cakes, that is just waaaay too much frosting for me. Lovely!