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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.
Anxious to try this simple recipe! I have to leave out the alcohol — how much would that change the cake’s flavor? Thanks for all the great recipes!
Can the coconut be left out? If not, what could I substitute?
I was comparing the hummingbird cake recipe to the hummingbird cake bars and saw the that bars have coconut in the batter and the cake does not. Why is that?
Just different recipes, different variations. You can definitely add in some coconut to the cake without any problem. I would add sweetened coconut, and not too much. Unsweetened coconut tends to absorb moisture and might upset the balance of the batter.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. 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 !
I have never thought about making this into bars!! I make a hummingbird cake for my birthday every year. I have one in 2 weeks and I’m going to try this and give an update. ?
Any replacement if you just don’t have ripe bananas or bananas at all?
Bananas are so unique, you might try leaving them out and adding a little bit more pineapple.
Would this same recipe work with muffins (instead of bars)? Would the baking time change or ingredient quantity change?
I think you could probably bake the batter in a muffin tin, Carol, but I’m not sure how long it would take, I would watch them carefully and when they have risen, check them with a toothpick, on the early side.
I have made cream cheese frosting for years but never put lemon juice in it. Other than flavor is there something it does to the frosting?
It’s just there for flavor, Teresa!
I’ve never made a hummingbird cake but this would be a great way to started! It looks so good. Good luck on your flight!
LOVE hummingbird cake but i’ve never tried to make bars! brilliant and beautiful, sue!
Thanks Grace!
Love recipes with a story, looks and sounds delicious Sue!