Bananas, pineapple, and pecans come together in this easy one-bowl Vegan Hummingbird Cake! It’s a moist and warmly spiced dessert that’s bursting with bright, tropical flavors.
This Vegan Hummingbird Cake has become one of my favorite desserts ever! Every bite has beautiful layers of fruity, nutty, warm, and sweet flavors while the cream cheese frosting on top perfectly complements the wide range of complexities. If you love carrot cake, then you may just love hummingbird cake even more.
Four key ingredients set this popular Southern cake apart from carrot cake and other spice cakes. They are:
- Warm spices, like nutmeg and cinnamon
- Toasted pecans
- Pineapple chunks and their juices
- Ripe bananas
Altogether, they infuse this cake with gorgeous tropical flavors that beautifully contrast the warming spices. Plus, with its moist and fluffy crumb, you’ll have a hard time stopping after only one slice!
Why is it called hummingbird cake?
The original recipe for hummingbird cake comes from Jamaica, where it’s known as the Doctor Bird Cake. It gets this name from its national bird, the swallow tail hummingbird.
Eventually, the recipe became popular throughout the Southern United States, where it was re-named “hummingbird cake”. Some say the name comes from the sweet flavors attracting hummingbirds or that it’s so good, you’ll want to hover around the cake until you get a slice (just like a hummingbird). The true reason, however, is up for debate.
How to make vegan hummingbird cake
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Start by whisking the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl.
Next, add the oil, crushed pineapple, mashed bananas, almond milk, vanilla, and pecans to the same bowl as the dry mix. Mix until just combined and no dry flour streaks remain.
Pour the cake batter into two prepared cake pans. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Set them aside to cool while you make the icing.
Once the cake layers are completely cool, add some frosting in between each layer before frosting the sides and tops. Sprinkle more pecans on the outside for decoration, then slice and enjoy!
Decoration ideas
Hummingbird cake is traditionally decorated with cream cheese frosting. It’s also very nice with the lemon frosting from my Vegan Lemon Cake and Vegan Buttercream.
Chopped pecans are a must-have hummingbird cake decoration, although you can also add toasted coconut, dried fruit, or other types of crushed nuts on top.
Vegan hummingbird cupcakes
You can use this recipe to make cupcakes by making the batter as normal, then pouring it into a lined muffin tin until each cup is ¾ full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Tips for success
- Always use toasted pecans! They’re 10 times as flavorful as raw pecans and will give your cake an added layer of warmth. Either buy pre-toasted pecans or toast them yourself in a dry skillet over medium-low heat.
- Overmixing the cake batter will lead to a dense cake. I like to combine the wet and dry ingredients by hand (with a wooden spoon) to avoid overmixing.
- You’ll know the cakes are ready to come out of the oven when the tops are set, the edges are turning golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (some crumbs stuck to the toothpick are ok).
- If you’re short on time, place the baked cake layers in the fridge to help them cool down faster. Only do this after they were left to cool in the pans for 15 minutes.
- This recipe makes enough batter for a two-layer cake. If you want to make a four-layer cake like in the photos, slice each cake layer in half lengthwise with a serrated knife.
Frequently asked questions
You can make a nut free hummingbird cake by omitting the pecans and using soy milk or oat milk instead of almond milk. Alternatively, replace the nuts with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. The flavor will be slightly different but the crunch will still be there.
I haven’t tried making a vegan gluten free hummingbird cake, but a good quality gluten free flour mix, like Better Batter, may work in place of the all purpose flour.
Old-fashioned hummingbird cake recipes, like the original printed in the 1978 copy of Southern Living, were made with a generous amount of vegetable oil to achieve a decadent and moist crumb. While there isn’t as much oil in my version, it’s still crucial and should not be replaced. Even melted vegan butter shouldn’t be used as a substitute because it doesn’t provide the same amount of moisture.
The cake layers will stay moist and fresh for up to 1 week ahead of serving. Wrap them in a layer of plastic and keep them in the fridge, or in the freezer for longer.
Vegan buttercream or cream cheese frosting can also be made 2 to 3 days in advance. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge until it’s time to decorate the cake.
Want more incredible vegan cake recipes?
Vegan Hummingbird Cake
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, with juice
- 2 cups mashed overripe bananas 4-5 bananas
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped toasted pecans plus more for topping
- 1 Recipe Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare 2 8-inch round pans by lining them with a circle of parchment paper on the bottom and spray well with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk well.
- To the dry ingredients, add the oil, crushed pineapple, mashed bananas, almond milk, vanilla and pecans. Mix until just combined, but do not over mix. It's helpful to mix by hand so you don't accidentally over mix the batter and cause the cake to be dense.
- Divide the cake batter into the prepared pans and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the tops of the cakes are set.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then carefully remove them and let them cool on a cooling rack until completely cool. Please do not try to frost this cake when it's still warm at all, it will slip and break.
- Once the cakes have cooled, prepare the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting. You may also use Vegan Buttercream or the lemon frosting from my Vegan Lemon Cake, if you prefer.
- For a four layered cake like my photos, slice each cake into two layers using a large serrated knife (or simply leave as two layers).
- Add frosting between each layer, then frost the outside and top of the cake as well. Sprinkle additional chopped or halved pecans for decoration, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
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Store leftover cake in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for longer.
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May omit the nuts if needed, or use sunflower seeds instead.
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May use any plant milk instead of almond, such as soy or oat.
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I haven’t tried this cake gluten free, but a good quality gluten free mix may work pretty well. I like Better Batter brand.
Is it crucial to use overly ripe bananas? I want to make the cake today for a party tomorrow but i need to buy bananas
I would use the ripest bananas you can find for the best flavor.
What fruit can u use instead of pineapple? Hubby can’t have citrus fruits as he’s allergic
Hmm I’m not totally sure, it’s pretty crucial for a hummingbird cake. You might be able to use another fruit but the cake will be quite different. I haven’t tested anything else.
This was the first vegan cake I made since my daughter eliminated eggs from her diet. It was for her birthday, so I was nervous trying something new. But when I saw it had risen coming out of the oven, I felt encouraged. And it was delicious! You would never know it was vegan. It tasted the same as our previous non-vegan recipe.
Hi Laura. Good choice for your daughter’s birthday! Happy birthday to her! I’m thrilled the cake was a hit! Thanks for your wonderful review and fun feedback! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
A crowd pleaser! I’ve found your recipes to be both delicious and reliable. (Thank you!) And loved by vegan and non-vegan eaters alike. You are my go-to source for vegan recipes.
Hi Lindsey. Thank YOU for your encouraging and wonderful feedback! I am thrilled that you are loving my recipes, and that they are hits with those you share with! I’m thrilled you love the cake! Thank you so much for your awesome review!
Really nice but far too sweet, and that’s coming from someone that loves sweet deserts. I’m not sure if the metric conversion on the website is not accurate, but would definitely advise reducing the sugar if you’re making this recipe & taste the batter before adding any more. For me, it tastes very similar to a banana bread recipe I make without sugar, so not worth the extra sugar unless it’s for an occasion. Great texture though
Hi Nora,
This cake was made for my birthday and it was so delicious that I’m thinking about making it myself but I have a few questions:
Is this recipe specifically meant to use regular almond milk? If I were to use unsweetened almond milk would it affect the flavor too much?
Lastly, I’d like to make it in 2 loaf pans. Would you have any idea how long they would bake?
Thank you for all your yummy recipes!
Hi there! You can use sweetened or unsweetened almond milk, or oat milk, soy, any other plant milk really. I would try to use unsweetened because the cake is already plenty sweet. I’ve never made it in loaf pans, but I think it will work fine. I’m guessing around an hour in the oven, maybe a bit more or less. Thank you and enjoy!
Nora, thank you so very much for this wonderful recipe! My daughter has been Vegan for several years and i am finally learning to make things she loves! I made the Hummingbird cake exactly like the recipe and didn’t change it in any way. It was a huge hit with my husband, my daughter and me! And in all her life, i never saw her enjoy the frosting as much as the Vegan Cream Cheese frosting! Perfect together! Thank you so much!
Carol
Hi Carol. How wonderful to read the cake was a hit with your family! Thanks for your wonderful review and feedback! This cake is a favorite in our family! Wishing you lots of happy cooking as you journey through my recipes!
Wondering if you think it would be alright to sub coconut oil for canola. Would that be overpowering? I think it would add a nice flavor to go along with the banana and the pineapple.
It should be okay. Sometimes I find coconut oil makes cakes too dense for my liking. But it’s not always the case. I hope you enjoy it!
Hi! A question: The can of crushed pineapple with juice, you don’t drain it — you add the entire can in? 😊
Do not drain it; use the pineapple and juice.
I made this recipe as cupcakes, and they were a hit! So delicious! I left out the granulated sugar, and they turned out perfect. They disappeared so quickly, I didn’t even have time to put frosting on them. Thank you Nora, another great recipe!
Can I use coconut milk
Sure, just not the canned variety, it’s much too heavy and will weight down the cake.
This looks amazing Nora! I would like to make this for my birthday but I don’t want all the banana to overpower the pineapple and would like to add coconut. Do you have any suggestions?
It’s kinda hard for me to suggest changing the recipe too much without trying it myself. You can try adding less banana, but the cake might be dry. I haven’t added coconut myself, but I’m sure you could. You can certainly play around with the recipe yourself though, I hope it works out and you have a great birthday!
I made this vegan hummingbird cake for a group of non-vegans and they absolutely loved it! It was delicious.
Hi Catherine. I agree that this is a fabulous tasting cake! I’m glad it was a hit in the group you shared it with! Thank you for your wonderful feedback!
I just love 💕 your recipes!
Thanks for your encouraging feedback and review! I appreciate you!
I’ve made this recipe several times now and have never been disappointed and all my friends who taste it want the recipe.
Hi Nora, can we freeze the cake?
Yes, you can freeze this cake.
Fabulous moist cake I made vegan and gluten-free vegan cupcakes
Half the recipe makes about 12
I’m thrilled you loved the recipe! Thanks for your wonderful review and feedback!
How long would I cook it for if I just wanted to make it in one 13×9 pan instead? Thanks
Probably around 40-50 minutes. Enjoy!
Hello, Nora! Can this be made as cupcakes like your one bowl carrot cake recipe? If so how long do you suggest baking? Thank you for all your amazing recipes- they are a staple in my house.
Sure! Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or mostly clean. Thank you so much for enjoying my recipes!
Thank you so much for making this fabulous recipe! It took the guess work and trial and error out of converting my non-vegan recipe. You r recipe is PERFECT as provided… Thank you again 🙂
You are welcome, Anne! Thanks for your fabulous review and feedback!
Lovely recipe. It’s like a tropical banana bread cake. I made it with the vegan cream cheese frosting and everyone at the table loved it! (None were vegan). Thanks Nora!
You are welcome, Rebecca! That’s a great description! Thanks for your fabulous review!
Can I make this cake in a 13×9 pan? If so, how long should I bake it?
Yes, that should be fine. Bake it for around 1 hour but check it at the 50-minute mark just in case. Hope this helps!
Thank you!
I made this cake for my friend’s wedding and everyone absolutely loved it! Amazing flavours, nice and moist. And the cake also looked gorgeous. With your recipes, Nora, I’m trying to veganize the Netherlands!
Hello in the Netherlands! I am so glad the cake was hit for the wedding! Thank you so much for taking time to share your amazing review and feedback! Wishing you lots of happy cooking in the Netherlands!