Hummingbird cupcakes pack all the delicious flavors of the Southern classic, hummingbird cake, into a convenient handheld package. Flavored with banana, pineapple, pecans, and warm spices, these cupcakes are super moist and make the perfect Easter dessert.
Hummingbird cake is an iconic Southern dessert that folks adore making during the springtime. I love to make hummingbird cupcakes for smaller gatherings when I don't need a huge layered cake.
These hummingbird cupcakes taste similar to banana nut bread, but with a bit of tropical flair from crushed pineapple. Finished with a sweet and tangy cream cheese and sour cream frosting, these cupcakes are bursting with flavors that complement each other beautifully.
For more Southern desserts, check out our Old Fashioned Banana Pudding and Southern Pecan Pie recipes next.
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What Is Hummingbird Cake?
Hummingbird cake is a classic southern cake made with mashed banana, pineapple, chopped pecans, and oftentimes shredded coconut. Hummingbird cake is typically frosted with cream cheese icing and topped with more pecans.
While most often made as a two or three-layer cake, hummingbird cake can also be made as a sheet cake, bundt cake, loaf cake, or into cupcakes.
Ingredients You Need To Make This Recipe
Measurements and full recipe instructions are included in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
Hummingbird Cupcakes
- All-purpose flour. For soft, fluffy cupcakes. Use good-quality flour for the best texture and be sure to measure it properly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife.
- Baking soda. To help the cupcakes rise.
- Salt. To enhance the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. These warm spices complement the flavors of the other ingredients beautifully.
- Bananas. For moisture and delicious flavor.
- Crushed pineapple. Paired with the banana, it gives hummingbird cupcakes a tropical flair!
- Unsalted butter. For added flavor and a moist, fluffy texture.
- Granulated sugar. For sweetness.
- Brown sugar. For sweetness and added moisture.
- Eggs. To bind the ingredients and keep the cupcakes from falling apart.
- Vanilla extract. For flavor and depth. Use good quality vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Chopped pecans. For sweet, buttery flavor and crunch.
Cream Cheese and Sour Cream Frosting
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Chopped toasted pecans. For topping the frosted cupcakes.
How To Make This Recipe
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and set it aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and set aside.
- In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed banana and crushed pineapple and set it aside.
- Place the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream the butter and sugars together on medium-high (a setting of 7-8 on a stand mixer) for 5 to 7 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl at least twice to make sure everything gets mixed evenly.
- Add the eggs to the bowl with the butter and sugar, one at a time, beating on medium after each addition until completely mixed in. Beat in the vanilla extract on medium.
- Alternate beating in the flour and banana mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Add the flour in three batches, and the banana mixture in two batches, beating on medium until completely mixed in or no more dry flour is visible. Start on low speed when adding the flour then gradually increase the speed. Beat in the pecans on low.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup about ¾ full. Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 17 to 19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting them.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting by beating the cream, cheese, sour cream, and butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric handheld mixer for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract followed by the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until the frosting is thick and smooth.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, pipe frosting onto the tops using a frosting bag and a round or star tip and finish them with toasted chopped pecans, pressing some into the frosting. Enjoy!
Variations and Substitutions
The batter for these hummingbird cupcakes can be turned into a number of variations. Feel free to turn these cupcakes into some other fun treats like:
- Hummingbird pancakes
- Loaf cake
- Whoopie pies
- Bundt cake (double the recipe)
- Sheet cake
- Layer cake (double the recipe for three 8-inch layers)
More FAQs
Although hummingbird cake has Carribean origins, it became wildly popular in the Southern US when it appeared in Southern Living Magazine in 1978. Since then it has become a staple in southern baking.
If your hummingbird cupcakes are dry, you may have added too much flour to the batter or you may have overbaked them. Be sure to measure your flour properly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife. Be careful not to overbake your cupcakes and take them out of the oven as soon as the centers are set or a toothpick comes out clean.
Since these hummingbird cupcakes are topped with cream cheese and sour cream frosting, they do need to be stored in the refrigerator. Hummingbird cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Absolutely! This recipe can be made into a 9 x 5-inch loaf cake or doubled to make a three-layer 8-inch cake or bundt cake. Be sure to adjust cooking times accordingly.
Tips For The Best Hummingbird Cupcakes
- Measure your flour properly! Adding too much flour can cause your cupcakes to turn out dense and dry. Measure your flour by spooning it into a measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife.
- Use room-temperature dairy and eggs! If your dairy or eggs are too cold they will not properly mix with the other ingredients, ruining the texture of your cupcakes.
- Use ripe bananas! You want to use ripe bananas that are yellow with some brown spots. Bananas that are underripe are too firm and less sweet, not resulting in the best flavor and texture for your cupcakes.
- Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting them! I know it's tempting to slap frosting on warm cupcakes and dig in but even a small amount of heat in the cupcakes can cause the frosting to slide right off.
Recommended Tools for This Recipe
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📖 Recipe
Hummingbird Cupcakes
Ingredients
Hummingbird Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 medium ripe bananas mashed
- ⅓ cup crushed pineapple with juice
- ½ cup butter unsalted, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar light or dark, packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Cream Cheese and Sour Cream Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup sour cream room temperature
- ¼ cup butter unsalted, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans toasted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and set it aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and set aside.
- In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed banana and crushed pineapple and set it aside.
- Place the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream the butter and sugars together on medium-high (a setting of 7-8 on a stand mixer) for 5 to 7 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl at least twice to make sure everything gets mixed evenly.
- Add the eggs to the bowl with the butter and sugar, one at a time, beating on medium after each addition until completely mixed in. Beat in the vanilla extract on medium.
- Alternate beating in the flour and banana mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Add the flour in three batches, and the banana mixture in two batches, beating on medium until completely mixed in or no more dry flour is visible. Start on low speed when adding the flour then gradually increase the speed. Beat in the pecans on low.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup about ¾ full. Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 17 to 19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting them.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting by beating the cream, cheese, sour cream, and butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric handheld mixer for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract followed by the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until the frosting is thick and smooth.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, pipe frosting onto the tops and finish them with toasted chopped pecans, pressing some into the frosting. Enjoy!
Notes
- Measure your flour properly! Adding too much flour can cause your cupcakes to turn out dense and dry. Measure your flour by spooning it into a measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife.
- Use room-temperature dairy and eggs! If your dairy or eggs are too cold they will not properly mix with the other ingredients, ruining the texture of your cupcakes.
- Use ripe bananas! You want to use ripe bananas that are yellow with some brown spots. Bananas that are underripe are too firm and less sweet, not resulting in the best flavor and texture for your cupcakes.
- Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting them! I know it's tempting to slap frosting on warm cupcakes and dig in but even a small amount of heat in the cupcakes can cause the frosting to slide right off.
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