It’s said that Hummingbird Cake is Southern Living’s most requested recipe of all time. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of trying this sweet treat, then I’m sure this comes as no surprise. This recipe hails from Jamaica and was once called Bird Doctor Cake, named after a hummingbird native to the island. No matter the name, this cake is incredibly moist and flavorful with tangy pineapple and sweet banana mixed into the batter. It’s often made as a layered cake, but we thought a sheet cake version would be just as incredible and save a little fuss. We’re all about simplicity around here!
The batter stays pretty true to the original recipe with an 8 ounce can of pineapple (with the juices!) and about four ripe bananas. Chopped pecans are folded into the batter and sprinkled on the frosted cake for plenty of nutty crunch in every bite. We’ve opted for the traditional cream cheese frosting which compliments the tangy cake beautifully, but you could always mix things up with a butter cream or caramel frosting.
Servings: 16
WW Points: ~5 Points per serving (may vary slightly depending on your specific WW plan and brands)
Ingredients
Cake
- 1½ cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 cup crushed pineapple in juice, well drained
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup granulated zero-calorie sweetener (such as Monk Fruit or Swerve)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup finely chopped pecans
Light Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz fat-free cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup powdered zero-calorie sweetener
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Topping
- 2 tbsp finely chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In another bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, pineapple, applesauce, eggs, vanilla, sweetener, and brown sugar.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in the chopped pecans.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 28–33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely.
- Beat together the fat-free cream cheese, Greek yogurt, powdered sweetener, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and sprinkle with the remaining pecans.
- Chill for 30 minutes before slicing into 16 pieces.