How to Make Delicious Hummingbird Mini-Cakes

If you have grown up in the South, then you may be familiar with Hummingbird Cake. If you have never had a piece of Hummingbird Cake, then you have missed one of the best American cakes ever. So you can enjoy this cake, I’m here to show you how to make this Southern favorite in a smaller version – delicious Hummingbird Mini-Cakes.

Southerners are known for their cakes. It’s a family tradition. We like to have a variety of cakes in our recipe boxes – yes, those still exist – for parties and special events.

I’m one of those cooks/bakers who likes to shake things up a bit when it comes to recipes. Just because a recipe says cake doesn’t mean it can’t become a cupcake or a mini-cake.

Depending on the type of event you are hosting – a buffet or cocktail party, brunch or lunch – rather than a sit-down meal, a small bite of a delicious sweet may be a better option than a big slice of cake.

I’m a fan of any dessert with “mini” at the front of the name. With a few adjustments, you can transform a big cake to mini-cakes.

Follow along as I share this scrumptious hummingbird cake that became a hummingbird mini-cake.

The History of a Classic

Since 1978 when a reader first contributed the recipe, it has been the number one requested cake recipe at Southern Living magazine. My first mother-in-law, who was a fantastic cook and homemaker, introduced me to this iconic cake.

I made it often for many years, but then as sometimes happens, sort of forgot about it. If you would like to read more about the history of Hummingbird Cake and its evolution, check out this article.

source: Southern Living

Years ago for a cooking class, whose theme was traditional Southern recipes, I knew I wanted to make a Hummingbird Cake, but with a little twist. Rather than a traditional 3 -layer cake (and because I love anything with “mini” in front of it), I wanted to try a smaller, individual portion, so the delicious Hummingbird Mini-Cakes were born.

This post contains affiliate links to products used to create this project. If you should order any item from this site, I may receive compensation, but you do not pay a penny more. Your purchase is greatly appreciated as it helps support the continued publication of this site.

Hummingbird Mini-Cakes: What Makes Them Special

What makes Hummingbird Cake so moist are three of its ingredients:

• vegetable oil instead of butter
• crushed pineapples and juice
• mashed bananas

Add chopped toasted pecans and you have a moist, but slightly dense cake with a little crunch. The cream cheese frosting adds more flavor and creaminess to the cake.

Ironically, after I read about the Hummingbird Cake in my issue of Southern Living and decided to make it again, I was cleaning out files in my office and found a recipe for Hummingbird mini-cakes, using half the original recipe.

This recipe yielded 48 mini-cakes. I didn’t want 48 mini-minis, but 12 larger minis would be just right. And as it turns out, this recipe makes exactly 12 cakes baked in a standard muffin tin.

To make them look like mini-cakes, I lined the tin with cupcake liners but then peeled the liners off after baking. I didn’t want cupcakes, just small cakes.

They were as delicious as I remembered. I also remembered that my mother-in-law made her cake in a rectangular baking pan and spread the icing on top without any decorative swirls. If you want to make the original 3-layer cake or a 1-layer rectangle cake, just double the ingredients.

Preparing the Hummingbird Mini-Cakes

As usual, start with your mise en place.

Here are some important items to take note of.

NOTE 1: DO NOT drain the crushed pineapple. That extra juice contributes to the moistness of the cake.

NOTE 2: Your banana should be ripe, but not to the point of turning brown. You should be able to easily mash it with a fork.

NOTE 3: Toast your pecans in a small skillet over low heat. DO NOT add any oil. Watch closely so they don’t burn. When you start to smell the aroma of the nuts, remove them from the pan to a small bowl until ready to add them to the batter.

NOTE 4: For the Cream Cheese Frosting, be sure your butter and cream cheese are at room temperature for easy blending.

TIP: If you are baking the cake early in the day, you can take the butter and cream cheese out of the refrigerator before bedtime. It won’t hurt if they sit out overnight.

I highly recommend this cinnamon from King Arthur for its superior flavor.

Making the Hummingbird Cake Batter

The Hummingbird Mini-Cakes do not require an electric mixer.

First, whisk your dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Then add the eggs and the oil.

NOTE: Because I’m baking half the recipe, it needs 1 1/2 large eggs. To do that, break one egg into a small glass bowl and whisk it to blend. Remove 1/2 of the egg mixture and discard. Then break another egg into the 1/2 remaining egg. (I borrowed this image from another recipe.)

Add the eggs and oil to the dry ingredients and stir until the batter until thoroughly combined and smooth.

Then stir in the vanilla, pineapple, bananas, and chopped toasted pecans.

Filling the Cupcake Liners

Be sure to fill the cupcake liners only 2/3 full. You might have a little bit of batter left over, but don’t be tempted to overfill your liners.

TIP: I like to use an ice cream scoop to fill the muffin tins. You’ll get a more accurate amount in each cup.

Bake for about 14 minutes – after several batches at 10, 12, 14, and 16 minutes, I found that 12 -14 minutes was the sweet spot. Every oven is different, so check starting at 12 minutes.

TIP: Use a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cakes to test doneness. It’s O.K. if there are a few “crumbs” on the skewer.

After cooling on a rack, remove the mini-cakes from the muffin tin and allow to cool completely on the rack, about 30 miutes.

At that point, I peeled off the liners.

Making the Frosting

This is a traditional cream cheese frosting. The cream cheese and butter should be softened. Set them out on the counter at least 1 – 2 hours before making the frosting. The precise time will depend on the temperature of your kitchen. You can speed up the process a bit by slicing the butter into pieces.

TIP: Resist the urge to soften the butter in the microwave. The texture of the butter will change.

NOTE: The butter should be barely soft to the touch. Press your finger in to see if it makes an indention.

TIP: I also recommend sifting your powdered sugar before using it. That way you can ensure that you won’t have any lumps.

Beat the cream cheese and butter slices in your electric mixer until smooth. Then add the sifted powdered sugar.

Decorating the Mini-Cakes

No cake is complete without a little decorating and garnish.

First, either spread the frosting on with a spatula or place it in a piping bag. I prefer to use a star tip to decorate the mini-cakes.

TIP: Place the piping bag in a tall glass before filling it with frosting. Place any leftovers in the fridge for other uses. It will harden, so take it out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you want to use it. It will last for several days.

Garnish the mini-cakes with a pecan half or a few mint leaves. This mint came from our herb garden.

I love the size of these delicious Hummingbird Mini-Cakes. Just enough – 4 bites – to savor the natural sweetness of the pineapple, the creaminess of the banana, and the crunchiness of the pecans. It’s a win-win in cake heaven.

What equipment do you need? Check out this list of baking supplies.

I hope you’ll PIN this awesome Hummingbird Mini-Cakes Recipe to your favorite Pinterest Boards. For more yummy sweets, check out these Pinterest Boards: Easter and Spring Desserts and Delicious Dessert Recipes.

Enjoy and share this dessert with friends.