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Hummingbird Cake Cupcakes

Hummingbird Cake Cupcakes have all of the classic flavors of bananas, pineapple, and warm spices just like the traditional hummingbird cake.

These cupcakes are topped with a delicious pineapple cream cheese frosting and are garnished with toasted coconut and toasted pecans.

Hummingbird Cake cupcakes in green wrappers and topped with a cream cheese frosting with toasted pecans and coconut.

Classic Hummingbird Cake

This deliciously moist cake recipe gets a lot of its flavor from the ripened bananas, the crushed pineapples, and the warm flavors of cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla. Hummingbird cake is a classic southern dessert that is a family favorite.

This hummingbird cake cupcakes can be turned into a hummingbird cake by dividing the batter between two 9-inch rounds and baking the batter for 25-30 minutes.

The frosting for these cupcakes are made with pineapple juices and the frosting makes enough for a two layer hummingbird cake!

Top view of hummingbird cake cupcakes with bowls filled with toasted pecans and toasted coconut.

How to Toast Pecans

Toasting your pecans and coconut for this recipe releases a lot of flavor into the cupcakes. Toasting coconut and pecans is easy to do and you can quickly do it on your stovetop.

To toast pecans on the stovetop, add 1 tablespoon of butter to a skillet and heat the skillet over medium heat.

Once the butter begins to melt, add the chopped pecans to the skillet and stir well to mix the pecans into the butter. Stirring frequently, allow the pecans to heat in the skillet.

Once you smell a nutty aroma, remove the pecans from the heat and transfer them to a heat-safe bowl to prevent them from burning in the skillet.

How to Toast Coconut

To toast coconut, it is a very similar process. Place a skillet over medium heat and add the coconut in the skillet. Stir frequently so that the coconut toasts evenly.

Once the coconut begins to brown, stir to toast evenly, and remove from the heat and transfer the toasted coconut to a heat-safe bowl to prevent the toasted coconut from burning in the skillet.

One hummingbird cake cupcake in a green cupcake wrapper topped with toasted pecans and coconut.

Hummingbird Cake Cupcakes Ingredients

Ingredients in these cupcakes are similar to those in a carrot cake. The ingredients produce a moist and fluffy cake packed with delicious flavors.

  • Bananas - overripe is best and produces the best flavor.
  • Butter - unsalted and softened
  • Granulated sugar
  • Eggs - room temperature helps the ingredients mend together better
  • Crushed pineapple - in a can, juices reserved
  • Salt, baking soda, and baking powder
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Allspice
  • Vanilla extract
  • All-purpose flour - spooned & leveled
  • Pecans - chopped into small bits and toasted
  • Coconut - sweetened and toasted
A hummingbird cake cupcake with a bite taken out of it on a white plate.

How to Make Hummingbird Cake Cupcakes

This recipe yields 24 cupcakes so you will need 24 cupcake liners.

Preheat the oven and prepare the pans- The first step to making these cupcakes is to preheat the oven and prepare the muffin pans.

Start with room temperature ingredients- Starting with room temperature ingredients is important and will ensure the cake batter isn't over beaten and it helps the ingredients come together easier.

Cream the wet ingredients- First, the softened butter is creamed together with the granulated sugar. Once the ingredients are creamed together add in the mashed bananas, vanilla extract, and eggs.

At this time, the cinnamon and allspice are sprinkled into the batter.

Next, the crushed pineapple is added but the pineapple is drained and the juices are reserved to use with the cream cheese frosting.

Combine the dry ingredients- In a separate bowl, the all-purpose flour is spooned & leveled, and mixed together with the salt, baking soda, and baking powder.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet- Slowly beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until everything is combined.

Bake the hummingbird cupcakes- The hummingbird cake cupcakes batter is then distributed evenly between 24 muffin liners and they're baked in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

When a toothpick is entered into the center of a cupcake and it is clean, the cupcakes can be removed from the oven.

If the toothpick is moist or has crumbs, bake for a couple more minutes at a time.

Allow the hummingbird cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

RELATED: Butter Pecan Cake

Hummingbird cupcakes topped with pineapple cream cheese frosting and garnished with pecans and coconut.

How to Make Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

These hummingbird cupcakes are iced with a pineapple cream cheese frosting. The juices leftover from the crushed pineapple is beat into the cream cheese frosting to create a flavorful delicious frosting for these hummingbird cake cupcakes.

Beat the butter and cream cheese together- Room temperature unsalted butter is beaten together with softened cream cheese until it is smooth.

Beat in the other ingredients- the salt and confectioner's sugar is beat into the mixture a little at a time.

If the frosting is too thick to pipe or frost the cake or cupcakes with, add milk 1-2 tablespoons at a time to create a smooth and pipeable frosting.

A piping bag and piping tip make frosting cupcakes quick and easy.

RELATED: Cake Mix Blueberry Muffins

📖 Recipe

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Hummingbird Cake Cupcakes

Hummingbird Cake cupcakes in green wrappers and topped with a cream cheese frosting with toasted pecans and coconut.

Hummingbird Cake Cupcakes have all of the classic flavors of bananas, pineapple, and warm spices just the the traditional hummingbird cake.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 23 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups bananas, ripened and mashed
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 OZ crushed pineapple, juices reserved
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled

Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 8 OZ cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup pineapple juice, reserved from crushed pineapples
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2-4 tablespoon milk, use as needed
  • ½ cup toasted pecans
  • ½ cup toasted coconut
  • 3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°
  2. Line muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners.
  3. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and the granulated sugar.
  4. Beat the mashed bananas, vanilla extract, and the eggs into the mixture.
  5. Sprinkle in the cinnamon and allspice.
  6. Beat in the drained crushed pineapple.
  7. In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda, and baking powder.
  8. Slowly beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.
  9. Evenly scoop the batter between 24 cupcake liners, about ¾ of the way full.
  10. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
  11. Check the center of the cupcakes with a toothpick, it if comes out clean the cupcakes are done. If not, bake for a couple more minutes at a time.
  12. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely before frosting.


Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. Beat together the softened butter and the softened cream cheese.
  2. Beat in the salt and the reserved pineapple juice.
  3. Beat in the powdered sugar a little at a time.
  4. If needed, beat in 1-2 tablespoons of milk into the frosting to make it easy to spread or pipe.
  5. Top with with toasted coconut and the toasted pecans.

Notes

To these cupcakes into a cake, grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.

Prepare the batter is directed and evenly distribute the batter between the two pans.

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Check with a toothpick for doneness and remove the cakes from the oven to cool completely before frosting.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 374Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 273mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 1gSugar: 37gProtein: 4g

Nutrition calculation is a rough estimate and can vary depending on the cooking technique and the exact ingredients used. For informational purposes only.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Facebook

Sylvia

Friday 15th of April 2022

I have a Question: 6 Cups Powdered sugar for the frosting?

Dana

Monday 18th of April 2022

3 cups! For some reason, the recipe duplicated the powdered sugar ingredient.

sara

Sunday 10th of April 2022

My mom used to make hummingbird cake. So good! I love the idea of cupcakes so you can share with friends!

Freya

Friday 8th of April 2022

I love Hummingbirx muffins, so fruity and full of flavour and great texture

Liz

Wednesday 6th of April 2022

I love these cupcakes! However, I have never made them myself. Your recipe sounds so easy, so I think I will finally give them a try!

Melissa K

Monday 28th of March 2022

You left the confectioners sugar out of your frosting recipe. The cupcakes are delicious, though!

Dana

Wednesday 30th of March 2022

So glad you like the cupcakes! I added in the powdered sugar- thanks for the catch!!

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