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A slice of hummingbird cake on a plate has frosting on top and between the layers.
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Vegan Hummingbird Cake

Indulge in the rich, fluffy, and indulgent Vegan Hummingbird Cake. Simple ingredients create a moist, flavorful dessert perfect for any occasion!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Diet Vegan
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 14 slices
Calories 588kcal

Ingredients

Hummingbird Cake

  • 1 ½ cups pecans
  • cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water
  • cup brown sugar
  • cup granulated sugar
  • cup applesauce unsweetened
  • 8 oz can crushed pineapple (with liquid from the can)
  • 1 ½ cups mashed bananas (roughly 3 large ripe bananas)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (sifted, spooned, and leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice

Easy Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 cup vegan butter
  • 4 tablespoons vegan cream cheese , softened
  • cup light corn syrup
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Additional pecans for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Spray three round 9" cake pans with vegetable spray. You can also place a piece of parchment paper at the bottom of the pans and spray the sides with vegetable oil.*
  • Place pecans on a baking pan and toast for 5 minutes, being careful not to burn them. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before chopping.
    1 ½ cups pecans
  • Add the vegetable oil, water and sugars in a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine. Then add applesauce, pineapple (with liquid), mashed bananas, vinegar, and vanilla. Stir together. Set aside.
    ⅔ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup water, ⅔ cup brown sugar, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, 8 oz can crushed pineapple, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • Combine in a large mixing bowl the flour, salt, baking powder/soda, and spices. Stir to combine. Reserve 1/2 cup of the chopped pecans. Stir the remaining pecans into the flour mixture.
    3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground allspice, 1 ½ cups pecans
    The dry ingredients for this cake are in a white mixing bowl.
  • Pour the liquid mixture in with the flour mixture. Stir to combine, making sure there are no clumps of flour throughout the batter.
    A bowl of liquid cake batter mixture is being poured into a bowl with dry ingredients, such as flour.
  • Pour equal amounts of batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 27 minutes to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  • Allow the cake to cool for about 10 minutes before inverting onto baking racks. Allow the cakes to cool completely. Then use a serrated knife to shave off any domes from the top of the cakes (to make flat layers).

For the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • In the meantime, prepare the frosting by whipping vegan butter using the whip attachment for up to 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add vegan cream cheese and whip on low for about 30 seconds, to combine.
    1 cup vegan butter, 4 tablespoons vegan cream cheese
    A stand mixer mixing bowl holds creamy frosting, with some of it on the beater.
  • While beating on low speed, pour in the corn syrup a little at a time. Continue until all the corn syrup is added, then whip on high speed for about a minute.
    ⅔ cup light corn syrup
  • Add the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, beating in between each addition. Then add the vanilla and salt and beat until you get a spreadable consistency. Note: This frosting should be a perfect spreadable consistency. If it's too thick, mix in up to 3 tablespoons of plant-based creamer.
    1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅙ teaspoon salt
  • Ice the top of one of the cooled cakes. Top with a layer of frosting, spread evenly across the top. Place the second cake on top and add frosting, spreading it evenly across the top. Add the third cake. Cover the top cake and sides with remaining frosting. Garnish with reserved chopped pecans.
  • Storage: Store this moist cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Freezing Tips: Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.

Notes

Make it Healthier

To make this cake healthier, consider these tips:
  • Reduce sugar slightly.
  • Use whole wheat pastry flour or a combination of half all-purpose and half whole wheat flour.
  • Use whipped coconut cream for a lighter topping.
  • For gluten-free hummingbird cake, use gluten-free baking flour.
These will impact the flavor and texture of this cake recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 588kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 415mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 646IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg
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