Gluten Free Hummingbird Cake

Finding a good gluten free cake recipe that actually tastes like the real deal can be tough. This hummingbird cake is one of those recipes that delivers every single time.

It’s made with bananas, crushed pineapple, pecans, and warm cinnamon. The combination creates a cake that’s so moist and flavorful, the gluten free flour just blends right in.

The cream cheese frosting on top takes it to another level. It’s smooth, slightly tangy, and pairs perfectly with the sweet tropical flavors in the cake.

You only need two 9-inch round pans and pretty basic ingredients to make this. Nothing fancy or hard to find.

Whether you eat gluten free by choice or because you have to, this cake won’t disappoint. It’s one of my favorites to make for gatherings because it always gets compliments.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s Gluten Free and Actually Tastes Amazing – This hummingbird cake uses gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour so nobody at the table will even guess it’s gluten free because it comes out perfectly moist and tender.

Naturally Moist Thanks to Bananas and Pineapple – The combo of mashed ripe bananas and crushed pineapple keeps this cake incredibly moist without any extra effort, which is a huge win for gluten free baking where dryness can sometimes be a problem.

That Cream Cheese Frosting Though – The tangy, buttery cream cheese frosting pairs perfectly with the sweet tropical flavors of the cake, and it’s honestly the kind of frosting you’ll want to eat straight from the bowl.

Perfect for Feeding a Crowd – This two-layer cake looks impressive and serves plenty of people, making it a great choice for birthdays, potlucks, or holiday gatherings where everyone can enjoy it – gluten free or not.

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/2 cups Mashed Ripe Bananas
• 1 cup Canned Crushed Pineapple, drained
• 3/4 cup Chopped Pecans

For the Frosting

• 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 3 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/3 cup Chopped Pecans, for garnish

How to Make

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and line the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Whisk together the gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.

Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in the mashed bananas and drained crushed pineapple. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the chopped pecans.

Step 3

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 28 to 33 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks and cool completely.

Step 4

For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating on low after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat on medium-high speed for about 1 minute until light and fluffy.

Step 5

Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a thick layer of frosting on top. Place the second layer on top and frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top for garnish.

Helpful Tips

Drain the Pineapple Really Well

This is one of the biggest things that can go wrong with this cake. If your crushed pineapple still has a lot of juice in it, that extra liquid will throw off the batter and make the cake soggy and dense.

Pour the crushed pineapple into a fine mesh strainer and press it down with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much juice as possible. You want it as dry as you can get it.

Some people even pat it with a paper towel after straining. It might seem like overkill, but it really does make a difference in how the cake turns out.

Use Ripe Bananas

You want bananas that are really ripe for this cake – the kind with lots of brown spots all over the peel. They’re sweeter, softer, and way easier to mash into a smooth consistency.

If your bananas are still mostly yellow and firm, the flavor won’t be as strong and you’ll end up with lumpy chunks in the batter. That changes the texture of the cake in a bad way.

A good trick if your bananas aren’t ripe enough is to put them on a baking sheet and bake them at 300 F for about 15-20 minutes until the peels turn dark. Let them cool, then mash them up and they’ll work perfectly.

Don’t Overmix the Batter

When you add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stir just until everything comes together and you don’t see any dry streaks of flour left. That’s it – stop right there.

Gluten free baking flour can react differently than regular flour when you overwork it. You can end up with a cake that’s gummy or weirdly dense instead of soft and tender.

Same thing goes for folding in the pecans. Just a few gentle stirs to get them spread through the batter and you’re done.

You Might Also Like

• Gluten Free Almond Flour Carrot Cake
• Gluten Free Banana Bread
• Gluten Free Coconut Cream Pie Bars
• Gluten Free German Chocolate Cake
• Gluten Free Pecan Pie

Frequently Asked Questions

How ripe should the bananas be for this cake?

You want bananas that are very ripe – the ones with lots of brown spots on the skin or even fully brown. These bananas are sweeter, softer, and much easier to mash, which gives the cake that rich banana flavor hummingbird cake is known for.

If your bananas aren’t ripe enough yet, you can speed things up by placing them on a baking sheet and baking them at 300 F for about 15-20 minutes until the skins turn dark. Let them cool before mashing.