Hummingbird Bread with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
This Hummingbird Bread is a delightful twist on the classic Southern cake, featuring a moist loaf enriched with mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, shredded coconut, and chopped pecans. Topped with a luscious cinnamon cream cheese frosting, this bread is perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert. Its tropical flavors and warm spices create a comforting treat that everyone will love.
Ingredients
For the Hummingbird Bread:
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas about 2 large bananas
- 1 cup crushed pineapple drained
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- ¾ cup chopped pecans toasted
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, softened butter, and vegetable oil until well combined. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fold in Fruits and Nuts: Gently fold in the mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, shredded coconut, and chopped pecans until evenly distributed.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Frosting: While the bread is cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar while mixing on low speed until combined. Stir in vanilla extract and cinnamon.
- Frost and Serve: Once the bread is completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting generously over the top. Garnish with additional chopped pecans or shredded coconut if desired.
- Enjoy: Slice and serve your delicious Hummingbird Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting as a delightful snack or dessert!
Notes
-
Drain the Pineapple Thoroughly
Excess moisture from the crushed pineapple can make the bread overly dense or soggy. Use a fine mesh strainer to press out any liquid before adding it to the batter. -
Use Overripe Bananas
For the best flavour and natural sweetness, choose bananas with plenty of brown spots. They’ll mash easily and blend seamlessly into the batter. -
Toast the Pecans
Lightly toasting the pecans before adding them to the batter enhances their nutty flavour and adds a delightful crunch to the bread. -
Do Not Overmix
Once the dry ingredients are combined with the wet, stir only until just incorporated. Overmixing can lead to a dense loaf instead of a tender crumb. -
Cool Completely Before Frosting
Make sure the bread is fully cooled before spreading on the cream cheese frosting. If it’s still warm, the frosting will melt and slide off the loaf.