Best Hummingbird Cake Recipe for Mother's Day

[saphyroo]

Hi everyone! I've started getting deeper into baking and recently tried my hand at a lemon cake for Easter. I had already planned on making my mom a hummingbird cake for mother's day after she had mentioned she loved them while we were watching a baking show together. But OF COURSE, in true mom fashion, she ruined the surprise by asking for one.

It's slightly helpful because I did have to ask if she wanted coconut in it (she did) and now I'm curious what's the best recipe to follow that already includes it, OR how much to add to recipe that doesn't. I think I might have found a good one but would still like some recommendations. I'm also wondering if I should add any filling, like some people do with carrot cakes. Definitely using a cream cheese frosting though.

Any thoughts are appreciated here! I've never eaten a hummingbird cake so while I know it's a dense cake I'm not sure what the taste is like

- saph

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Hi everyone! I've started getting deeper into baking and recently tried my hand at a lemon cake for Easter. I had already planned on making my mom a hummingbird cake for mother's day after she had mentioned she loved them while we were watching a baking show together. But OF COURSE, in true mom fashion, she ruined the surprise by asking for one.

It's slightly helpful because I did have to ask if she wanted coconut in it (she did) and now I'm curious what's the best recipe to follow that already includes it, OR how much to add to recipe that doesn't. I think I might have found a good one but would still like some recommendations. I'm also wondering if I should add any filling, like some people do with carrot cakes. Definitely using a cream cheese frosting though.

Any thoughts are appreciated here! I've never eaten a hummingbird cake so while I know it's a dense cake I'm not sure what the taste is like

- saph

Oh that’s really sweet of you to make your mother a hummingbird cake.

The late food historian Gil Marks wrote an excellent article on the hummingbird cake for Tori Avey’s food blog. He gives the history of the cake in all its renditions. He then gives you a base recipe, with all the different variations including the coconut variation.

There’s also photographs of the some of the mixing processes so if you’re new to baking that can be helpful.

Since Tori Avey monetized her site there’s a lot of annoying advertisements. But she does have a reader’s view. Just click on the little icon on the left side of the address bar and you’ll get rid of all the advertisements.

I’ve only use Gil Marks’ recipe and I’ve only made hummingbird cake a few times in the recent past; so I I don’t have another hummingbird cake recipe to compare it against. But this is definitely a good cake. I made the coconut version because everyone I know loves coconut.

Link to Gil Mark’s hummingbird cake history and recipe.
https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/hummingbird-cake-history-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-44909

 

[saphyroo]

That's an awesome amount of options! Thanks so much, I'll totally let you know how it turned out!!

 

[Norcalbaker59]

That's an awesome amount of options! Thanks so much, I'll totally let you know how it turned out!!

You’re welcome. Yes let us us how your cake turns out.

Just an aside, I use Gold Medal flour and turn the oven temperature down to 335°F. Cake flour does not have enough protein to hold all of the add-ins for this cake. And King Arthur flour is too strong a flour for cake.

I also always use cloth baking strips around my pans because I do not like a hard dry crust on my cakes. If you do not want to purchase cloth baking strips you can make strips with wet paper cloths and aluminum foil. I’ve been using baking scrips for years and I swear by them. Not only do you get a really nice light crust on the cake, but you get a very level cake.

How to make strips