If you’re looking for a simple stir-together bread that has all the flavors you know and love in a classic hummingbird cake, we’ve got you covered in our best Hummingbird Bread recipe. Pineapple, bananas, and coconut come together to form a moist bread that tastes tropical by nature. With a cream cheese drizzle and topper of shredded coconut and toasted pecans, this will be a showstopper whether you’re serving it at breakfast, tea time, or for a delightfully easy dessert.
Where Does Hummingbird Bread Come From?
Fun fact! The classic Hummingbird Cake was created in Jamaica, then brought it to the United States in the seventies to promote tourism around the island. Its name comes from national bird—the scissors-tail hummingbird—and sometimes local people refer to it as “Doctor Bird Cake,” since this is their “official” nickname given to hummingbirds.
Hummingbird Bread was a reinvention of the Jamaican dessert made for the morning or afternoon tea. The tropical flavors pair great with coffee and it’s easy enough to pull together for a housewarming or “thinking of you” gift.
What Is in Hummingbird Bread?
While the bread is on the dense side, the combination of fruits and aromatic, warm spices, such as cinnamon and allspice, will balance the overall taste and texture. It’s truly easy to bake ahead, so you can always have a slice or two in the freezer for those late-night cravings.
Spices: One of our favorite things about Hummingbird Bread is that it highlights several popular Jamaican spices, including cinnamon and ground allspice, that give it just enough warmth.
Crushed Pineapple: One can (no need to chop a pineapple) is all you need to get perfect pineapple pieces that mix into the batter and impart a sweet and tart tropical flavor.
Overripe Banana: You want a brown and spotty banana that is easy to mash for this recipe. Just like Banana Bread, the Hummingbird variation requires a soft banana.
Shredded or Flaked Coconut: We used unsweetened coconut flakes since the recipe is already plenty sweet, but you can use up whatever is in your pantry if you’d like. Save some for topping at the end.
Chopped and Toasted Pecans: Give your bread a hearty flavor with toasted pecans. If your family doesn’t do nuts in desserts, this can easily be omitted. The coconut will add that little bit of crunch.
Bananas need to be brown and spotty, and the pineapple has to be crushed or pureed. You can use frozen version of both fruits, but make sure to drain the juice or liquid as much as you can to avoid unwanted moisture. If your cake is too crumbly or light in texture, it won’t hold up the layers and buttercream.
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