Pineapple Banana Hummingbird Mini Loaves
A great bread to serve at holiday brunches.
About This Recipe
Get ready for a trip to the island of Jamaica with the famous hummingbird cake! Created in the 1960’s by the Jamaican Board of Tourism, this cake has swept food lovers across the world off of their feet for decades. The origin of the hummingbird cake’s name is from the national bird of Jamaica, the Swallow Tail Hummingbird (also known as the Doctor Bird) and the recipe is a tribute to this bird and the other incredible wildlife found on the island.
With a unique and delicious combination of tropical fruits, crunchy nuts, and a sweet cream cheese glaze, we have no doubt that this cake will leave you humming with joy. But, here’s the icing on the cake: this recipe is also incredibly easy to make! By using boxed cake mix, there’s no need to measure out cups and cups of flour and sugar, and with loaf pans, you won’t have to worry about stacking layers of cake or adding the perfect amount of frosting. After mixing your ingredients together, all you have to do is add your batter to the loaf pans and pop them into the oven. Then, if you’d like, you can top your loaves with the rich cream cheese glaze to add some tanginess and zing. So, in less than an hour, you’ll have your cake – and you can eat it, too!
For this recipe, you’ll need 5 mini loaf pans. These pans are amazing for portioning – just cut the loaves into 5 equal pieces, and it’s ready to serve! They’re also the best size to take anywhere you go, whether you’re headed to a picnic, a potluck, or a party. Or, you can hand them out as a fantastic edible gift! Just wrap one up in some paper, stick on a bow, attach a handwritten note, and it’ll be a thoughtful and delicious way to show someone you care. As you’ll find out, the fun of baking these loaves is only matched by the thrill of gifting them to others.
We especially love this recipe during the holiday season, but it’s not a one-trick-pony. We’ve found it to be a welcome treat, year-round and during any time of the day. Are you planning a lazy brunch? These cakes go perfectly with a warm cup of coffee and will complement savory dishes you serve alongside it, like these open faced breakfast sandwiches. Or, as a dessert, this cake is delicious as is, and can also be served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some pineapple sorbet on top. But no matter what occasion you’re planning, this pineapple banana hummingbird mini loaf cake recipe will absolutely rise to the occasion.
Now, it’s your turn to hop into the kitchen and bring some sunshine into your home, just as the Jamaican Board of Tourism had envisioned. So, let’s preheat the oven, roll up those sleeves, and bring these hummingbird loaf cakes to life!
Ingredients
- 1 package (2 layer size) yellow cake mix
- 1 package (3.4 oz.) Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
- 4 egg(s)
- 1 can (20 oz.) DOLE® Canned Crushed Pineapple in 100% Pineapple Juice, juice drained and 1 cup reserved
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup Banana(s), mashed
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans Cream Cheese Glazed (recipe below)
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Combine cake mix, instant pudding, pineapple juice, eggs and oil in large bowl with mixer 2 minutes, or until blended. Add fruit and nuts; mix just until blended.
- Pour prepared batter into 5 foil mini loaf pans sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Garnish with Cream Cheese Glaze, and additional Chopped Pecans, if desired.Cream Cheese Glaze: Combine 2 oz. softened PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese with 1 tablespoon milk and 1/2 cup powdered sugar; drizzle over cooled loaves. Refrigerate remaining glaze.