Get to Know Hummingbird Cake, A Southern Classic with Jamaican Roots (2024)

FAQs

Where did the hummingbird cake originate? ›

Hummingbird cake is a banana-pineapple spice cake originating in Jamaica and a popular dessert in the southern United States since the 1970s. Ingredients include flour, sugar, salt, vegetable oil, ripe banana, pineapple, cinnamon, pecans, vanilla extract, eggs, and leavening agent.

Most food historians agree the first printed recipe for Hummingbird cake was by one Mrs L H Wiggin. She supplied the recipe to Southern Living magazine in February 1978, but even before then there are countless references to the cake in county fair reports and baking competitions across southern America.

If the cake has custard, cream, cream cheese or fresh fruit it will last 1-2 days at most. If your cake has cream cheese frosting, we don't recommend this is kept at room temperature, refrigerate for 1-2 days at most and then allow to come up to room temperature before serving.

This is essentially a banana cake, with crushed pineapple, reduced pineapple juice, chopped pecans, and warm spices that taste like the Caribbean.

The world's oldest known cake, baked during the reign of Pepi II in Egypt between BCE 2251 and 2157. Alimentarium, Vevey, Switzerland. The Egyptians gave us the world's oldest known cake–and also the world's oldest Tupperware as it happens.

The cake likely evolved from holiday plum pudding recipes British colonizers brought to the West Indies in the 18th century. Islanders modified these recipes, incorporating local ingredients and liquors.

Hummingbird Cake should be stored in an airtight container or well-covered with plastic wrap to protect it from drying out. It can be stored at room temperature (if less than 70 degrees F) for two days or will last in the refrigerator for up to one week.

The London-based bakery and cake brand has been acquired by London based family investment office Acropolis Capital, securing the ongoing operation of its venues in Notting Hill, South Kensington and Spitalfields. The brand's sites in Soho and Islington are understood to not be part of the deal.

Tarek Malouf, the company founder and Managing Director, developed The Hummingbird Bakery concept in response to what he saw as a lack of any places in London to enjoy the taste of truly authentic American-style baking.

If the butter is too cold or too warm, it will not cream properly with the oil and sugars in the batter, giving you an overly dense cake. When it comes to the frosting, if the butter and cream cheese are too cold, they won't incorporate well and will likely give you a lumpy frosting. Don't skimp on cream time.

Does hummingbird cake contain coconut? ›

It's packed full of flavor and texture with pecans, coconut, and pineapple! With 3 layers, it's a dessert made to impress!!

The hummingbird, Jamaica's national bird, was and is colloquially known as Dr. Bird, and so the cake often received the same nickname. The cake itself is the height of mid 20th century post-colonial tropical flair.

Queen Elizabeth's Favorite Cake: Chocolate Biscuit Cake - Chef Darren McGrady | The Royal Chef.

Moist vanilla cake layers filled and frosted with our delicious hummingbird icing, which we make by blending smooth cream cheese icing and buttercream with pineapple, pecans, and banana flavor. We decorate the cake with buttercream and cream cheese icing and garnish it with chocolate fudge icing and toasted pecans.

Tarek Malouf, the company founder and Managing Director, developed The Hummingbird Bakery concept in response to what he saw as a lack of any places in London to enjoy the taste of truly authentic American-style baking.

The History of Birthday Cakes. The birthday cake tradition dates way back to the ancient Egyptians, with the celebration of their gods. Their coronation day was named as their 'birth' day. The Greeks later adopted this tradition and added a cake to the celebration.

However, most associate it with Russian (Medovik), Middle Eastern or Jewish traditional food. Some say it originated as we know it today through Italy in the 12th century. Even though, there are traces of honey being used in Egypt, in a more simplified version as honey mixed with yeast or barley.