cream cheese frosting

Hummingbird Layer Cake

Hummingbird Layer Cake by Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for a traditional southern pecan, coconut, banana, and pineapple filled cake. The recipe comes from Katie Jacobs' new book So much to celebrate. A cream cheese frosting makes this stacked naked cake sweet and moist. Perfect for summer parties and celebrations. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

In my recent years of being educated into Southern culture, there are a few things I’ve learned to be true. I’ve learned that you will be called “Ma’am,” no matter how old you are. I’ve found that iced tea does not come unsweetened; chicken is best served fried. Finally, moreso than football, camouflage, or pickup trucks, Southerners are really serious about their family recipes.

Hummingbird Layer Cake by Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for a traditional southern pecan, coconut, banana, and pineapple filled cake. The recipe comes from Katie Jacobs' new book So much to celebrate. A cream cheese frosting makes this stacked naked cake sweet and moist. Perfect for summer parties and celebrations. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

During my first year of living in Selma, Alabama, I discovered a number of foods for the first time. Skillet cornbread, fried pork chops, and chocolate chess pie were all foods that I barely knew existed and had definitely had never tried. Of all the bites I tasted during those early months in the deep South, one treat that stands out head and shoulders above all others in my mind is hummingbird layer cake, a cinnamon, pecan, and coconut flavored cake kept moist with the addition of bananas, crushed pineapple, and a sweet cream cheese frosting. While the combination of those ingredients seemed kinda odd to me, I nevertheless tried the cake and immediately fell in love.

Hummingbird Layer Cake by Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for a traditional southern pecan, coconut, banana, and pineapple filled cake. The recipe comes from Katie Jacobs' new book So much to celebrate. A cream cheese frosting makes this stacked naked cake sweet and moist. Perfect for summer parties and celebrations. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

Hummingbird Cake

Northerners, I’ll be honest- you’re missing out if you’ve never tried hummingbird cake. In true Southern form, this cake is heavy, rich, and moist, but the bright fruity flavors combined with the warm scent of cinnamon keeps you coming back for more and more. It’s a comforting recipe that somehow tastes like home, and I am beyond ecstatic to share the recipe for this delightful cake with you today!

Hummingbird Layer Cake by Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for a traditional southern pecan, coconut, banana, and pineapple filled cake. The recipe comes from Katie Jacobs' new book So much to celebrate. A cream cheese frosting makes this stacked naked cake sweet and moist. Perfect for summer parties and celebrations. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

This recipe for hummingbird cake comes from a darling Southern book written by my friend Katie Jacobs. “So Much To Celebrate” is an entertaining how-to filled with recipes, party ideas, and more. Katie, a Nashville native, put her keen eye for style, color, and Southern flair to use in this book that is equally beautiful as it is inspiring. While a number of recipes caught my eye, it was the hummingbird layer cake that stole my heart.

Hummingbird Layer Cake by Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for a traditional southern pecan, coconut, banana, and pineapple filled cake. The recipe comes from Katie Jacobs' new book So much to celebrate. A cream cheese frosting makes this stacked naked cake sweet and moist. Perfect for summer parties and celebrations. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

Making the Cake

To make this hummingbird layer cake, we start by mixing the wet ingredients with the sugar until light and fluffy. Next, several mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, pecans, and coconut are added, followed by the dry ingredients and a healthy spoon of cinnamon. The cake gets baked in four separate pans until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Hummingbird Layer Cake by Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for a traditional southern pecan, coconut, banana, and pineapple filled cake. The recipe comes from Katie Jacobs' new book So much to celebrate. A cream cheese frosting makes this stacked naked cake sweet and moist. Perfect for summer parties and celebrations. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

The frosting for this hummingbird layer cake is ultra-rich but perfectly sweet. Butter and cream cheese are creamed together before powdered sugar and vanilla are whipped in. In true cream cheese frosting fashion, this icing is fairly loose, so to achieve clean edges, I refrigerated the cake throughout the icing process and tried not to fuss with it too much. As a garnish, I trimmed some fresh blooms, a sweet and feminine topping worthy of a Katie Jacobs cake. I think she would approve.

Hummingbird Layer Cake by Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for a traditional southern pecan, coconut, banana, and pineapple filled cake. The recipe comes from Katie Jacobs' new book So much to celebrate. A cream cheese frosting makes this stacked naked cake sweet and moist. Perfect for summer parties and celebrations. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

This hummingbird layer cake is out of this world, a delightful treat to enjoy all year round. If you’re looking for a gift idea for a lady in your life, check out her book at this link here! Katie represents Southern baking well, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Happy baking!

Hummingbird Layer Cake by Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for a traditional southern pecan, coconut, banana, and pineapple filled cake. The recipe comes from Katie Jacobs' new book So much to celebrate. A cream cheese frosting makes this stacked naked cake sweet and moist. Perfect for summer parties and celebrations. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

If you like this hummingbird layer cake you should check out:

Hummingbird Muffins

Almond Coconut Cake

Banana Coconut Chocolate Cream Pie

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Hummingbird Layer Cake

This hummingbird cake is a Southern specialty from Katie Jacobs’ new book. Moist layers of cake made with cinnamon, banana, and crushed pineapple are filled with pecans and coconut, and the frosting is a rich and fluffy cream cheese icing.

  • Author: Katie Jacobs
  • Prep Time: 35
  • Cook Time: 35
  • Total Time: 90
  • Yield: 12

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 large)
  • 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

For the frosting:

  • 1 pound (16 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 11/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
  • 2 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Instructions

For the cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour four 8-inch round cake pans.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat oil, vanilla, and sugar until combined, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Beat at medium speed until mixture is pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix together banana, pineapple, pecans, and coconut. Add to egg mixture; stir until well combined. Add flour mixture; blend well.
  5. Divide batter between pans. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes.
  6. Transfer pans to a wire rack. Once cooled, invert cakes onto racks; reinvert, top side up. Cool completely. While cake is cooling, make frosting.

For the frosting:

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese and vanilla until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. With mixer on medium speed, gradually add butter, beating until incorporated. Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add sugar, beating until incorporated. Use immediately to frost and layer the cake.

Notes

  • This frosting is rich and fairly loose. To help keep your cake edges clean, refrigerate the cake throughout the icing process to help it set up.

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Raspberry Streusel Cake

Raspberry Streusel Cake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog. Three layers of brown sugar vanilla cake filled with a quick and simple raspberry compote and sprinkles of cinnamon sugar streusel crumble. The naked cake is coated in a tangy cream cheese frosting. This layer cake can be prepared in parts days in advance and stays moist over time. Find this party cake recipe (perfect for holidays and Mother's Day !) on www.thewoodandspoon.com / woodandspoon.com

Today, my sweet George turns one. The little guy who gave us a fright by coming a few weeks early. The baby who greets me every morning with smiles and wildly kicking legs. My bittiest buddy turns one today and while we’ll celebrate his life this weekend with friends, balloons, and even this raspberry streusel cake, today I’m thinking about all the days it took us to get here and the opportunity of the days that are to come.

Sometimes I find myself daydreaming about what memories my kids will have of me. Maybe the smell of homemade honey oat bread when they come home from school. They might recall sprinkling chocolate chips into the bowl of the stand mixer or drizzling honey on the tops of biscuits fresh from the oven. Maybe the sound of butter sizzling, popping on the stove top, or even me cursing under my breath at a burned wrist or a scorched sauce.

Baking as an Act of Love

My hope is that my time spent in the kitchen will one day translate to my kids as an act of love. I want them to know that the time spent frosting birthday cakes and flipping pancakes and blowing on hot mugs of marshmallow-topped cocoa was an effort to celebrate their existence. To breathe life and fun into the ordinary moments we shared together.

Raspberry Streusel Cake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog. Three layers of brown sugar vanilla cake filled with a quick and simple raspberry compote and sprinkles of cinnamon sugar streusel crumble. The naked cake is coated in a tangy cream cheese frosting. This layer cake can be prepared in parts days in advance and stays moist over time. Find this party cake recipe (perfect for holidays and Mother's Day !) on www.thewoodandspoon.com / woodandspoon.com

The part that makes me smile and puffs my chest with hope is that I really think they’ll get it. I think they’ll know.

Like with anything else, time and effort takes intention. And when your intentions are to feed your family, not just physically, but also emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, there’s bound to be love found in those spaces. In the years to come, every bite of cake and lit birthday candle has the potential to serve as an homage to the affection we shared in those brief moments around the table and in the kitchen.

So if my children read this someday, please know that you are the reason for so many meals, so many plates of desserts. You make pans of cinnamon rolls and slices of homemade bread worthwhile. You make ordinary moments an opportunity for a memory, a chance to connect.

And to my darling George- you are a quiet and gentle joy that I didn’t know I needed. Your life is brimming with possibility and hope, and I pray that I get to celebrate a lifetime of birthdays by your side.

Raspberry Streusel Cake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog. Three layers of brown sugar vanilla cake filled with a quick and simple raspberry compote and sprinkles of cinnamon sugar streusel crumble. The naked cake is coated in a tangy cream cheese frosting. This layer cake can be prepared in parts days in advance and stays moist over time. Find this party cake recipe (perfect for holidays and Mother's Day !) on www.thewoodandspoon.com / woodandspoon.com

Raspberry Streusel Cake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog. Three layers of brown sugar vanilla cake filled with a quick and simple raspberry compote and sprinkles of cinnamon sugar streusel crumble. The naked cake is coated in a tangy cream cheese frosting. This layer cake can be prepared in parts days in advance and stays moist over time. Find this party cake recipe (perfect for holidays and Mother's Day !) on www.thewoodandspoon.com / woodandspoon.com

Raspberry Streusel Cake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog. Three layers of brown sugar vanilla cake filled with a quick and simple raspberry compote and sprinkles of cinnamon sugar streusel crumble. The naked cake is coated in a tangy cream cheese frosting. This layer cake can be prepared in parts days in advance and stays moist over time. Find this party cake recipe (perfect for holidays and Mother's Day !) on www.thewoodandspoon.com / woodandspoon.com

Raspberry Streusel Cake

Now that I’m officially a ball of emotions, let’s talk about this raspberry streusel cake.

This cake is so many things. So many flavors, so many textures, so many tastebuds fully satisfied. The sweetest part? You can make almost all of the cake elements in advance. I just love an impressive dessert that is a cinch to put together.

Making the Cake

To start, we make the cake layers. These are vanilla butter cakes sweetened with both brown and white sugar, with an extra egg thrown in for insurance. The cake layers are thin, which is perfect, because the star of this show is all of the fillings that go in between them. First, a sweet and tart raspberry filling that takes just a few ingredients and less than 10 minutes to throw together. In a pinch, you could substitute a high quality jam or preserve, but it’s so easy to put together that there’s hardly any reason not to.

The Streusel

Next, the streusel crumbs.  These brown sugar cinnamon crumbles are impossible to stop eating and add a delightful crunch in between all of the soft filling, frosting, and cake layers. I prefer to let my crumbs get even a little extra crunchy because they will soften slightly once they get inside the cake. The proverbial and literal icing on this raspberry streusel cake is a simple cream cheese buttercream. This frosting is sweet enough to offset the raspberries, but has just enough tang to stand on it’s own. This is the only cream cheese frosting recipe you’ll ever want to make from here on out. Scout’s honor.

The Raspberry Compote

Once all of the elements for this raspberry streusel cake are made, you can assemble the cake as desired. I pipe a dam of frosting around each layer of cake and then fill in the dam with the raspberry compote. Each layer gets a sprinkle of streusel crumbs as they are stacked together, and then the whole cake gets a healthy coating of frosting. If you need a brush up on cake baking tips prior to assembling this raspberry streusel cake, check out my favorite hints that I typed out here.

Raspberry Streusel Cake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog. Three layers of brown sugar vanilla cake filled with a quick and simple raspberry compote and sprinkles of cinnamon sugar streusel crumble. The naked cake is coated in a tangy cream cheese frosting. This layer cake can be prepared in parts days in advance and stays moist over time. Find this party cake recipe (perfect for holidays and Mother's Day !) on www.thewoodandspoon.com / woodandspoon.com

Raspberry Streusel Cake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog. Three layers of brown sugar vanilla cake filled with a quick and simple raspberry compote and sprinkles of cinnamon sugar streusel crumble. The naked cake is coated in a tangy cream cheese frosting. This layer cake can be prepared in parts days in advance and stays moist over time. Find this party cake recipe (perfect for holidays and Mother's Day !) on www.thewoodandspoon.com / woodandspoon.com

I plan to serve this raspberry streusel cake at George’s birthday party this weekend, and you can’t say you blame me! This decadent treat is a celebration cake if there’s ever been one, with each bite offering a new taste, different in flavor and texture from the last. I sincerely hope you’ll consider making this for your next celebration- you won’t be disappointed.

Happy birthday to my little George and happy Thursday to all of you. Cheers!

If you like this raspberry streusel cake, you should try:

White Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Caramel Crumble Cake

Champagne Elderflower Cupcakes

Confetti Ice Cream Cake

Berry Almond Streusel Pie

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Raspberry Streusel Cake

This raspberry streusel cake is three layers of vanilla butter cake filled with a raspberry compote and sprinkled with brown sugar streusel crumbs.

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 90
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 12

Ingredients

For the streusel crumbs

  • 1/3 cup (40 gm) flour
  • 1/3 cup (70 gm) brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup (30 gm) quick cooking oats
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons (40 gm) unsalted butter, melted

For the raspberry filling

  • 11/2 cups (150 gm) raspberries (frozen or fresh)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • ¼ cup (50 gm) sugar

For the cake

  • 21/2 cups (325 gm) cake flour
  • 21/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 11/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup (225 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (200 gm) sugar
  • ¾ cup (165 gm) packed brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 11/2 cups (360 mL) buttermilk
  • 11/2 teaspoons vanilla

For the frosting

  • 11/2 cups (285 gm) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 block/ 8 ounces (225 gm) cream cheese, room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 11/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • Appx. 5 cups/ 1-1/2 pounds (680 gm) of powdered sugar

Instructions

To prepare the streusel crumbs

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Whisk the flour, brown sugar, oats, and salt together in a medium sized bowl. Add the melted butter and fold together until the ingredients clump into dime-sized bits. Spread out on a sheet pan and bake in the preheated oven, tossing occasionally, for 10-12 minutes or until the streusel is golden brown. Allow to cool completely before using or storing. Streusel can be made ahead and stored at room temperature for a week, or in the freezer for a couple of months.

To prepare the raspberry filling

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir well to evenly coat the raspberries. As the raspberries cook, smash with the back of a fork or with a potato masher. Once the mixture is smooth, bring to a boil, stirring regularly, until the mixture has thickened slightly. Remove from heat to a small bowl and cover the top with plastic wrap. Chill completely in the refrigerator completely prior to using.

To prepare the cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the sides and line the bottoms of 3-8” round cake pans with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add each egg one at a time on low speed, mixing just until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients followed by the vanilla and about half of the buttermilk. Mix until combined and then repeat this process once more, finishing by adding the last third of the dry ingredients. Scrape the sides of the bowl and fold in any unincorporated bits of batter.
  4. Distribute the batter evenly among the three pans and bake in the preheated oven 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool completely prior to assembling cake.

To prepare the frosting

  1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed (I use 4 on my stand mixer) for 2-3 minutes until light and creamy, scraping the bowl as necessary. Add the cream cheese and beat to incorporate for an additional minute. Add the salt, vanilla, and powdered sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and continue to beat until well combined. Do not overbeat as this can cause the cream cheese to loosen. If needed, add a tablespoon of water or milk at a time to get the frosting the right consistency. Refrigerate as needed to thicken the frosting up.

To assemble the cake

  1. Use a serrated knife to level the cakes. Smooth a small amount of frosting on an 8” cake board or plate and center a single cake layer on top. Using a piping bag (see notes) fitted with a large round tip, pipe a dam around the outer rim of the top of the cake. The dam should be at least ¼” tall to prevent the raspberry filling from squirting out the sides. Spread approximately half of the raspberry filling inside the dam and sprinkle with about 1/3 of the streusel crumbs. Pipe a bit of frosting on top of the raspberry filling to help the next layer of cake stick. Stack the second cake layer on top and repeat the entire process once more. Place the final cake layer on top. Spread a thin coat of frosting (crumb coat) all over the cake and allow it to set up in the fridge prior to applying the final coat of frosting. You can skip this step if desired. Decorate the top of the cake with a few streusel crumbs and spare raspberries, if desired. Cake will keep in the refrigerator covered in plastic for up to three days.

Notes

Notes

  • If you don’t have a piping bag, you can place 1-1/2 cups of frosting in a freezer Ziploc bag. Seal the bag and snip one of the corners off the end of the bag and use that to pipe frosting.
  • You can substitute different varieties of berries here, but the amount of sugar needed in the filling will differ based on which berry you choose. Adjust according to your preference.

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Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Recipe for Cake Adapted From: Baked Occasions