About This Recipe

What is Hummingbird bread?

Hummingbird bread is a pineapple-banana bread based based off of the Southern classic “Hummingbird Cake.” The origins of this treat are based in Jamaica, where it is known as “Dr. Bird Cake” after the scissors-tail hummingbird (locally known as “doctor bird,” the island’s national bird). In 1968, the Jamaica Tourist Board exported the recipe, along with other local Jamaican recipes, in a media press kit with the goal of gaining American interest in visiting the island.

What I love about this recipe:

This recipe for hummingbird bread has more than just a “sourdough twist.” It is quite different from most hummingbird recipes you’ll find on the internet today. Not only did I use my classic cream cheese base (which I use for most of my quick bread recipes), I also packed this recipe with pineapple tidbits (rather than the classic crushed pineapple) and reduced the amount of bananas for a more balanced flavor. It is filled with coconut flakes and crushed pecans for variety in texture and enhanced flavor. While the pineapple cream cheese glaze isn’t necessary, it is a delicious addition that tops everything off perfectly.

Why this recipe works

Overripe Bananas

Bananas can really never get too old. As bananas ripen, their starches are converted into sugars, contributing to the overall sweetness of the bread. In addition, the increased moisture content in overripe bananas helps with the overall moisture of the bread.

Amount of Bananas

One struggle that comes with hummingbird bread is balancing the banana and pineapple flavors. The banana tends to be overpowering, and the pineapple non-existent. In this recipe, I use only one, large banana, which is significantly less banana than most recipes, but is plenty of banana to achieve a clear banana flavor that is not overpowering.

Pineapple Tidbits

The problem with canned pineapple is that the flavor tends to dissipate during baking. In my testing, I found that the pineapple flavor virtually disappeared from the bread when I used crushed pineapple, but that pineapple tidbits create pockets of pineapple flavor that don’t dissipate. Instead, you get bursts of pineapple in your mouth with each bite, which I found was an extremely delightful combination, and helped to balance out the banana.

Cream Cheese

Cream cheese is a signature in all my quick bread recipes. This addition came from remnants of my childhood, an addition to banana bread that my mother swore by. When I began taking baking seriously and experimenting with my bakes, I discovered the incredible qualities cream cheese brings to quick breads like this one. It creates a smooth texture and helps to keep the batter from drying out, leading to a moist and tender end result. While some recipes use sour cream, yogurt, or extra butter, mine uses cream cheese.

Leavening

This recipe uses a balance of baking powder and baking soda to leaven the bread, rather than the sourdough discard. This means the bread will puff up beautifully in the oven, and you can bake it right away, which will lend the best texture. I have not tested a long-fermented version of this loaf, but I imagine the bananas may not sit well and that gluten may begin forming, leading to a chewier texture.

Mix-Ins

Coconut and pecans both increase the variety of textures in each bite, as well as compliment the tropical flavors of this dish well. They could be replaced, one-for-one, with another mix-in or eliminated altogether, if desired.

The Glaze

Hummingbird cake typically includes a cream cheese frosting, so I set out to make something similar, only less fancy, for this bread. What I created is an extremely delightful pineapple-based cream cheese icing, made of pineapple juice (from the can of pineapple tidbits you’re already using), cream cheese, and powdered sugar. It can be spread over the top, as I have in my photos, or drizzled on in a beautiful pattern.

Hummingbird Bread

Recipe by Caitlin VincentCourse: Breakfast, Dessert, SnackDifficulty: Beginner

Prep time

minutes

Baking Time

minutes

Yield

loaf

Ingredients

Hummingbird Bread
8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, softened
½ cup brown sugar, packed (115 g)
¼ cup butter, softened (57 g)
½ cup sourdough discard (125 g)
1 large (or 2 small), ripe, mashed banana (about 125 g)
2 whole, large eggs (50 g each)
1, 8 oz (227 g), can pineapple tidbits (reserve 2 tbsp juice for the glaze, the rest can go in the bread)
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (320 g)
1 ½ tsp baking powder (7 g)
½ tsp baking soda (3 g)
½ tsp cinnamon (3 g)
¼ tsp salt (2 g)
½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes (35 g)
½ cup chopped pecans (55 g)
Cream Cheese Glaze
1 oz (28 g) softened cream cheese
2 tbsp pineapple juice (35 g)
½ cup powdered sugar (80 g)

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350 F (175 C).
Grease a 9X5 loaf pan and set aside.
To a large bowl, add the cream cheese, brown sugar, and butter. Mix until the mixture is smooth and some air has been incorporated (about three minutes).
To the same bowl, add sourdough discard, mashed banana, and eggs. Mix, again, until smooth.
Stir in the pineapple tidbits, along with any remaining juice. Set aside.
In a smaller bowl, add all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk to combine.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir until almost completely incorporated.
Gently fold in coconut flakes and chopped pecans. Mix until everything is just incorporated.
Add all the batter to your greased loaf pan. Smooth the top out so that everything bakes evenly.
Bake in your preheated, 350 F (175 C), oven for 65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool 5-10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Glaze
In a food processor, combine the softened cream cheese, pineapple juice (from the can of pineapple tidbits), and powdered sugar. Pulse until smooth.
Spread or drizzle the glaze all over the warm loaf of hummingbird bread.
Storage
How to store: Store, covered, at room temperature for up to five days.
To reheat: No need! Enjoy from room temperature.

Notes

This is an easy recipe to freeze for later! Simply slice as desired and flash-freeze, then store in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw at room temperature, or reheat in the microwave.
Make these into muffins or mini loaves. For muffins, bake for 25-30 minutes. For mini loaves, bake for 40-50 minutes.