Hummingbird Cupcakes and Christmas

Hummingbird Cupcakes and Christmas.  Whether you’re baking for three or more, the Hummingbird cupcakes are sure to please!  Hummingbird cupcakes are filled with tropical fruit, chopped pecans, and warm spices, then baked and topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting; will make everyone “hum” with every bite.

I made these cupcakes a few years back and decided to revive this recipe from our archives.  It’s a wonderful time of year to celebrate the holidays, so why not make it special and festive during these uncertain times.   

How the Hummingbird Cupcakes and Christmas came about…

While I was food shopping at our nearby supermarket, I came across a beautiful magazine cover (the Christmas issue) and it jumped out at me at my first glance. 

The cake on the cover looked so amazing, and it was a cake I heard about.  It’s was a traditional southern cake known as the Hummingbird cake.

At that moment, I had to have it!

The hummingbird cake made its first appearance in 1978 from a woman in North Carolina, and still today, this beloved cake happens to be the most requested cake recipe here in the South and in Southern Living magazine history. 

It always receives rave reviews.

So I was compelled to try this recipe for Hummingbird cake but instead decided to use this recipe to make cupcakes, simply because I knew it would be much easier to whip up and it makes plenty (about 24 to 26 cupcakes) to share.

 

These Hummingbird Cupcakes are truly delicious and sweet-tasting. 

They are filled with crushed pineapple, mashed bananas, chopped pecans, and a hint of our favorite warm spices, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Baked to perfection, and topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting.  Then topped with a sprinkle of crushed pecans.

So delicious!  They taste like Christmas! … and everyone will love them.  🙂

Perfect to make-ahead and refrigerate them; making them ideal for the holidays.

 

Best of all, by making these into Hummingbird cupcakes instead of a large cake, we were able to enjoy more of them and share them with our family and friends.

With 12 days ’till Christmas, make these delicious cupcakes, and treat yourself!  You’ll be glad you did.

ENJOY!! 

Also, try our Hummingbird Smoothie!

How to Make these Hummingbird Cupcakes… 

*Full recipe card below!

Ingredients Needed for Hummingbird Cupcakes:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (or GF flour)

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1 cup of sugar

• 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

• 1+1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 cup of vegetable oil

• 1 + 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 2 (8-ounces) cans crushed pineapple, undrained

• 1 cup chopped pecans

• 1 + 1/2 cups mashed bananas (I used 2 bananas)

Cream Cheese Frosting…

• 1 (8-ounces) package cream cheese, softened

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened

• 1 (16-ounces) package powdered sugar

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup crushed pecans, as a garnish

Prepare Batter for Cupcakes:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Combine the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl.  Add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened.  ( Do not beat.) Stir in vanilla, crushed pineapple, 1 cup of chopped pecans, and mashed bananas. Stir until well combined.

3.  Pour batter into 2 prepared cupcake or muffin pans with paper or grease and flour each one.  

4.  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Remove from oven and allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1.  Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.  Gradually add powdered sugar and beat at low speed until light and fluffy.  Stir in the vanilla extract.  Refrigerate frosting until ready to use.

2.  When ready to frost the cupcakes, place 1/3 of the frosting into a quart size ziplock bag.  Snip a small opening in one corner of the bottom of the bag.  Twist and squeeze the frosting over each cupcake, in swirling motions.
3.   Top with crushed pecans on each cupcake.  Cover and store in the refrigerator.  Yields: 24 cupcakes

Here’s a quick tip:

Place a few pecans in a ziplock bag. Seal the bag and use a mug to gently crush the pecans.  Open the bag and sprinkle some nuts over each cupcake.  

Can We Use Gluten-Free Flour? 

• Yes, indeed!  (thanks to Denise!)  Use your favorite gluten-free flour with this recipe.

Can We Freeze Hummingbird Cupcakes?

• Yes, you can!  But it’s best to Hold Off the frosting and freeze cupcakes in zip-lock bags or in a plastic container. 

• Be sure you press out excess air from the bags before you zip them closed, and the cupcakes have to be completely cooled.  This will avoid freezer burn.  You can store and chill the frosting for up to two weeks.

MORE Delicious Holiday TREATS and Easy Edible Gift Ideas!  (they make great teachers gifts)

• S’mores Dark Chocolate Bark

• Chocolate-Dipped Apricots

• Peppermint Bark and Dark Chocolate Almond Kisses

• Easy Homemade Holiday Gift Ideas

 Recipe adapted from Southern Christmas Special Issue 2014

… Thanks for Pinning!

Hi friends!  Are you baking with us?  If you try Hummingbird Cupcakes and Christmas, let us know and leave a comment and a star rating on our recipe card!

Have fun and snap a photo and hashtag it on Pinterest and on Instagram.  It makes us happy to see what you bake! Recipe inspired and adapted from Southern Living 2014.

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Happy Baking!  🙂

Thanks for stopping by! 

 xo Anna and Liz