Coconut Hummingbird Cake

Father's Day this past weekend. I made James a cherry pie, his second favorite after the peach, and I sat with him on the back porch after dinner while Gloria watched the news inside and Tyler helped with the dishes. James does not always talk a lot but when he does I have learned to listen with my full attention because he chooses his words with care and nothing he says is filler.

He said this year: you turned out good, Savannah. Just that. Four words. I said: because of you and Gloria. He said: no. Because of you. He said: Gloria and I gave you somewhere to land. The rest you did yourself. I sat with that for a long time before I said anything and he did not rush me. He has never rushed me in nine years. He just waits.

I said: I know what it cost you to take me in. An older foster placement is harder than an infant. I was fourteen and I was not easy and you did it anyway. He said: it did not cost us anything. He said: you were a gift. He said it simply, like it was a fact he had been holding for a long time and had decided it was time to set down on the table between us.

I drove home with Tyler and I was quiet in the car for a long time. He did not ask why. He just drove. Sometimes that is the most loving thing a person can do: let you be quiet when you need to be quiet. He has learned that about me. I am glad he keeps learning.

I made the cherry pie that night because it was James’s favorite, but driving home in Tyler’s quiet car, I kept thinking about what I want to bake the next time I have something worth celebrating — something layered and sweet and a little extravagant, something that says you matter without me having to find the words. This Coconut Hummingbird Cake is exactly that: a Southern celebration cake, dense with banana and pineapple and finished with toasted coconut, the kind of dessert you bring to a table when the people around it have earned something generous. James set a gift down on the table between us that evening. I want to set one back.

Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 12

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large)
1 cup chopped pecans, divided
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, divided
Cream Cheese Frosting:
16 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat and prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper.
Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined.
Add wet ingredients. Stir in the beaten eggs and vegetable oil until just incorporated — do not overmix. Fold in the vanilla, crushed pineapple with its juice, and mashed bananas.
Fold in mix-ins. Gently fold in 3/4 cup of the pecans and 3/4 cup of the shredded coconut, reserving the remainder for topping.
Bake the layers. Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Bake for 28–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let layers cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Make the frosting. Beat cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed and gradually add powdered sugar, then add vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy.
Toast the coconut. Spread the reserved 1/4 cup shredded coconut in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F for 4–5 minutes, stirring once, until lightly golden. Watch it carefully — it browns fast.
Assemble and frost. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a generous layer of frosting on top. Repeat with the second layer. Add the final layer and frost the top and sides of the entire cake.
Finish and serve. Press the remaining pecans around the bottom edge of the cake and scatter the toasted coconut over the top. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing to let the frosting set.

Nutrition (per serving)

Coconut Hummingbird Cake — The Sweetness You Carry Home