This decadent Keto Hummingbird Cake has all the trademark tropical flavors of the classic Southern favorite – and nobody will believe it’s low carb and gluten free!
If you’ve never heard of Hummingbird Cake, it’s a classic Southern layer cake flavored with spices, bananas, pineapples, and pecans – which is then slathered liberally with a rich cream cheese frosting. Made famous by Southern Living Magazine, the Hummingbird Cake is actually of Jamaican origin, and was named after their national bird – the Hummingbird, or Doctor Bird as they also call it.
The first time I had Hummingbird Cake was a couple of years ago when we were living in Belize. I’d heard of it but never tried it, and when I did I was hooked! I couldn’t believe more people didn’t know about this amazing cake – forget carrot cake and red velvet cake – why was nobody talking about Hummingbird Cake!?
I immediately knew I wanted to create a Keto Hummingbird Cake, but the method was problematic because of all the high carb fruit in the classic version. In the end I opted to go with a small amount of chopped fresh pineapple and banana extract, which worked together to achieve the right fruit flavor and texture.
The spices and pecans were easy, and to go along with the tropical vibe, I added some unsweetened flaked coconut to the batter and then garnished the outside with toasted coconut for both looks and flavor.
I used my Keto Cream Cheese Frosting for this Keto Hummingbird Cake, and it was a sublime combination. The tangy cream cheese frosting paired with the subtly spiced cake with a banana forward flavor and a bright hint of pineapple is pretty much layer cake perfection.
Oh and it’s worth mentioning the pecans and coconut again, which add a lovely texture to this Keto Hummingbird Cake, and make it truly next level.
If you’re already a fan of Hummingbird Cake, then you’re going to be really excited about this keto version! But even if you’ve never heard of or tasted the classic version before, I promise that this Keto Hummingbird Cake will be an instant favorite once you give it a try!
Oh, and please be sure to report back and let us know if it was a hit!
KETO HUMMINGBIRD CAKE RECIPE NOTES:
It’s important to use a good quality superfine grind blanched (no skins) almond flour for this recipe – if you don’t, you will have some textural problems and it won’t bake properly.
I used a combination of white and brown sweeteners to achieve the proper flavor, but if you only have white sweetener that will work in a pinch – simply replace the brown with the same amount of white granulated erythritol.
Pay attention to what size eggs you are using – the recipe calls for large eggs and if you use extra large eggs your cake may end up mushy or tough.
While this cake can be served immediately after frosting, I think the texture is greatly improved when served chilled – so if you’re making it for an event try to leave time to properly chill it for best results.
Don’t freak out about the fresh pineapple and email me about how pineapple isn’t keto – it adds less than 1 gram of net carbs per serving and is totally worth it! If that breaks your brain, you can replace the pineapple with 1 teaspoon of pineapple flavored extract, but the flavor and texture will suffer needlessly.
Because it’s so rich, a little of this Keto Hummingbird Cake goes a loooong way. For that reason I am putting this in at 16 servings per cake. If you want a bigger slice go for it, just multiply the nutrition info by 16 and then divide by the number of slices you cut to get the right macros.
Keto Hummingbird Cake – Gluten Free
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 16 servings 1x
Description
This decadent Keto Hummingbird Cake has all the trademark flavors of the classic Southern favorite- and nobody will believe it’s low carb and gluten free!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated erythritol sweetener (I used Swerve)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar sweetener (I used Lakanto)
- 6 large eggs
- 3 cups superfine blanched almond flour (I used Wellbees)
- 1 cup coconut flour
- pinch of salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons banana extract
- 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- Keto Cream Cheese Frosting (double batch)
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (to toast for garnish)
- 8 pecan halves to garnish top of cake (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease two 9-inch cake pans, and line the bottoms with parchment paper (cut round to fit) which will ensure the finished cake won’t stick to the bottom.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sweeteners together with a mixer until smooth.
- Add the eggs, almond flour, coconut flour, salt, cinnamon, allspice, baking powder, xanthan gum, vanilla extract, banana extract, and almond milk.
- Blend for 2 – 3 minutes, or until fully smooth.
- Stir in the chopped pineapple, 1/2 cup shredded coconut, and 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
- Divide the batter (which will be thick) between the two cake pans, and spread evenly with a silicone spatula.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake and cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack.
- Meanwhile, spread 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 3 – 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and set aside to garnish.
- Carefully run a knife around the rim to release the first cake, then turn out onto a cake plate or pedestal.
- Place about 1/3 of the cream cheese frosting in center of cake and carefully spread to the edges with a warm knife.
- Place second cake upside down over the frosting layer.
- Carefully frost the top and sides of cake.
- Press toasted coconut evenly into the sides of the cake with your hands, and blow or wipe any excess coconut off of the plate when finished.
- Garnish the top of the cake with pecan halves if desired.
- Can be served immediately, but I think it’s better after chilling for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Notes
Approximate net carbs per serving = 5g
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: keto dessert recipes
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: Tropical
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/16th cake
- Calories: 486
- Fat: 45g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 11g
Keywords: southern, cake, hummingbird, coconut, banana, pineapple, desserts, keto, atkins, low carb, gluten free, occasion cakes
Liz says
I made this cake today for a church luncheon tomorrow. The second layer broke when I put it in top. I think I patched it okay! I’ll know tomorrow how it tastes. It smells amazing! I wanted to post a picture, but don’t see an option to do that.
Robin says
OH! I’m making this! Yum! Thank you so much!
★★★★★
Sandi says
Hi Mellissa,
With the latest studies on sugars. Erythritol may have some health risks. Can I substitute with allulose? What would be the measurement replacement?
Thanks,
Best,
Sandi
Christin says
This recipe was so good! I made 1/2 a recipe since I live alone, and made cupcakes. I got 23 regular cupcakes. Filled them 2/3 because I didn’t know if they would rise. They didn’t rise much at all. The only change to the recipe was to sub Allulose for the sweetener. Amazing! For others who don’t want to buy a whole pineapple my store offers small containers of cut fresh pineapple.
★★★★★
Betty Barendse says
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I just made it for a potluck and people raved. It was moist with a nice crumb. I did also bake it in a 9 by 13 pan for about 50 minutes and forgot to add the coconut to the batter (an oversight on my part). I will definitely make this again.
★★★★★
Michele says
Ooooohhh, yuuuuummmm!!!
This was amazin! I made this for some friends for our Easter celebration. It was amazing! I did use a 9X13 pan and baked at 350 for 40-45 minutes. I also thought I had banana extract then turned out I didn’t. I used 2 t orange extract and instead. It was still soooo good! Thank you for sharing this recipe!! 😘
Lonnie says
This was delicious! Made them into cupcakes since my father can only eat hand held foods. Followed the recipe and they were perfect! Thanks!!
★★★★★
Karen says
Did you use aluminum or steel baking pans? Planning on making this cake this weekend!
Mellissa Sevigny says
I used nonstick cake pans – I think they were stainless underneath. You can use aluminum as well just be sure to put the parchment paper in so it releases and doesn’t stick in the middle.
Betty T Schmidt says
This cake is SO SO good!! Even my “non keto friends” loved it!!
★★★★★
Viji says
Hi,
Can I bake this cake without xanthan gum since I don’t have it handy ?
Please reply ASAP as I am planning to bake it in couple of days for my daughter birthday
Mellissa Sevigny says
The cake that was intended was the recipe that was given. It’s been tested as is by me and others with excellent results. I’m not sure what went wrong for you, and I’m sorry that your cake didn’t turn out – I wish you the best with your planned substitutions.
Dee says
I made cupcakes using this recipe. I cut the recipe in half but used 1/3 cup each of pineapple, coconut, and pecans. I used swerve and cinnamon and ginger. I baked at 350degrees for
25 minutes. I used the cream cheese frosting recipe. This made 15 good size cupcakes. They were okay but not my favorite. Probably will not make again.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Perhaps you could try the recipe as written next time for best results.
Laura T says
One of my friends made this for my birthday yesterday. She bakes me a different keto cake every year, the flavor choice being up to me. This is the absolute best one to date, and she has done this for at least 5 years. I will be enjoying this for a few more days, as it is very filling. Thank you Mellissa,for such a delicious recipe.
★★★★★
Laura T says
should have said Thursday, as my bday is the 6th.
Stephanie says
I need this cake in my life, but I can’t have a whole cake sitting on the counter staring at me! I need it in a mini size, like my favorite carrot cake recipe!! Pretty Please!!
Marie says
Me too, Stephanie. Some cakes freeze well but we’ll have to wait to see what Mellisa says about that. I can’t think what to do with all the extra pineapple. I’m guessing a whole fresh pineapple is about 4 cups, depending on how you cut and core it. Freezing it, I guess. I have that same problem every Christmas with my bundt rum cake!! I *love* cake but hardly ever have it due to my continuous (almost) weight battle. Keto is making a noticeable difference and Mellissa’s recipes are almost always at the top or near the top of my list. (When I saw the name of this website I just knew it would be right up my alley!)
Shari says
SO excited to try this! I’ll let you know how it comes out!
Michelle says
Made this today and I have to say it was AMAZING! I baked it in two different pans, a 8×11 and a 8×8 square as I did not have two round pans. I baked them at 325 for 40 minutes for smaller and 45 minutes for larger. Used the Keto icing and it was wonderful not too sweet and very creamy. This I have to say is BY FAR the best keto dessert I have made. My daughter hates keto baked goods but LOVED this! Thank you so much for your time and effort in creating this.
★★★★★
Sarah says
Very very yumm!! I made this tonight and got too lazy to make the frosting and it was delicious! Will make the frosting tomorrow but wow! It’s great !!! Made it for my boyfriend who isn’t on low carb but he loved it! He went back for seconds and totally ignored the pan of regular brownies that were also available… so I’m calling this recipe a winner! Thank you for creating this !
★★★★★
CLAUDINE CZERNY says
Melissa – I want to make this for my upcoming birthday but I have a new allergy to eggs (super bummer!!)
Has anyone had success making this cake with chia or flax eggs?
Thanks,
Claudine
Heather says
I made 1/3 of this recipe today as a trial run to see if I would like it enough for my upcoming birthday (and to serve to my non-keto family members). The verdict is YES! My family loves coconut too so I can’t wait to share this with them.
I didn’t have the banana extract or pineapple, and I was too lazy to chop any pecans, so I left those out, but otherwise I followed the recipe exactly. I can’t wait to make this again as written. I can only imagine how delicious it’s going to be with all the correct ingredients and the cream cheese frosting. Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe so I don’t have to break keto on my birthday!
PS: I tried your mug cake brownie recipe the other day and it was amazing!
★★★★★
Cynthia Mason says
This is the best Keto dessert I’ve made! I don’t usually like things that use xanthan gum because it has a specific mouth feel, but it totally works on this because of the density of the cake. I’ve posted about it a couple different places, and got a lot of feedback, so I hope it is generating some new traffic to your recipe. Before Keto, I used to make a pina colada poke cake that everyone loved… I may have to play around with this recipe and see if it can be used for that. Thank you so much for sharing!
★★★★★
Suzanne Dampier says
This cake was AMAZING! I made it for myself, as I don’t know anyone else who is following Keto right now. And that’s a good thing, as I couldn’t stay out of it! I was a super happy camper for 16 days straight. Not just for dessert, either – it makes one wonderful breakfast entree! And it actually kept well in the fridge for that entire time. THANK YOU for posting this!
★★★★★
barbara a preston says
Have made this cake multiple times now. Always a favorite of mine and others! Thank you for working out the recipe. I have sometimes added gluten rather than xanthum gum so that it is a bit less dense and has a lighter texture, but either way is delicious! Next time will also try a couple of drops of pineapple extract since I love that flavor.
★★★★★
Margo Hagen says
You said you added gluten instead of xantham gum what is the gluten flour?, or vital gluten
Tara says
Can these be made into cupcakes ?
Debbie Hall says
Hey Melissa, I also love Carrot Cake and Italian Cream Cake. Do you think this batter will work with those?
Pamela says
Salted or unsalted butter for the cake and the frosting?
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
I used salted but unsalted will also work just fine. There is so much flavor you won’t see a noticeable difference.
Mary M says
Can this be baked in an 9×11 pan? Looks yummy!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Maybe a 9 x 13 pan would hold all the batter?
Ileene says
So I made this cake because I love hummingbird cake. Followed the instructions exactly and it came out soft and somewhat doughy. I baked way longer then what you suggested and still didn’t appear to be done all the way.
Melisha says
Did everything exactly as you’ve written. The cake wasnt cooked / was doughy after more than 55 minutes.
After cooking it for ages after it broke it half it still never cooked and was wet inside. Gave up on it and binned half. Lets see with the other half. May have to throw that away as well. It is quite an expensive recipe so bummer.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Possibly a problem with your oven, or you used Extra large eggs which would have had more liquid, or you didn’t use a good quality superfine blanched almond flour.
Charlene Lundquist says
This cake sounds amazing and I’m dying to try it but I have one question…is the xantham gum really necessary? I’ve used it in a few different recipes and it’s completely ruined it for me. I just can’t get past the slimy mouth feel it produces. Would it work if I omitted that one ingredient? Thank you for the amazing recipe, I’m looking forward to trying it.
Mellissa Sevigny says
There is no mouthfeel in baked goods unlike when you use it as a thickener. You can omit it but the cake will be a little more crumbly – but still good!
Jan Jensen says
Made this cake for Easter with a double batch of cream cheese icing as suggested. It was absolutely delicious and made a gorgeous cake!
I made the cake batter and refrigerated overnight in the pans before frosting the next day. I then let this sit in the fridge overnight until serving the next day. It cut like slices cleanly, was magnificent to look at and tasted every bit as good. Thanks for this recipe.
★★★★★
Joel says
Do you mean you baked the cakes and then refrigerated them overnight?
Suzanne says
These look delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Alyssa says
I made this cake for a coworker’s son, never heard of hummingbird cake but OMG it was amazing!! I can only imagine how good a regular non keto version would be. You mentioned high quality almond flour to prevent texture problems…my only problem was the cake was crumbly. Still moist and delicious, just curious if the flour might have been to blame?? I’ve baked with almond flour before and never had this issue it this was my first time baking with the sweetners. Regardless love the recipe and will def be making again!!!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Happy it was a hit! If it was a little crumbly then I’m guessing your almond flour wasn’t as fine as it could be – any larger pieces will change the texture of the cake – so it has to be almost powdered.
Caroline says
Would adding a banana or two/extra pineapple add moistness to the cake if you aren’t too worried about adding extra carbs? Great recipe!
★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
The cake is already moist so I’d be worried about it going too far with a lot of fruit added. But if you try it let us know!
Gale Dacalio says
This is hands down the best keto cake ever! No one would know it’s keto if you didn’t tell them. I did make mine in 9 x 13 pan cuz my oven is so uneven the round ones come out lopsided LOL. It is also so convienant. I just coked it 5 minutes more and checked for doneness. with a tooth pick. Maybe 3 x. I also added a little sweeter and coconut oil to the coconut topping. (Hey I’m from the south we like it sweeet!) Thanks for this great recioe!
★★★★★
Rebecca says
I made this yesterday for my wedding cake. I doubled the recipe and made 6” and 4” cakes so I could stack them and make a small tiered cake. Had a little leftover so made 2 tiny loaves to taste…phenomenal! I can’t wait to decorate it and have it at the wedding. Thanks so much for all the time and effort you put into every recipe! I adore your site and frequent it.
★★★★★
Res says
Really enjoy your recipes, Melissa, and this was great. I made substitutions based on what I had on hand (canned pineapple -drained, sliced almonds instead of pecans, milk instead of almond milk, regular almond flour instead of fine).
★★★★★
Tina says
I am so excited to try this as it is my favorite cake ever! Just wondering if I could make cupcakes instead. I’m the only one in my house plus easier for portion control. Thank you!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Absolutely! Just bake them 18 – 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly dry from the center!
Barbara says
Fabulous! Came back from vacation to New Orleans dreaming of hummingbird cake. THANK YOU for a keto version. Came out great! Nonketo friends loved it and my gluten-free visitor was so happy she could eat cake! Followed recipe but substituted monk fruit for cake sweetener and liquid sucralose (could have used liquid or powdered monk fruit) in frosting. Chilled before frosting and serving. Delicious.
★★★★★
Karin says
I can’t wait to try this! Thanks for sharing your awesome recipes with the world! Banana extract, here I come!
★★★★
Jacqi Lovell says
Just wondering if you could use pineapple extract instead of fresh pineapple to conserve carbs as I would definitely eat more than 1/16 th of this wonderful cake-LOL! But concerned that would affect moisture needed.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Just curious, was it the aftertaste of the sweetener that you didn’t like? Some people get a cooling effect from it, which is why I’m asking – or was it the banana flavor? Sorry you didn’t enjoy it!
Jacque says
This was fabulous! Thanks for another home-run recipe! I always bake/cook your recipes with confidence!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much! Glad it was a hit!!!
Sara says
I can’t find banana extract! Can you suggest any substitutes or would it work without it??
Mellissa Sevigny says
The banana extract is crucial for this cake to have the classic hummingbird banana flavor. BUT, if you can’t get it the cake would still be tasty with a 50/50 mix of coconut extract and rum extract – which would go with the other flavors and still give you a tropical vibe.
Kaye says
Can you use one fresh banana instead of the banana extract?
Mellissa Sevigny says
You can but it will increase the carbohydrate count.
Jo Ellen Washburn says
I made this, and it is wonderful! This is the first keto dessert I’ve made that is actually good. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. So yummy.
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
That’s so exciting Jo, and I’m honored to have finally provided you a tasty keto dessert! ?? Thanks for taking the time to let me know!!!
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! Do you use this cake base for any other recipes?
Suzanne says
This looks so good! What a great healthy dessert to make for guests!
Robin says
Love so much of your stuff! We keep really strict keto for my sweetheart’s diabetes, but I love indulging now and then and this cake looks like one of those now and then yummies! So do you think a small can of crushed pineapple in juice, drained, would work? Not sure what I’d do with a whole pineapple! :-)
Mellissa Sevigny says
It could work but won’t be as fresh tasting, be sure to drain the juice first and that whatever brand you buy doesn’t have any added sugar!
Gabrielle Yoder says
I bought a bag of frozen pineapple so I could scoop out what I need without the extra sugar of canned pineapple. I just zapped it for a few seconds to soften up and chopped it extra tiny. Worked a treat and barely had any net carbs to add to the cake. Lovely.
Julie says
Could you use canned crushed pineapple?
Barbara greenwaldt says
Could I use half of a ripe banana in it? I hate the banana extract. I know it would be more carbs but it seems like it would have better flavor. I haven’t been cooking low carb for long and I have a lot of trouble with baked goods. They always come out to dry and never rise much.
Deborah says
WOW! What a showstopper this cake is…..GORGEOUS. If it tastes half as good as it looks it will blow away my family. I’m feeling pretty confident it will as I have never not loved any of your cakes….always fabulous taste and so so pretty as well. BTW….great choice of cake stand. Really does the cake justice. Thanks Melissa for another terrific dessert.
★★★★★
Michelle says
Looks yummy! Have you tried with other sweeteners? I am using allulose at the moment but haven’t baked with it.
Thanks ~
Shannon says
This sounds so good! I love Hummingbird Cake. Question, do you think it could be baked in a Bundt Pan? If so same temp? How long? Thank you for fabulous recipes!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Theoretically yes, you could make this as a bundt cake – might have to bake a little longer, (start with 50 minutes) and I wouldn’t lower the temp at all. Let us know how it turns out if you try it!
Stella says
I made this today and it is so delicious!!! I used half the recipe as cupcakes and the other half as a 2 tier mini springform cake, to serve with keto friendly vanilla ice cream, for my birthday! I’m so curious to know if the rest of my family notices it’s keto friendly! This recipe is a new favorite, for sure. Thanks for sharing it!!
★★★★★