kids encyclopedia robot

Hummingbird cake facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Hummingbird cake
Hummingbird Cake (vegan) 1.jpg
Alternative names Doctor Bird cake
Type Cake
Place of origin Jamaica
Main ingredients Flour, sugar, vegetable oil, Bananas, pineapples, pecans, vanilla, eggs, spices

The Hummingbird cake is a super yummy cake that comes from Jamaica. It's a sweet treat made with bananas and pineapples, and it has a lovely spice flavor. This cake became very popular in the southern United States starting in the 1970s.

To make a Hummingbird cake, you'll need ingredients like flour, sugar, vegetable oil, ripe bananas, and pineapple. It also includes spices like cinnamon, pecans, vanilla extract, and eggs. People often serve it with a delicious cream cheese frosting on top.

Where Did This Cake Come From?

This special cake was first created in Jamaica. There, it's sometimes called "Doctor bird cake." It got its name from Jamaica's national bird, the scissors-tail hummingbird. This beautiful bird is known locally as the "Doctor bird."

In 1968, the Jamaica Tourist Board wanted more people to visit their beautiful island. So, they sent out recipes, including the Hummingbird cake recipe, to the USA. This was a way to get Americans excited about Jamaican food and encourage them to travel there.

How It Became Famous in the USA

One of the first times the Hummingbird cake recipe appeared in a US magazine was in February 1978. It was in Southern Living magazine, written by L.H. Wiggins. Readers loved the recipe! Later that same year, it even won the Favorite Cake Award at the Kentucky State Fair.

The cake continued to be a huge hit. In 1990, Southern Living magazine voted it their favorite recipe. It was also noted as the most requested recipe in the magazine's entire history!

What Makes It a Southern Favorite?

The Hummingbird cake in the Southern United States usually has two or three layers. It often includes pecans (or sometimes walnuts), mashed ripe bananas, and canned crushed pineapple. A sweet cream cheese frosting is almost always spread between the layers and on top.

See Also

kids search engine
Hummingbird cake Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.