Last summer, Chef Art Smith opened Homecoming Florida Kitchen and Southern Shine in Disney Springs — and it quickly became one of our new favorite dining spots at Walt Disney World. The menu is full of Southern comfort foods including Church Lady Deviled Eggs, some of the best Fried Chicken we’ve ever tasted, and just-like-mom-used-to-make Macaroni and Cheese.

The dessert menu showcases several Southern specialties but two of the items absolutely stand out! When you’re there, you MUST try the Shine Cake and the Hummingbird Cake!

Today we have the recipe for the amazing Hummingbird Cake, a southern specialty combining a moist pineapple and banana cake with luxuriously thick cream cheese frosting!

This cake is one of Chef Art’s classics – he made it for Maya Angelou’s 75th birthday – and now you can serve it up at your next family gathering (or, you know, make some and keep it all for yourself!).

Chef Art Smith’s Hummingbird Cake

Chef Art Smith’s Homecoming Florida Kitchen and Southern Shine

Cake Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups chopped ripe bananas

1 cup drained crushed pineapple

1 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs, beaten

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup (4 ounces) finely chopped pecans (optional)

Frosting Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature

1 pound confectioners’ sugar (about 4 1/2 cups, sifted)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Make sure you position racks in the center and bottom third of the oven.

2. Lightly butter two 9-inch round cake pans, sprinkle evenly with flour and tap out the excess. You can also line the bottom of each cake pan with rounds of parchment paper, then flour the pans and tap out the excess.

3. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, stir or whisk the bananas, pineapple, oil, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Do not use an electric mixer. Pour into the dry mixture and fold together with a large spatula just until smooth. Do not beat. Fold in the pecans. Spread evenly into the pans.

4. Bake 30-35 minutes until the center of cakes spring back when pressed. Transfer the cakes to wire racks and cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the racks (remove the parchment paper now if you used it). Turn cakes right side up and cool completely.

To make the icing:

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until combined. On low speed gradually mix in the sugar, then the vanilla to make a smooth icing.

To frost the cake:

Place 1 cake layer upside down on a serving platter. Spread with about 2/3 cup of the icing. Top with the second layer right side up. Spread the remaining icing over the top and sides of the cake.

The cake can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and stored, uncovered in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Serves 12

Pin this recipe for later!

Will you be whipping up Chef Art Smith’s Hummingbird Cake? Let us know in the comments.