A light and summery cake with a cream cheese topping. Just put the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another, then stir them all together and bake. You could say it tastes a bit like a carrot cake with a tropical twist!
Something I’ve noticed here in the UK this spring, after many springs spent in a warmer climate, is that it doesn’t take much for us Brits to get our summer gear on. The temperature might still be barely reaching double digits (in celsius, that is), but it’s late April, darn it! Out come the tank tops, shorts and sandals whether it’s warm enough or not.
Personally, I’m not putting my winter wardrobe away just yet, but I must admit that the few not-a-cloud-in-the-sky days we’ve had this week have had Mr. Scrummy and I swapping our winter comfort food for more summery alternatives.
And this cake! Doesn’t it seem like a rather summery cake to you?
I took most of it into work to get temptation out of our way, and a colleague said that she thought it was a great cake for the summer. I actually hadn’t thought of this myself, but I do think she’s right. Pineapple’s a summery flavor, right? Coconut’s a summery flavor, too. In fact, couldn’t you say the whole ‘tropical’ theme we’ve got going on here shouts sunshine, sunbeds and cocktails?
What I personally love about this cake is that it’s light without being dry (you can thank the oil and pineapple juice in it for that), and the flavours are all distinctly there but without being overpowering. And then of course there’s that thick (it’s got to be thick!) layer of cream cheese frosting on the top which tricks your mind into thinking you’re eating a carrot cake – which everyone loves, don’t they?
And if all this deliciousness isn’t enough for you, this pineapple, coconut and banana cake really isn’t too naughty. While I wouldn’t exactly go as far as to say it’s ‘healthy’, there’s only three quarters of a cup of sugar in the whole cake, I used half olive oil and half rape seed oil instead of butter, and I also used half wholemeal flour instead of all white. And in fact I think the wholemeal flour works really well, giving the cake a mild nutty flavour.
Not too bad at all!
One thing I didn’t do though is skip that lovely frosting – or even reduce the amount. Oh no no, let’s not go there.
But for me the real icing on the cake is the little hint of spice in the cake batter – a bit of cinnamon, and a bit of ground ginger. Such a lovely compliment to all those tropical flavours.
This is a pretty good cake for feeding a crowd. I cut it into 9 big squares, but really those pieces were too big (well, I could eat one that size, but let’s talk about normal people). You could easily halve those pieces, or make the squares smaller by cutting into 16. Totally up to you and how greedy you think your fellow cake-eaters are!
* A reader pointed out that this is in fact rather like a Hummingbird cake (what a great name!). And yes, it is, with a few tweaks. So go ahead and call it Hummingbird cake if you like, albeit a simplified version! (but hey, that’s what we’re all about around here).
Pineapple, coconut and banana cake
Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click below for grams/ml)
For the cake
- 2 cups plain flour I used 1 cup wholemeal, 1 cup white
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup dessicated or flaked coconut
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 small to medium ripe bananas mashed
- 2 large eggs whisked
- 3/4 cup dark or light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup oil I used half light olive oil and half rape seed oil, but any is fine
- 8 ounces pineapple with juice, (1 can) pineapple chopped into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
For the frosting
- 4.5 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups icing / powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup crushed walnuts to decorate optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C / 355F and line a 8 – 9 inch square (or equivalent) baking pan with baking paper.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, coconut, and salt in a large bowl.
- Mash the banana in another large bowl, then whisk in the eggs, sugar, oil, pineapple and juice, cinnamon and ginger.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined (take care not to overmix).
- Pour into the baking pan, then bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out more or less clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Beat the cream cheese with a hand-held whisk, then slowly whisk in the icing / powdered sugar until you have a thick frosting. Pile on top of the cake (nice and thick!) when the cake is completely cool.
Notes
Nutrition
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Quentin says
Liked the cake a lot. The cream cheese base icing works very well with the cake. It is a big cake so split the butter into 2 cake pans and sill baked it for 35 min.
If u exchainge the benana with a finly grated carrot u can make a delicious carrot cake.
Helen says
Hello Quentin! Thanks for the feedback. You’re right it’s a big cake – great for feeding a crowd, or as you say splitting into two. Good to know the cook time was the same. I love your idea of making this into a carrot cake. Actually I think finely grated zucchini and/or apple would work too. You’re making me want to do some experimenting now!
Melisse says
That’s a big cake. Setting the timer for an hour. No way will it be cooked in 1/2 hour. Got it in an 8″ tin.
Helen says
Hi Melisse! How did it turn out? My cake is always cooked within 35 minutes 😉
Steven says
Super yum! Love the tropical flair. My daughters are in love with anything pink right now (2 and 4 years old) so I added a strawberry purée reduction to the batter. Made the cake a great pink color and the flavor went really well with the banana. Also, didn’t have any coconut on hand so I used coconut oil and though it wasn’t pronounced at least some of the coconut flavor was in the cake. Did a whipped buttercream frosting made with coconut milk to compensate and wow, the flavors were spot on. Can’t wait to experiment with this one…next time trying a mango/papaya purée in the frosting for a super tropical extravaganza. Thanks!
Helen says
Hi Steven, thank you so much for your detailed review and rating. I love that you experimented by adding strawberry puree – it’s really helpful to hear that it worked. I bet mango would go brilliantly.
Dai says
This cake is amazing!!!
I made just a few adjustments, but I loved it!!!!
I added a bit more of sugar, the juice of half a lemon and I made a lemon, ginger and sugar glaze for the top.
thanks =)
Helen says
Hi Dai! Oh yes, this cake is a winner, isn’t it? I love it too. I love that you made a yummy glaze for it. I bet it was even more heavenly than it is anyway! Thanks so much for reporting back!
Sadie says
It’s in the oven now, really excited to try it! I went a bit rogue adding chopped hazelnuts and a bit of nutmeg as I had no ground ginger. Wish me luck 🙂
Helen says
Ooh you devil, you! I think the nutmeg will go great. Hope it turned out well! 🙂
Jess says
Is this cake still sweet? Could I reduce the sugar further? I don’t have a very sweet tooth
Helen says
Hi Jess! It is sweet but not overly so. You could definitely go ahead and reduce the sugar a bit more. I haven’t tried it with even less sugar but I think the recipe would still work out fine and the cake would still taste delicious.
Pop back and let me know how you get on if you remember!
Cassie says
I love this! I literally needed a cake recipe that would use up some brown bananas and leftover pineapple juice. In desperation (and feeling quite sure search would be fruitless) I did a little Google, and up this popped! I didn’t have dessicated coconut so I used ground almonds instead and coconut oil instead of olive. It’s turned out lovely. I’m really chuffed with this, thank you!
Helen says
Oh Cassie you’ve made my day!!! So glad this turned out well for you and thank you so much for taking the time to let me know and leave a rating. It’s really good for me to know you can change things up a bit and still get good results, too. I’ll have to try the ground almonds next time!
Sarah says
Hello! I am really keen to try this! Just wanted to check if it will work with fresh pineapple instead (I have a ripe pineapple sitting at home!)? Not sure if it will be less moist in this case. Thanks for your help!
Helen says
Hi Sarah! Very happy you’re going to give this a go! I’m sure it would be delicious with fresh pineapple, but I’d add in a little bit of liquid – some sort of juice, or milk or water if you don’t have any. Just 100ml or so – about the amount that would be in a can of pineapple. I know this doesn’t sound very accurate, and it isn’t, but I think it would work out just fine if you did this! Please let me know how you get on and I’ll adjust the recipe to include this way of doing things. 🙂
DV says
Hi,
This cake seems really nice.
Can we bake it without the coconut?Do we increase or decrease anything in the recipe?
Does it taste fine without the icing?
Thanks in advance for your help.
DV
Helen says
Hello! I’m afraid I have never tried making this cake without the coconut, but I’m pretty sure it would still taste really good. You could add the same amount of grated carrot instead, or just leave the coconut out and see how you go!
DV says
Hi Helen,
Just baked this cake,,,,tropical love..loved it,it turned out fab.
I did not use the coconut just bananas and pineapple,I also reduced the sugar a little(bananas were super ripe).
my cake took around 40 minutes to bake.
I don,t know why but a strong soda taste was left in the mouth could it be because of the changes..over all delicious
Really yum.
BOOKMARKED.
Thank you
Helen says
Hi! So happy you enjoyed the cake – even without the coconut! I’m not sure why you had the soda taste? Maybe try using new baking powder/soda, or omitting the soda altogether if that doesn’t work. I honestly haven’t had this issue when I’ve made this cake, but I will certainly look out for it in the future, just in case anything needs tweaking in the recipe. Thanks again for leaving your feedback – I always appreciate that! 🙂
DV says
Hi Helen,
The baking powder was fresh,do you think the cake will rise without the baking soda?
Thanks.
DV
Helen says
I think it would probably still rise, although I haven’t tried this cake without the baking soda. Another thing you could try is making sure the baking soda is really well mixed in with the dry ingredients before you mix with the wet. Apparently that can sometimes have an effect, as can humidity. I really hope you give this another go and that you can’t taste the soda this time!
yamini says
Absolutely delicious and moist cake! i had 2 ripe bananas and a tin of crushed pineapple…it was divine! I had some orange cream cheese frosting in the fridge that I needed to finish as well..which made for a great topping. Thank you!!!!
Helen says
Hi Yamini, thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback. I’m so happy you liked the recipe – it’s divine, isn’t it? This truly is one of my favourite cakes! I like your idea of orange cream cheese icing. Mmmmmm!
plasterer in bristol says
My all time favourite, this looks soooo good
Helen says
Thank you!
plasterer bristol says
Oh boy we made this yesterday. turned out great and tasted delicious. Thanks for this.
Simon
Helen says
Thanks so much for taking the time to come and give your feedback, Simon – and such great feedback too! You’ve made me want to make this again now too!
Marissa says
This looks wonderful, Helen! I’d gladly eat it at breakfast, lunch or dinner! Love the warmth of cinnamon and ginger in it too…perfect partner to all of those wonderful tropical flavors!
Helen says
Thanks, Marissa. I think I did eat it for all 3 of those meals – it didn’t last very long!
Lynn | The Road to Honey says
Ha! Ha! This sounds just like Boston. People are so anxious for summer that they are walking around half nude. . .but not me. . .I’m still wearing my down puffer jacket. Despite these breezy temperatures. . .I’m still A-OK with pretending the warm breezes of summer are here if It means I can have a big slice of this cake. I absolutely adore cake that is infused with pineapple and coconut. And let’s not talk about that divine frosting. . .because I might be tempted to spoon it all off and into my mouth.
Helen says
Hi Lynn! I’m glad we’re not the only ones! We went hiking on Saturday and it was SO cold – even started snowing and then hailing at one point. But yeah, I’m with you – I’m all for pretending!
Shashi @ RunninSrilankan says
Oh Helen – I am so jealous of your colleague! She got to enjoy this cake and I’m here drooling and trying my best not to lick the screen! I adore that you used pineapple, bananas and coconut in this – each slice must be a slice of summer indeed!
Helen says
Hi Shashi! Hope you’re well. I love that – a slice of summer! Let’s hope real summer is not too far behind. 🙂
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
I loooove Hummingbird cake! And hehe I’m in denial of the cold weather although I turned on the heater the other night. I’m being a baby though because it really isn’t that cold 🙂
Helen says
Yes, but your homes get pretty cold over there in Winter – I remember huddling by the radiator sometimes!
[email protected] says
This is my kind of cake. I love all the flavors going on. I’ll be making this soon.
Helen says
Hope you do, Janette – it really is one lovely cake!
Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom says
Oh… my…. gawd!!! I LOVE spice cakes! I am generally not a big sweets person. But put any type of spice cake in front of me, and I can’t help myself! I love the pineapple juice you added to keep it naturally sweet and totally moist! And that cream cheese frosting – you can’t skimp on that! I could just spoon that into my mouth, spoonful after spoonful!
Helen says
Thanks, Kathleen!!! I surprised myself with this one. It was a bit of an experiment, but worked first time. I love it! So glad you like it too!
[email protected] says
YES it seems like a summery cake to me! 🙂 And I totally agree that pineapple juice + oil is a fab way to make cakes moist, it’s exactly how the carrot cake I posted last week is moist too!!! 🙂 I love your cakes, your Swedish chocolate cake is always my “go to” for a fast dessert recipe!
Helen says
This is the first time I’ve used that pineapple juice trick, but it really works! I was expecting to have to experiment with this a lot before it worked, but nope, seems like a pretty fool-proof cake – so perfect for people like me!
And thanks so much for the compliment on my cakes, Nagi! 🙂
Bam's Kitchen says
I have a secret fascination with eating your pineapple banana cake for breakfast. I ask is there anything really wrong with that.I look at your recipe lets see we have pineapple, bananas and coconut. Heck it practically diet food!!! LOL I would just need a hot cuppa to go along with it and I would be sorted. Sharing and pinning!
Helen says
Love this, Bam! I really really hope you do satisfy your craving to have cake for breakfast some time very soon. If not this cake, another delicious one! 🙂
Loris Ayoub says
This just went into the oven. I am crossing my fingers … I am not sure I will do the icing as it will add many calories and I suffer from cholesterol
Helen says
Hi Loris! I really hope this turned out OK for you! So happy you gave it a go! I just replied to your comment on Facebook. I had a feeling the grape molasses would work just fine. Hope it did!! 🙂
Keith @ How's it Lookin? says
I gotta try this. The combo sounds so flavorful, thanks for sharing
Helen says
Hi Keith! Thanks for visiting and for the compliment. This really is a great cake and hope you give it a go some time. 🙂
Marilyn says
This cake my mother made in the 70s. It is called hummingbird cake.. Her name was marjorie
Helen says
Hi Marilyn, thanks so much for visiting. You’re right, this is very like a Hummingbird cake (just without the walnuts in the batter, but you could go ahead and add the walnuts if you wanted to). I think I’ll add a note to my recipe – thank you! And thank you to people like your mom Marjorie who’ve passed recipes like this down!
cheri says
Looks like a delicious summery cake to me, love the combo of ingredients that you used. It’s in the 80’s and 90’s here now, yikes!
Helen says
Oooh, don’t make me jealous Cheri – we had snow yesterday! 🙁
Andus says
This looks great, but I don’t understand American measurements. What size cup do you use?
Helen says
Hi Andus! Just click on the ‘metric’ button next to the ‘Ingredients’ heading in the recipe. You can find grams and ml measurements there. I hope you enjoy the cake. It’s delicious!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
What a unique twist on banana bread. I love the pineapple and coconut in it- it makes it really tropical.
Helen says
Thanks, Dannii! We really love this cake – hope you give it a go!
Eva says
Eh oui! Définitivement il me pareil un cake d’été et je veut le réaliser très vite pour faire venir le beau temps plus vite ! Il a l’air incroyablement bon Helen!
Helen says
Tres bonne idee, Eva – ici il neigeait hier!! 🙁