These hummingbird cheesecake topped cupcakes are a super moist banana pineapple cupcake, topped with a baked cheesecake topping and then a rich and creamy cream cheese buttercream. Wonderfully addictive.
What is hummingbird cake anyway? Oh I’m SO glad you asked. First, it’s a Southern thing. I think it may have actually originated in Jamaica, but apparently the South heard about it and just ran with it.
It doesn’t have anything to do with hummingbirds. Maybe it’s just sweet enough that hummingbirds would want to eat it too…I don’t know.
Let’s Talk About Some of the Ingredients in These Cupcakes:
Vegetable Oil: Hummingbird Cake is usually made with oil, not butter.
Pineapple and Banana: Pineapple is in the baked cheesecake topping and in the cupcake batter. Banana is only in the cupcake batter. If you haven’t tried the combo of pineapple and banana, you really should.
Cream Cheese: You’ll use cream cheese for the baked cream cheese topping and the cream cheese buttercream…yeah you’re getting a double dose here.
So you’ve got a moist banana pineapple cake, topped with a baked cheesecake topping and then a rich and creamy cream cheese buttercream. I’m telling you…these are addictive.
By the way I used a 1M icing tip to pipe on the buttercream. You could also use a 2D.
Now, this recipe makes a ton of cupcakes. This recipe makes 36 cupcakes instead of 24. Here’s why:
1. You’re only filling each cupcake liner half full (2 Tbsp) and that’s because you’ll be adding in a bit of the cream cheese filling mixture in each cupcake as well. If you want to skip the filling, then the cake batter alone should make about 24 cupcakes.
2. I wanted to write the recipe so there would actually be enough cake batter alone to fill 2, 8″ round cake pans if you wanted to make it a cake instead of cupcakes. (You could even spread the batter into a pan and then dollup the cream cheese filling over the top of each and marble if you’d like. At the time of this posting I have not tested that out but in theory, it should work.)
3. These babies taste so freaking good that you’ll just want to eat more. So, more is better right?
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Tools Used for these Cupcakes:
Let’s get to the recipe!
Note About Recipe Measurements: I write recipes using volume (cups) measurements because here in the U.S., this is what people are more familiar with and I don’t want anyone to feel intimidated when baking. For metric/weight measurements, click the ‘metric’ button under the ingredients in the recipe card below. The weights are converted by a program, not me, and it’s just a best guess. I can’t guarantee that weighing the ingredients will produce the exact same results, since I test recipes using volume measurements.
Recipe
Hummingbird Cheesecake Topped Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cheesecake Topping:
- 1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoon crushed pineapple
For the Cake Batter:
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ⅔ teaspoon soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 large eggs
- ⅔ cup oil (like vegetable or canola)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 8 oz can crushed pineapple minus 2 tbsps (reserve the 2 tablespoon for the filling)
- 1 ½ cups mashed bananas (about 4 small bananas)
- ⅔ cup chopped nuts (optional)
For the Cream Cheese Buttercream:
- 1 8 oz pkg cream cheese softened
- 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 5 cups confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
For the Cheesecake Topping:
- Mix all the filling ingredients together and set aside in the fridge to chill while you mix up the cupcake batter.
For the Cake Batter:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill three cupcake pans with cupcake liners. (If u only have two cupcake pans, just use the two and chill the leftover batter until the others bake, then use the pan).
- Mix flour, sugar, soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, mix together the eggs and oil and vanilla.
- Pour the egg mixture into the dry mixture and mix with a spoon.
- Add in the pineapple and mashed bananas and mix with a spoon. Add in nuts if desired.
- Spoon two tablespoons of cake batter into cupcake liners (about halfway full). Add in a scant tablespoon of the filling on top of each cupcake.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min.
- This recipe makes 36 cupcakes which is three cupcake pans. If you only have two cupcake pans, Chill any remaining batter and use it as soon as the other cupcakes bake and cool enough to remove from the cupcake pan.
- Cool completely before adding cream cheese buttercream.
- The tops of cupcakes will flatten out a bit while cooling because of the filling, but that’s to be expected. You’re about to pipe on some buttercream so don’t worry.
For the Cream Cheese Buttercream:
- Mix together the softened cream cheese and softened butter. Add in the confectioners sugar plus lemon juice and mix well. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes. I used a 1M piping tip.
Video
Notes
1. You’re only filling each cupcake liner half full (2 Tbsp) and that’s because you’ll be adding in a bit of the cream cheese filling mixture in each cupcake as well. If you want to skip the filling, then the cake batter alone should make about 24 cupcakes.
2. I wanted to write the recipe so it would actually be enough batter alone to fill 2, 8″ round cake pans if you wanted to make it a cake instead of cupcakes. (You could even spread the batter into a pan and then dollop the cream cheese filling over the top of each and marble if you’d like. At the time of this posting I have not tested that out but in theory, it should work.)
3. These babies taste so good that you’ll just want to eat more.
So, more is better right? *This recipe card may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition
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I loved the step by step of your recipe. I’m going to test this weekend. But only by the photos it already looks tasty.
Kara Jane
Oh I’m glad the step-by-step is helpful 🙂 Let me know how you like it!
Victoria
Would these cupcakes freeze well with the cheesecake topping?
Kara Jane
I have not tried freezing these. In theory though, I think they might be okay, since the cheesecake topping is baked in.
Denise murrien
Thanks Kara trying that hummingbird cake this weekend for my niece birthday
Kara Jane
Oh yay! I hope you love it. 😉
Amanda
Kara is my go to gal for cake recipes. This is where I come for all my cake recipes. I used this recipe for Easter this year and actually made this into a 2 layer 8 inch cake, marbeling the cheesecake topping and cake together as Kara mentioned and it worked out great! We cheated and tried a bite a day early and could not be happier with the taste. Wonderfully moist and all the flavors come together to make a very good cake! I’ve yet to find a Kara Cake that disappoints!
Kara
Awe Amanda, thanks so much for the lovely compliments and the 5 star review! It makes me so happy that you enjoyed this one so much. Loved, loved your comment. 🙂