This Hummingbird Carrot Bundt Cake with Pineapple and Coconut is the perfect cross between a carrot cake and a hummingbird cake. It’s incredibly moist without being wet, perfectly spiced, and topped with a light and fluffy cream cheese frosting. A delicious addition to any party or potluck!
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Bundt cakes are my favorite kind of cake to serve at a gathering. They don’t require all the fuss of a layer cake, or the individual attention of cupcakes, but serve a crowd just as well. This particular cake is no exception.
In my mind this is a tropical take on carrot cake. Changing out walnuts for pecans and adding in pineapple and coconut to complement the spiced carrot batter. Truly delicious!
And if you love tropical flavors be sure to try our pineapple lime rice or toasted coconut rice. Both are excellent!
🥇 Why it’s great!
- It combines the familiar flavor of carrot cake with the pineapple, coconut, and pecans found in hummingbird cake.
- It is baked in a bundt cake pan which helps it to bake evenly.
- It’s moist without being wet.
- The frosting is traditional cream cheese that is made fluffy with a little cream or milk.
🥕Ingredients
Cake ingredients
A full list of the ingredients is in the recipe card below, but here are a few noteworthy tips.
Nuts: Pecans are best. For an added punch of flavor toast them for a couple minutes before incorporating them into the batter.
Carrots: Any peeled and cleaned carrots will work. I prefer finely grated carrots but any size will work.
Pineapple: Fully drain the can of pineapple to keep the cake from being too wet.
Coconut: Sweetened pre-shredded coconut is perfect. If the coconut is grated too fine it will disappear into the cake.
Oil: Any neutral flavored oil is perfect. This ingredient is critical to the moistness of the cake.
Frosting Ingredients
Cream cheese: Block cream cheese is required for this recipe.
Vanilla: If at all possible use real vanilla. Imitation vanilla doesn’t taste the same.
🥣 Instructions
Making the cake
The process for this cake is pretty straightforward.
- The dry ingredients get mixed together.
- The wet ingredients get mixed together.
- The dry ingredients get dumped into the wet and mixed until just combined.
- The pineapple, coconut, pecans, and carrots get mixed in until everything is well combined.
Making the frosting
Once the cake is baked and cooled, it's time to make the frosting.
- Beat the butter and cream cheese together until well combined.
- Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat thoroughly.
- Add milk or cream until desired consistency is reached. I prefer it light enough to be fluffy but still hold its shape when put on the cake. If it gets too runny just add a little bit more powdered sugar.
Baking a bundt cake
Baking a bundt cake is super easy, but in order to make sure that the bundt cake doesn’t stick here are a few tips on the best way to grease a bundt pan.
- First, make sure that you liberally grease and flour every inch of the pan, paying special attention to the grooves. The main reason that a bundt cake sticks to the pan is not enough baking spray. I have had good success with both Pam Baking and Baker’s Joy. If you don’t have baking spray (which is my preferred method), you may use softened butter, shortening, or oil and then sift flour over the top. Dump out the excess four and your cake pan should be good to go.
- Do not allow the cake batter to sit in the pan for more than a couple minutes before placing it in the oven. It is best to put the cake batter in the pan just before baking.
- Once the cake is finished baking, allow it to cool for 20 minutes before flipping it out. In other bundt cake recipes we advise allowing them to cool for 10 minutes, but because this cake is a little heavier it benefits from an extra 10 minutes in the pan to prevent it from falling.
Decorating a Hummingbird Carrot Bundt Cake
Wait until the cake is completely cool before attempting to frost it. There are many methods for decorating a bundt cake, but for this cake we like to dollop some right in the center of the cake and rock the spoon back and forth until it just starts to drop down the edge and form a scallop. If you wish you can swirl the spoon around a couple times on the top.
👨👩👧👦 For a crowd
Of all desserts, bundt cakes are naturally great for serving crowds. I find that they typically serve 15-16 comfortably, especially when you add a small scoop of ice cream on top. If you are serving this at a party, I highly suggest making it ahead and freezing (see instructions below).
🙋 Questions and Answers
Yes, that’s one of the beautiful things about bundt cake! You should definitely refrigerate or freeze hummingbird carrot bundt cake. It will help it be perfectly moist.
To freeze the cake, allow it to cool fully. Freeze completely then wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for 1-3 months. Before serving, unwrap the cake and place in a covered cake keeper. Allow the cake to thaw at room temperature for 5-8 hours on the counter or overnight in the refrigerator.
Or you can make it 1-2 days ahead and refrigerate it. In this case, only frost the cake if you have an airtight cake carrier to store in the fridge. Otherwise, wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap and frost it on the day of serving.
Because bundt cakes are tall, I always store them in a cake carrier like this one. Be sure to store this cake in the refrigerator.
This cake is best stored covered in the refrigerator where it will stay fresh for several days.
👨🏼🍳 Tips & Tricks
- Whether using baking spray or your own grease/flour mixture be sure to coat the pan thoroughly and generously.
- Allow the cake to cool for a full 20 minutes before flipping it out. Then allow it to cool thoroughly before frosting.
- A secret to making any cake more moist is to refrigerate it overnight or freeze it. I highly recommend making this cake ahead to allow time for one of those options - it really does make a difference!
- Move the cake from the cooling rack to a cake plate using a cake lifter like this one. Makes moving cakes SO easy.
📖 Other great bundt cake recipes
- Chocolate buttermilk bundt cake
- Pumpkin Chocolate Bundt Cake
- The Ultimate White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake
👋🏻 Connect with us!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating to let us know how it is! We’d also love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Tag @borrowedbites or hashtag #borrowedbites to show us your food!
📋 Recipe
Hummingbird Carrot Bundt Cake with Pineapple and Coconut
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ cup neutral oil
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups carrots grated finely
- 8 oz crushed pineapple drained
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- baking spray optional
Frosting Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 4 oz butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2-4 tablespoon heavy cream may use half-n-half or milk
Instructions
Cake Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Liberally grease and flour (or baking spray) bundt pan.
- Combine dry ingredients (first 7) in a bowl and whisk together.
- Combine sugars and liquid ingredients in large bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Then add the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined.
- Add carrots, pineapple, coconut, and pecans. Stir gently until well combined.
- Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool for 20 minutes in the pan. Flip out and continue to cool on baking rack.
Frosting Instructions
- Whip cream cheese and butter together. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla. Add milk or cream a tablespoon at a time until fluffy but still holding its shape.
Notes
- Whether using baking spray or your own grease/flour mixture be sure to coat the pan thoroughly and generously.
- Allow the cake to cool for a full 20 minutes before flipping it out. Then allow it to cool thoroughly before frosting.
- A secret to making any cake more moist is to refrigerate it overnight or freeze it. I highly recommend making this cake ahead to allow time for one of those options - it really does make a difference!
- Move the cake from the cooling rack to a cake plate using a cake lifter like this one. Makes moving cakes SO easy.
- To freeze the cake, allow it to cool fully. Freeze completely then wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for 1-3 months. Before serving, unwrap the cake and place in a covered cake keeper. Allow the cake to thaw at room temperature for 5-8 hours on the counter or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Or you can make it 1-2 days ahead and refrigerate it. In this case, only frost the cake if you have an airtight cake carrier to store in the fridge. Otherwise, wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap and frost it on the day of serving.
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Robyn says
Made this for a friends birthday - a huge hit!! Made it again 2 days later for my daughter-in-laws birthday, everyone loved it!! A keeper for sure! Thank you!
Misty says
How wonderful! Thank you for sharing. We're so glad you enjoyed it.
Eileen says
I wish I could pin a photo. This cake is AMAZING. Made it for Easter, toasted coconut to sprinkle on the outside, used 1 less cup of icing sugar in the frosting and fancied it up with eggies on top for decoration. Delicious.
Danielle says
You can always tag us on Instagram to share your photo. We would love to see it! So happy that you loved it and thank you so much for taking the time to comment! Happy baking and eating!
Bonnie says
Hi, I do not see what size bundt pan to use. 10 cup or 12?
Danielle says
Oh my goodness! What an oversight on our part. This cake needs a 12-cup bundt cake pan. Thank you for pointing this out, and I will be sure to update the post. If there is anything else please let me know.
Vyvoom says
My friend passed and she made the most Amazing carrot cake. I knew it had nuts, pineapple and coconut... and found your recipe. Its in the oven and pray it does her justice. Making for her funeral. Ty so much for the recipe. Batter is Amazing!
Danielle says
Hello! I am so sorry for your loss. What an amazing way to remember her! If you have any other questions please feel free to reach out.
Ellie says
When do you add dry ingredients?
Misty says
Hi Ellie! Great question - we must've left that out by accident. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then add the mix ins. I updated the recipe card with those instructions. Enjoy!