We Have The Jamaica Tourist Board To Thank For The Classic Hummingbird Cake

Tucked away in the sunny Caribbean, Jamaica beckons visitors with its lush forests and sandy beaches. But as we all know, the island's allure goes far beyond its natural wonder and entices visitors with rich meals and treats like hummingbird cake. The moist, cinnamon-laced cake bursts with crushed pineapple and banana chunks, is dotted with pecans and perhaps a hint of nutmeg, and is finished off with a dreamy cream cheese frosting. But did you know that we have the Jamaica Tourist Board to thank for this delicious creation?

Back in the late 1960s, the island's tourism board was on a mission to showcase Jamaica's mouthwatering flavors to the world. To bring their dream to life, they created a recipe that incorporated some of the island's most beloved fruits, including pineapple and banana. It garnered instant popularity in Jamaica (where it was once dubbed "the cake that doesn't last"), but it wasn't until the recipe was published in Southern Living magazine in 1978 that hummingbird cake became a sensation in the United States.

But what exactly is in a hummingbird cake, and why is it named after a tiny bird? Get ready to indulge your curiosity and satisfy your sweet tooth because we've got all the answers right here.

The recipe's unique tropical fruit flavor profile can be traced back to Jamaica, but the whimsical name wasn't always so poetic. The cake's original moniker, Doctor Bird Cake, pays tribute to Jamaica's national bird, the swallowtail hummingbird. This animal is referred to as the "doctor bird" due to its coattail-like plumes and a crest that resembles a top hat. Legend has it that the association with hummingbirds also began because the cake was so sugary sweet that it attracted the tiny birds. 

In the 1960s, the newly-established Air Jamaica chose the doctor bird as its logo, which helped establish the brand's identity in the American market. It didn't take long for the nation's tourism board to capitalize further on the bird's popularity, promoting the cake in a series of brochures mailed to potential American tourists. The brochures contained recipes for local dishes, including hummingbird cake. The name was made all the more famous when Southern Living published a reader-submitted recipe for the dessert in 1978.

Today, households across the country consider the cake to be a staple of Southern hospitality. And while a slice of hummingbird cake may conjure up images of a kitchen in North Carolina, the cake's true origins lie in Jamaica, where the call of the doctor bird can still be heard echoing through the mountains.

In "Poole's: Recipes and Stories from a Modern Diner," Ashley Christensen uses sweet potatoes to elevate the texture and flavor of the cake. However, you can stick to the basic recipe, as it yields a rich, moist cake bursting with spices and fruity flavor and which doesn't need much refining.

While Jamaican bananas are best if you can find them, the key is to use overripe bananas in your hummingbird cake. These will add the sugary sweetness you're after. Swap canned pineapple for fresh, ripe pineapple to avoid adding too much sugar (here's how to choose the right pineapple) and measure accurately to achieve a perfectly moist bite.

Get creative with the toppings if you'd like, too. Just remember to let yourself be transported to a world of sunshine, beaches, and sweet indulgence with every bite. Who said you had to fly to Jamaica to enjoy a little island life?