Name: Hummingbird Cake Whoopie Pies
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1.5 teaspoons baking soda; 1 teaspoon baking powder; .5 teaspoon ground cinnamon; .5 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup granulated sugar; .5 cup vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 large eggs; 2 medium-size ripe bananas, mashed (about ¾ cup); .5 cup canned crushed pineapple in juice, undrained (from 1 [8-oz.] can); .5 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted; 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, at room temperature; .5 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature; .5 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups powdered sugar; Sweetened shredded coconut, for garnish

Hummingbird Cake Whoopie Pies — Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Katie Jacobs

Active Time:

35 mins

Bake Time:

20 mins

Cool Time:

35 mins

Total Time:

1 hrs 30 mins

Servings:

You already know and love the classic Hummingbird Cake. This layer cake, first submitted to Southern Living in 1978 by Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina, is now a wildly-popular Southern treasure. The unique recipe combines a variety of ingredients like cinnamon, pecans, bananas, and even crushed pineapple to create inimitable, moist cake layers, sandwiched with cream cheese frosting. Since 1978, we've published plenty of recipes that pay homage to this Southern favorite, from a Hummingbird Bundt Cake to Hummingbird Cupcakes. Now, we're bringing you a new personal-sized take on this longstanding Southern classic: Hummingbird Cake Whoopie Pies.

Think small for your Easter sweets. "Hummingbird cake is a long-standing Easter tradition in my family, but I wanted something that was easy to pick up," says Nashville-based stylist Katie Jacobs of her cream cheese frosting-filled whoopie pies. These miniature sweets stay true to all the original flavors that distinguish Hummingbird Cake—banana, pineapple, and pecans—but instead packages them in cute, bite-sized portions. Making individual servings also minimizes how much the host is handling guests' food.

These Hummingbird Cake Whoopie Pies would make a lovely addition to your Easter dessert spread, but they're pretty enough to be enjoyed any time. This recipe yields 30 mini whoopie pies, leaving you with plenty to deliver to neighbors or friends.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 medium-size ripe bananas, mashed (about ¾ cup)
½ cup canned crushed pineapple in juice, undrained (from 1 [8-oz.] can)
½ cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

Frosting

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
Sweetened shredded coconut, for garnish

Directions

Prepare the Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Beat sugar, oil, and vanilla in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until just combined after each addition. Continue beating on medium speed until mixture is pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With mixer running on low speed, gradually add dry ingredients, beating until just combined. Fold in mashed bananas, pineapple, and pecans until just combined. (Batter will be more like a thick cake batter versus firm like a cookie dough.)
Using a 2-teaspoon cookie scoop, scoop batter and level; drop onto 1 of the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 1 inch apart (you should have about 30). Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 8 to 9 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack, and cool 5 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheet to wire racks, and cool completely, about 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.
While Cookies are cooling, prepare the Frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, beating on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Transfer Frosting to large piping bag, and cut about 1 inch off tip.
Match Cookies into pairs based on diameter. Pipe Frosting (about 1 ½ tablespoons per whoopie pie) on the flat side of 1 Cookie of each pair; place other Cookie, flat side down, on top of Frosting. Place shredded coconut in a shallow dish. Roll edges of each whoopie pie in shredded coconut, gently pressing so it adheres to Frosting. Serve immediately, or cover and chill. If chilled, let come to room temperature before serving.