When it comes to cake, there are two types of people in this world: those who love carrot cake and those who love hummingbird cake. But what is the difference between the two?
The truth is that while they seem to be very similar, they are actually quite different.
Of course, there are some similarities, but there are also some key differences. So, if you’re wondering whether you should bake carrot cake or hummingbird cake for your next get-together, here are some things to consider before making your final decision.
The Similarities Between Carrot Cake and Hummingbird Cake
Both types of cake are sweet treats that go well with coffee. They are also both usually topped with cream cheese frosting. But, there are some key differences between these two cakes.
Carrot cake is made with grated carrots, spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, often raisins or pineapple chunks, and sometimes walnuts or pecans. A lot of people like to use crushed pineapple for the liquid in the cake too.
The ingredients give the cake a moist texture that makes it rich and flavorful. A typical carrot cake can be iced with either cream cheese frosting or a cream cheese glaze. It’s also common to top this type of cake with nuts or raisins.
Hummingbird cake is made with bananas mashed into the batter as well as plenty of pecans rolled in sugar before being added to the batter itself.
If you’re making hummingbird cake without strawberries on top, you’ll most likely see mini chocolate chips mixed in lieu of them.
Unlike many other types of cakes which are typically iced with either buttercream or whipped cream frosting, hummingbird cake is traditionally iced with a preserve syrup–usually apricot preserves–and whipped cream topping sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar mixture for extra flavor and crunch!
The Differences Between Carrot Cake and Hummingbird Cake
Although both types of cake contain a variety of spices, there are some differences in the flavor profiles. For example, hummingbird cake has a more tangy taste than carrot cake.
This doesn’t mean that hummingbird cake is better than carrot cake. It just means that they’re not exactly the same. One difference is that hummingbird cakes contain pineapple while carrot cakes do not.
Some believe this is because of the popularity of adding pineapple to various desserts in Hawaii where hummingbird cake originated.
Another difference between the two types of cakes is that the texture is different too. Hummingbird cakes are denser than carrot cakes because they contain more sugar butter butter cream frosting, eggs, and flour.
Carrot cakes tend to be fluffy with less frosting or cream filling. Of course, these are just two examples so it’s up to you which one you feel like baking!
Conclusion
There are many similarities and differences between these two cakes. If you’re wondering which one to bake, we recommend you take a look at the ingredients and baking process and decide for yourself.