These moist hummingbird muffins are the perfect treat, served warm from the oven and spread with pata (butter). Made with sweet banana and pineapple, they're delicious on their own or topped with pani reka kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese frosting) and elegant putiputi paināporo (dried pineapple flowers) for a stunning dessert-worthy finish.
Why you will love these Hummingbird Muffins:
You'll love these hummingbird muffins because they're incredibly easy to make and come together with simple ingredients. The combination of panana (banana), paināporo (pineapple), and warm spices creates a soft, flavour-packed muffin that's perfect for morning tea, brunch, or dessert. Enjoy them fresh from the oven with a little pata (butter), or dress them up with pani reka kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese frosting) and putiputi paināporo (dried pineapple flowers) when you're baking for a special occasion.
More banana and pineapple recipes to try:
If you love these mawhene (muffins), you'll also enjoy my banana cupcakes with peanut butter frosting. Looking for something simple to slice and share? Give my carrot loaf or pineapple loaf a try. And if you need a banana cake that feeds a crowd, my banana and caramel poke cake is packed with flavour and always a hit.
Videography and photography by Sarah Henderson.
THE HUMMINGBIRD MUFFIN INGREDIENTS:
- Pecan nuts: I love the texture and toasty flavour of the nati pēkani (pecan nuts) in this recipe but they can be swapped for your favourite nuts or omitted all together.
- Pineapple: Use very ripe paināporo (pineapple) or well-drained canned pineapple.
Bananas: For best flavour, use panana (bananas) that are very ripe or blackened. - Oil: Use a neutral oil in this recipe or one with a flavour that you enjoy.
- Flour: Plain or high-grade flour will both work in this recipe.
- Coconut: Use any type of kokonati (coconut) or swap it for peru oneone (ground almonds).
How to make these delicious muffins:
Note: The full recipe card with the full list of ingredients, instructions and step by step video are found at the bottom of this page.
1. Preheat the Oven:
Preheat the oven to 160 °C bake or 150 °C fan bake.
Line a 12 capacity muffin tin with muffin liners.
2. Mash the Bananas:
Peel the panana (bananas) and add them to a plate.
Penupenua ngā panana kia māene (mash the bananas until smooth). Set aside.
3. Toast the Pecan Nuts (Optional):
Chop the nati pēkani (pecan nuts) finely and add them to a pan. Set the pan over medium heat and toast until fragrant.
Set aside to cool.
4. Caramelise the Pineapple:
Chop the paināporo (pineapple) in to fine pieces and add to a frying pan. Set it over medium - high heat and cook until the juices are released and the pineapple has caramelised.
Remove from the heat and stir in the hinamona (cinnamon), raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice) and wanira (vanilla).
5. Combine all of the Wet Ingredients:
Add the pineapple mixture to a medium bowl and add the noni (oil), panana kua penupenua (mashed banana) and both hēki (eggs).Whisk with a fork until well combined.
6. Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients:
In to a large bowl, sift in the puehu parāoa (flour), huka one (caster sugar), tote (salt) and pēkana paura (baking powder). Whakaranuhia (stir to combine).
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet. Gently fold all of the ingredients together.
7. Bake the Hummingbird Muffins:
Divide the mixture between 12 muffin cases.
Bake for 25 - 28 minutes or until the muffins spring back when pressed in the centre.
Remove from the oven and eat just as they are. Our whānau love them just like this but if you are after something special, follow me.
8. Make the Pineapple Flowers:
This recipe takes 4 hours to make so make this recipe ahead of time.
Make one quantity of my Dried Pineapple Flowers (press the underlined title to access it).
9. Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:
Make my Cream Cheese Frosting but use the quantities stated in the recipe card below.
10. Decorate the Hummingbird Muffins:
Smear the Cream Cheese Frosting on top of each mawhene (muffin) and top with a putiputi paināporo (pineapple flower).
Store the Hummingbird Muffins:
These will keep well unfrosted, in a sealed container in the cupboard for up to 5 days.
The decorated mawhene (muffins) will keep well, stored in the same way for up to 3 days.
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Hummingbird Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Hummingbird Muffins - Mawhene Paināporo me te Panana
- 2 panana nui (large bananas)
- ⅓ C (40 g) nati pēkani (pecan nuts, optional)
- 1 ⅓ C (420 g) fresh, ripe paināporo (pineapple, without the skin) or drained canned pineapple
- 2 tablespoon huka one (caster sugar)
- 1 teaspoon hinamona kuoro (ground cinnamon)
- ½ teaspoon raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice)
- 2 teaspoon wanira (vanilla)
- ½ C (125 ml) noni (oil, neutral flavoured)
- 2 hēki wawaenga (medium eggs, size 7)
- 1 ¼ C (185 g) puehu parāoa noa (plain flour)
- ⅔ C (145 g) huka one (caster sugar)
- ¼ teaspoon tote (salt, fine)
- 2 ¼ teaspoon pēkana paura (baking powder)
- ½ C (40 g) kokonati pūtī (desiccated coconut)
Dried Pineapple Flowers - Putiputi Paināporo
- 1 quantity Dried Pineapple Flowers
Cream Cheese Frosting - Pani Reka Kirīmi Tīhi
- 90 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
- ½ C (80 g) C puehu huka (icing sugar)
- 1 ½ teaspoon wanira (vanilla)
- 200 g kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese, room temperature)
Instructions
Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 160 °C bake or 150 °C fan bake.Line a 12 capacity muffin tin with muffin liners.
Mash the Bananas:
- Peel the panana (bananas) and add them to a plate. Penupenua ngā panana kia māene (mash the bananas until smooth). Set aside.
Toast the Pecan Nuts (Optional):
- Chop the nati pēkani (pecan nuts) finely and add them to a pan. Set the pan over medium heat and toast until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
Caramelise the Pineapple:
- Chop the paināporo (pineapple) in to fine pieces and add to a frying pan. Set it over medium - high heat and cook until the juices are released and the pineapple has caramelised.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the hinamona (cinnamon), raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice) and wanira (vanilla).
Combine all of the Wet Ingredients:
- Add the pineapple mixture to a medium bowl and add the noni (oil), panana kua penupenua (mashed banana) and both hēki (eggs).Whisk with a fork until well combined.
Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients:
- Into a large bowl, sift in the puehu parāoa (flour), huka one (caster sugar), tote (salt) and pēkana paura (baking powder). Whakaranuhia (stir to combine).
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet. Gently fold all of the ingredients together.
Bake the Hummingbird Muffins:
- Divide the mixture between 12 muffin cases.
- Bake for 25 - 28 minutes or until the muffins spring back when pressed in the centre.
- Remove from the oven and eat just as they are. Our whānau love them just like this but if you are after something special, follow me.
Make the Pineapple Flowers:
- Note: This recipe takes 4 hours to make so make this recipe ahead of time. Make one quantity of my Dried Pineapple Flowers (press the underlined title to access it).
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Make my Cream Cheese Frosting but use the quantities stated above.
Decorate the Hummingbird Muffins:
- Smear the Cream Cheese Frosting on top of each mawhene (muffin) and top with a putiputi paināporo (pineapple flower).
Store the Muffins:
- These will keep well unfrosted, in a sealed container in the cupboard for up to 5 days. The decorated mawhene (muffins) will keep well, stored in the same way for up to 3 days.
Video
Expert Tips for the best Hummingbird Muffins:
Use overripe Bananas:
Whenever you're baking with panana (bananas), make sure they are very ripe—ideally black or at least heavily spotted. The darker the bananas, the more pronounced their flavour will be. I often freeze bananas when they start to turn and save them for recipes like this. Simply thaw them and bring them back to room temperature before using.
Toasting the Pecan Nuts:
If you are using nati pēkani (pecan nuts), toasting them brings out a deeper, nuttier flavour. They work just as well if added untoasted, though, so don't worry if you're short on time. Kei a koe – it is up to you.
Use ripe Pineapple:
If you are using fresh paināporo (pineapple) in this recipe, choose one that is ripe and sweet for the best flavour. A ripe pineapple adds natural sweetness and enhances the tropical flavour of hummingbird muffins.
Gently fold the ingredients together:
Once the dry ingredients have been added to the wet ingredients, gently fold everything together. Be careful not to overmix the batter. Overworking the mixture can develop gluten, resulting in mawhene (muffins) that are tough, rather than light and fluffy.
Room Temperature Cream Cheese:
For a smooth, lump-free cream cheese frosting, make sure the kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese) is at room temperature before you begin. Leave it on the bench for up to an hour, and you'll be rewarded with a silky-smooth frosting that's easy to mix and spread.
Storage:
These hummingbird muffins will keep well unfrosted in a sealed container in the cupboard for up to 5 days.
Once decorated with the cream cheese frosting, store the mawhene (muffins) in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
If your kitchen is particularly warm, store the frosted muffins in the refrigerator and bring them to room temperature before serving.
For longer storage, freeze the unfrosted muffins in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting and serving.
Variations:
Use different nuts:
I use nati pēkani (pecan nuts) in this recipe but wōnati (walnuts) would also work well. Choose your favourite and add them in. They can be toasted or untoasted.
Skip the Frosting:
These muffins are delicious on their own. Leave off the cream cheese frosting for an easy lunchbox-friendly treat.
Make them Dairy-free:
These mawhene (muffins) are already dairy-free. If you'd like to decorate them, they are delicious topped with my Vegan Chocolate Buttercream instead of the cream cheese frosting. Simply omit the chocolate from the buttercream recipe and continue as usual.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Hummingbird muffins are inspired by the classic hummingbird cake. They are made with banana, pineapple, warm spices, and often nuts, creating a moist, flavour-packed muffin with a tropical twist.
Yes. Well-drained crushed pineapple works perfectly in this recipe. Just follow the recipe the exact same way.
Āe mārika (absolutely). The muffins can be baked a day or two in advance and stored in an airtight container. Frost them just before serving for the freshest result.
Dense muffins are usually caused by overmixing the batter. Once the dry ingredients are added, gently fold everything together until just combined to keep the muffins light and tender.
They can also be dense if your pēkana paura (baking powder) has expired.
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