SerpApi.Org
When you want to make something special, these homemade cakes are best.
Whether you have a birthday, anniversary, or dinner party to host (or no reason at all!), these are our best made-from-scratch cake recipes. There’s truly never a bad time for a slice of cake; you’re going to love these delicious desserts.
Whether you want to keep it classic with our most timeless choices or mix it up a bit with newer creations, these are our most delicious homemade cake recipes ever. There’s no shame in using a boxed cake mix (we do it all the time!), but sometimes an occasion or craving calls for something that’s made from scratch.
Never Lose A Recipe Again
Love these recipes? Join MyRecipes—your personal home for recipes—to easily save and organize your favorites, plus thousands more, in one convenient place.
01 of 75
White Poinsettia Sheet Cake
This stunning sheet cake complete with white chocolate poinsettias is bound to impress guests. While the flowers look super complicated to make, they’re actually very straightforward to build and don’t require special tools.
02 of 75
Easy Chocolate Cake
If you’re a novice baker and a chocolate lover, start with this recipe. Made in one bowl (frosting too!), with no special equipment needed, this dense and fudgy cake lives up to its name. And you can frost it three different ways.
Quick Tip
This cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to four days. It also freezes beautifully and will keep for up to three months in the freezer.
03 of 75
Brown Butter Cake
Made with nutty brown butter and a hint of spice, this rich, versatile cake will be your new go-to recipe for Christmas, birthdays, and beyond.
04 of 75
Bananas Foster Cake
For those who love the classic bananas foster dessert, this cake is the ideal way to celebrate any occasion. Plus, it offers a change from traditional chocolate or vanilla cakes.
05 of 75
Chocolate Birthday Cake
Chocolate cake is Dolly Parton’s choice for celebrating birthdays. If this homemade cake is good enough for Dolly, it’s good enough for us.
06 of 75
Strawberry Cake
If you’re looking for the perfect strawberry cake recipe, you can stop the search now. This pretty pink cake has pureed strawberries in the batter, a strawberry reduction is in the frosting, and whole berries on top.
07 of 75
Southern Love Cake
This showstopper features layers of red velvet cake and cheesecake topped with white chocolate pudding. Its balance of tang and sweetness—and those defined layers—are sure to impress any guest.
08 of 75
Devil’s Food Cake
Thanks to rich ingredients like unsweetened cocoa powder, coffee, and whole buttermilk, this cake is so decadent and delicious, it’s almost sinful.
Tip
If the cocoa or powdered sugar is lumpy, make sure to sift it to ensure a smooth batter and icing.
09 of 75
Lemon Meringue Cake
Tart lemon curd and pillowy meringue come together with moist vanilla cake layers to create one impressive layer cake. We think of it as a combination of lemon cake and lemon meringue pie.
10 of 75
Cookies And Cream Cake
Layers of buttermilk chocolate and an Italian meringue buttercream are combined with cookie pieces and crumbs to create the iconic flavor in cake form. Though the icing is time consuming, our Test Kitchen says it’s worth the effort.
11 of 75
Chocolate Bundt Cake
Nothing impresses like a cover star, so why not make the Chocolate Bundt Cake from our November 2024 issue? Using a fun geometric Bundt pan adds extra pizzazz to this stunner of a recipe.
12 of 75
Strawberry-Vanilla Cake
If you can’t decide between a strawberry cake or a vanilla cake, whip up this decadent cake that’s a combination of both. It just may become a new family favorite.
13 of 75
Italian Cream Cake
If you want to make a cake from scratch but may be short on time, you can make the layers for the cake in advance and cut down on prep time the day of your gathering.
14 of 75
1234 Cake With Chocolate Frosting
An oldie but a goodie, this recipe was probably committed to memory by many home bakers in the 1950s and 60s. And it’s time you learned it, too. It’s easy to make and is a fantastic birthday cake—just add sprinkles.
15 of 75
Peanut Butter Cake
A glass of cold milk is all the accompaniment you’ll need for a slice of this cake. The cream cheese-peanut butter frosting is so good, you’ll want to lick the spatula. Best of all, it only requires 26 minutes of hands-on time.
16 of 75
Classic Coconut Cake
This is a dessert that’s only fit for a coconut fanatic. The tropical fruit permeates this entire cake, from the tender layers, to the coconut filling, to the whipped cream frosting. Top with large flakes of toasted coconut to complete this coconutty masterpiece.
17 of 75
Pineapple-Coconut Cake
This elegant cake is an all-time reader favorite. Slice into this flaky exterior, and you’ll find beautiful layers of coconut cake, pineapple compote, and cream cheese frosting.
18 of 75
Million Dollar Pound Cake
With four dozen reviews and counting, this is one of our most beloved pound cake recipes. Moist, buttery, and with a crackly sugared top, it is delicious as-is, or topped with ice cream, fruit, whipped cream, or whatever strikes your fancy.
19 of 75
Blueberry-Lemon Cake
Sweet blueberries and tart lemon are a beautiful pair for spring and summer gatherings. One of our most striking cakes ever, this dessert doesn’t require expert decorating skills—simply frost it and top with fresh blueberries.
20 of 75
Lemon Raspberry Cake
The flavors in this beautiful spring confection are all-natural, from lemon juice and zest to fresh raspberries. When topped with more berries, it is the prettiest centerpiece for any celebration.
21 of 75
Fresh Apple Cake
Nothing says fall like our cozy Fresh Apple Cake that’s filled with apples, cinnamon, and nuts.
22 of 75
Chocolate-Raspberry Cheesecake
Once you sink your fork into the sweet jammy topping and dense chocolate filling all the way down to the dark chocolate cookie crust, you’ll wonder if you’ll ever enjoy a plain cheesecake again.
23 of 75
Glazed Buttermilk Donut Cake
It looks and tastes just like a giant glazed donut, but is made for sharing. Baked in a Bundt pan, the batter includes buttermilk for a hint of tanginess and extra leavening. Slice it up and serve with coffee for an any-time-of-the-day treat.
24 of 75
Mississippi Mud Cake
Southerners young and old love this marshmallow-topped cake recipe.
25 of 75
Swiss Roll Cake
Inspired by a favorite packaged treat, this cake is a million times more indulgent. A light chocolate sponge cake is rolled up with a whipped cream filling, then covered in rich chocolate ganache.
26 of 75
Pumpkin Cake
There’s no gourd display that can stack up to this layered pumpkin cake. And it’s more delicious than any pumpkin-spiced coffee could ever be.
27 of 75
Eclair Cake
Just because a cake is made from scratch doesn’t mean it has to be complicated. This six-ingredient chilled dessert can be made in advance and is way easier to make than its pastry counterpart, although no less delicious.
28 of 75
Tomato Soup Cake
To understand this recipe, you have to bake it. Canned tomato soup adds moisture and sweetness to a classic spice cake with cream cheese frosting. Is it unusual? Sure, but it wasn’t all that unheard of a few decades ago when the soup was an easy convenience solution.
29 of 75
Little Layer Chocolate Cake
There’s nothing little about this spectacular cake, with its 18 layers and fudgy frosting. While it may look like a plain chocolate cake from the outside, once you slice into it, prepare for oohs, ahhs, gasps and joyous sounds from everyone around you.
30 of 75
Banana Layer Cake With Caramel Icing
This reader recipe was a hit with our Test Kitchen. Caramel and banana aren’t typically paired in cake recipes, but here they combine to make a heavenly combination that’s rich, buttery, and just the right amount of sweet.
31 of 75
Coca Cola Chocolate Cake
Southerners have baked with soft drinks for decades. One of the most popular recipes is for Coca-Cola cake, a chocolate cake enriched with the fizzy soda. After making this version, a commenter wrote: “The cake was moist and the icing was the perfect amount of sweet.”
32 of 75
Sweet Potato Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
While this cake would be a handsome addition to your Thanksgiving spread, sweet potatoes are enjoyed year-round in the South, and so should this dessert. Ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, and molasses make the layers so aromatic and flavorful.
33 of 75
Strawberry-Rosé Snack Cake
This Strawberry-Rosé Cake will wow supper club. You’ll love the floral quality a bit of rosé wine brings to classic strawberry cake in this sophisticated yet totally simple recipe.
34 of 75
Louisiana Crunch Cake
This moist yellow cake gets its name from its topping of flaked coconut and nuts, and an extra layer of coconut that bakes into the batter.
35 of 75
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
There’s a rich history behind this beloved Southern cake, and once you make it, you’ll never question whether mayonnaise belongs in a dessert again. (It is just oil and eggs, after all.)
36 of 75
Butter Toffee-Pecan Layer Cake
Swathed in a creamy toffee frosting and sprinkled with flaky salt, you’ll have to resist cutting yourself a slice before the party guests arrive.
37 of 75
Wacky Cake
If you’re looking for an easier-than-easy baking project the kids can get in on, stop the search with this decadent chocolate cake that comes together right in the baking pan—hence the name.
38 of 75
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
If you thought your classic pound cake recipe couldn’t get any better, then try adding this creamy, slightly tangy ingredient to the mix.
39 of 75
Sea Salt-Caramel Cake
This three-layer riff on the classic caramel cake has the ideal amount of salty and sweet. Our Test Kitchen dreamed up the recipe for the holidays, but it’s just as incredible enjoyed any other time of the year.
40 of 75
The Ultimate Carrot Cake
Every cook needs a go-to carrot cake recipe for holidays and gatherings, and this one is a masterpiece. Homemade candied carrot curls really gild the lily, but they are entirely optional.
41 of 75
Orange Chiffon Cake
This light-as-air cake climbs high in the tube pan, so it stands tall and proud on a cake stand—no need for frosting. We love this cake all year but especially in winter, when citrus is at its peak.
42 of 75
Old-Fashioned Pound Cake
Serve this any-occasion sweet on its own or dress it up with fresh berries and homemade whipped cream.
43 of 75
Red Velvet Ice-Cream Cake
With a layer of ice cream between two layers of moist cake, this is our fun summertime version of our classic Red Velvet Layer Cake.
44 of 75
King Cake
The king of Mardi Gras celebrations, this classic cake is practically synonymous with over-the-top New Orleans merriment. Plus, if you bake your own, you just might know what section to slice to get that baby.
45 of 75
Homemade Yellow Cake
A flexible foundation for any topping, this yellow cake lends itself to all sorts of festivities and frostings. Get creative and turn it into a spice cake with a few added ingredients or a chocolate treat by beating unsweetened chocolate squares into the batter.
46 of 75
Triple-Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake
This pound cake recipe is fluffy, flavorful, and totally decadent.
47 of 75
The Lane Cake
This grande dame of Southern desserts has a history that dates back more than 100 years. This stunning version has a peach filling and a meringue frosting that’s spiked with peach schnapps.
48 of 75
Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Poke cakes often call for boxed pudding and cake mixes, but this recipe is made from scratch all the way. A salty-sweet vanilla wafer cookie crumble on top is the perfect finishing touch.
49 of 75
Fudge Cake
The ideal bake-and-take dessert, you can’t go wrong with an indulgent fudge cake, like this recipe from Elizabeth Heiskell’s What Can I Bring? cookbook.
50 of 75
Pumpkin-Spice Bundt With Brown Sugar Icing And Candied Pecans
Yes, this pumpkin cake is tender and filled with warm spices and nuts. But it’s the brown sugar frosting that really steals the show.
51 of 75
Blueberry-Cornmeal Cake
It’s best to make this cornmeal cake in the summer, when fresh blueberries are abundant at the farmers’ market. No blueberries? Substitute any other type of berry or chopped strawberries.
52 of 75
Classic Birthday Cake
No matter your age, no one can resist a slice of cake topped with lots of frosting and sprinkles. And a sheet cake makes it easy to transport to the celebration.
53 of 75
Key Lime Pound Cake
Lime juice adds just the right amount of tartness to offset the typical sweetness of a pound cake.
54 of 75
Texas Skillet Cake
Only a Southerner could make Texas Sheet Cake even more, well, Southern. We upped the ante on this Lone Star classic by making it in a cast-iron skillet. Serve it warm with ice cream for the ultimate treat.
55 of 75
Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Whether you serve it at breakfast, with afternoon tea, or for dessert, a slice of this moist, cinnamon-swirled coffee cake will always be a welcome addition.
56 of 75
German Chocolate Cake
Since the Coconut-Pecan Frosting on this classic cake is so thick, our Test Kitchen recommends pressing it onto the sides and top of the cake with a small spatula, instead of spreading it.
57 of 75
Lemon Loaf Cake
Equally as welcome on a brunch table with coffee as it is after dinner, this Lemon Loaf Cake will become a regular in your home. It can be stored in the freezer (pre-frosting) for up to three months, so you’ll have something sweet on hand at all times.
58 of 75
Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cheesecake
If you love the chocolate-strawberry flavor combination, make this cheesecake your next baking project. Not only does the chocolate ganache look and taste incredible, but it covers up any cracks on top of the cheesecake.
59 of 75
Cherries-And-Cream Icebox Cake
When it’s too hot to turn the oven on, icebox cakes and pies are a Southerner’s dessert of choice. “This cake is absolutely delicious. It’s also visually beautiful,” wrote one reviewer. “When the first piece is cut, the inside is as pretty as the outside, due to the multiple layers.”
60 of 75
Snowy Vanilla Cake With Cream Cheese Buttercream
Straight from the cover of our December 2017 issue, this recipe is one of our most popular white cakes for Christmas. The piped scalloped frosting makes an incredible presentation but you can also spread it over the cake, if you prefer.
61 of 75
Mint Chocolate Chip Cake
If mint chocolate chip is your favorite flavor in the ice cream case, this cake will blow you away. Fresh mint leaves in the chocolate cake batter and creamy frosting make the flavor both refreshing and intense.
62 of 75
Pecan Pie Cake With Browned Butter Frosting
Thanksgiving is usually all about the pies, but if you serve this three-layer stunner, we promise that no one will complain. The salty-sweet browned butter frosting will have them licking their plates.
63 of 75
Strawberry-Lemonade Cake
A slice of summertime baked right in your own kitchen, this cake is filled with fresh berry flavor. In addition to the frosting, there’s homemade Strawberry-Lemonade Jam spread between each layer.
64 of 75
Cranberry-Orange Cake With Orange Buttercream
We love to bring this bright and flavorful cake out during the holiday season, when fresh citrus and cranberries are in abundance.
65 of 75
Apple Butter Pound Cake With Caramel Frosting
Though this fall cake looks beautiful on your cake stand, it’s the ribbon of homemade slow-cooker apple butter that’s the real surprise when you cut into it.
66 of 75
Caramel-Frosted Pound Cake
Pound cake covered in homemade caramel frosting? Yes, please. One commenter said: “I made this for my mom and it was the best cake I’ve ever baked!”
67 of 75
Key Lime Kiss
When is a Key lime pie not a pie? When it’s an icebox cake! Layers of homemade lime custard and store-bought graham crackers combine to make a simple yet showy dessert that’s perfect for company.
68 of 75
Hummingbird Cake
This is the most popular cake recipe in Southern Living history for a reason. Layers of spice cake filled with banana, pineapple, and pecans are swathed in a thick cream cheese frosting.
69 of 75
Strawberry Birthday Cake
Layers of homemade vanilla cake and strawberry compote (flavored with a bit of rum) are covered in a rich cream cheese frosting.
70 of 75
Caramel Apple Coffee Cake
The true test of a good coffee cake is in the streusel, and this one is topped with a luscious caramel sauce that makes this fall treat to die for.
71 of 75
Angel Food Cake
Yes, you can pick up an angel food cake at the grocery store. But when you’ve tasted a light-as-a-cloud, fork-tender, homemade version, it’s pretty hard to compare the two.
72 of 75
Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake
Leave it to Test Kitchen pro and TikTok host Ivy Odom to make strawberry shortcake easier, tastier, and big-batch friendly with this recipe. And it looks gorgeous too!
73 of 75
Mahogany Cake
An old-fashioned favorite that predates the iconic Red Velvet cake, this dessert gets its brownish-red mahogany color from the chemical reaction between buttermilk, baking soda, and cocoa. It’s moist, flavorful, and finished with an even more delicious Ermine frosting.
74 of 75
Banana Cream Pie
Classic cream pie and banana pudding come together in this light and airy pie. The only 22 minutes of hands-on time is yet another reason to try this sweet dessert.
75 of 75
Strawberry Pound Cake
Even if you don’t jump for joy when strawberry season arrives, you will fall in love with this seasonal masterpiece. The pink glaze adds an impressive finish to a moist and buttery pound cake.
Frequently asked Questions
How long can homemade cake stay fresh?
A homemade cake will stay fresh for about three to four days. After three or four days, the cake’s texture will lose its moisture. Refrigerated cake will remain fresh for longer.
How long can homemade cake stay fresh in the freezer?
Cake stored in the freezer will remain fresh for up to three months if it has a cream cheese frosting. If the cake has a buttercream frosting, enjoy the cake within a month.
Read the original article on Southern Living
