Ultimate Cake Recipes (2024)

Let our recipes inspire you with ideas for chocolate cake, red velvet cake, pumpkin cake, coconut cake, carrot cake and other delicious homemade treats.

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Black Forest Cake with Cloud Frosting

Ultimate Cake Recipes (1)

This simplified version of the German classic gets its fruit flavor from cherry jam and cherry juice. Beating heavy cream with cream cheese creates a beautifully light frosting that is lighter than cream cheese frosting but more stable than whipped cream.

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Peach Upside-Down Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (2)

This moist cake from Rendleman Orchards in Alto Pass, Illinois, is ideal for a cookout or summer potluck.

Upside-Down Cake Recipes You'll Flip Over

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Peppermint Patty Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (3)

This dazzling cake boasts dark rich layers and silky Swiss meringue buttercream. That frosting is where you get the peppermint flavor, so baker Kristine Moberg of Queen City Bakery says to use a high-quality extract like Nielsen-Massey.

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Raspberry-Lemon Cakelets

Ultimate Cake Recipes (4)

Tender from cake flour and bright with citrus, this pretty butter cake will surprise you. Pair it with tea or a glass of bubbly.

Sparkling Spring Desserts

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Vanilla Crepe Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (5)

This cake by chef Gavin Kaysen of Bellecour Bakery in the Twin Cities will wow people with its many layers, luscious creaminess and subtle vanilla flavor.

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Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (6)

Angela Garbacz, owner of Goldenrod Pastries in Lincoln, Nebraska, features recipes that adapt to gluten- and dairy-free needs in her cookbook, Perfectly Golden. This simple, sweet cake reminds her of her time in Poland.

Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes to Satisfy Any Sweet Tooth

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German Chocolate Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (7)

This celebration cake is a staple at Bake Chicago. It has a wonderfully fudgy, old-fashioned, homemade texture. The frosting has an unusual method that may feel initially like it's failing, but stick with it. Laced with sour cream, it's creamy and utterly delicious.

Meet Five Midwest Cake Creators (and Try Their Recipes)

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Cocoa Gingerbread with Heaven Frosting

Ultimate Cake Recipes (8)

A humble snack dresses up for company. With its nutty flavor and tiny flecks of toasted milk solids, browned butter elevates a simple cream cheese frosting to saintly levels.

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Chocolate Chai Bundt with Candied Oranges and Rum Buttah

Ultimate Cake Recipes (9)

Reine Keis of SweetArt Cafe in St. Louis says that the secret to vegan baking is not assuming that one plant-based alternative fits all recipes. Coconut yogurt is her power play in this recipe.

Decadent Chocolate Dessert Recipes

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Apple Sour Cream Kuchen

Ultimate Cake Recipes (10)

This German-style, not-too-sweet, yeast-raised cake begs for a cup of coffee. For an extra tang, you can serve it with a dollop of lightly sweetened sour cream.

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes

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Gingerbread Latte Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (11)

Rebekah Stuber of Bay Laurel Baking Company in Des Moines says her flavor-packed spice cakes always earn the most raves. Her secret to airy cream cheese frosting on this gingerbread cake? Folding in whipped cream.

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Seven-or-So Layer Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (12)

This striking (and gluten-free!) cake is inspired by the Jewish bakery classic, Seven-Layer Cake. Our simplified sheet-pan method sandwiches rich mocha glaze with almond cake.

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Doughnut Bundt

Ultimate Cake Recipes (13)

Nutmeg is the secret ingredient that makes this playful Bundt taste just like a cake doughnut. (Be sure to use freshly grated nutmeg—you'll really notice the difference in flavor.)

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Carrot-Spice Cake with Coconut-Pecan Filling

Ultimate Cake Recipes (14)

Tender layers of carrot-tinted spice cake are sandwiched with a luscious coconut-pecan filling—and it's all covered in swirls of classic cream cheese frosting.

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Neapolitan Party Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (15)

This crowd-pleaser is easier than it looks. (You only make one batter.) Garnish the strawberry-frosted cake with double-dipped berries to hint at the festive stripes hiding inside.

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Modern Fruit Cakes

Ultimate Cake Recipes (16)

These super-moist cakes eat like elegant patisserie and are worth every minute of the process. Whipping up a batch to gift? Learn how to make these pretty fruit cake gift boxes for extra sparkle.

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Angel Food Cake with Strawberries and Elderflower Cream

Ultimate Cake Recipes (17)

To "bring the smell of the field" into this dessert, chef James Bloomfield of Traverse City, Michigan, infuses whipping cream with fresh elderflowers. Get the same effect with a splash of St-Germain.

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Cafe Latte's Turtle Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (18)

Sheer three-layered audacity put this creation from a Saint Paul bakery in our hall of fame: buttermilk-cocoa cake, candylike chocolate frosting and creamy caramel sauce.

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Three-Tiered Fudgy Chocolate Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (19)

Buttermilk and sour cream lend moistness and tang to our old-fashioned chocolate cake. All that's missing are the birthday candles.

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Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (20)

Like the chocolate-and-vanilla retro classic, this gingery icebox cake requires some make-ahead assembly—but no baking. And it's absolutely drool-worthy.

Pumpkin Recipes We Absolutely Love

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Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (21)

This utterly unforgettable cake layers moist chocolate-pumpkin cake, luscious milk chocolate ganache and fluffy pumpkin-spice whipped cream. The recipe comes from Minnesota blogger Amanda Rettke iambaker.net.

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Whoopie Pie Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (22)

Karen Cope of Minneapolis won a blue ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair for this stunning chocolate-and-marshmallow cake, based on whoopie pie cookies.

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Prettier by the Pound

Ultimate Cake Recipes (23)

St. Louis pastry chef Nathaniel Reid gives pound cake a chic, patisserie-style makeover. Your trusty loaf pan never had it so good. Try Double Chocolate Pound Cake, Candied Lemon Pound Cake, Yogurt Pound Cake with Apricots and Coconut, or Hazelnut and Milk Chocolate Pound Cake.

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Chocolate Gift Cakes

Ultimate Cake Recipes (24)

These 6-inch gifting cakes are topped with a swoop of silky frosting. The recipe (which makes three cakes) comes from Minneapolis blogger Sarah Kieffer's cookbook Baking for the Holidays.

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Coconut Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (25)

This three-layer wonder stays extra moist thanks to butter and buttermilk. The blue-ribbon recipe is from Teresa Reese of Osceola, Nebraska.

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Cutie-Pie Carrot Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (26)

Book club meeting. Mother's Day brunch. A well-deserved raise. Cream cheese frosting is always the answer, especially when it's on a 6-inch cake that's perfectly sized for life's everyday celebrations.

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Tres Leches Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (27)

A Mexican standard and guaranteed backyard crowd-pleaser, our brown-sugar sheet cake is soaked in milky syrup, chilled, then topped with whipped cream and berries.

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Chocolanutty Banana Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (28)

Dessert or coffee cake? It's up to you. A hint of orange rounds out the flavors.

Rise and Shine Breakfast Breads

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Coffee Nut Torte

Ultimate Cake Recipes (29)

Cocoa and rum flavor the soft butter frosting that crowns this airy three-layer cake from Elizabeth Varga of Barberton, Ohio. The recipe came from her Hungarian grandmother.

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Zucchini Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Drizzle

Ultimate Cake Recipes (30)

With its subtle mix of warm spices, vanilla, maple and citrus (and tangy white icing), this is no ordinary zucchini cake. The recipe comes from The Vegetable Butcher cookbook, by Cara Mangini.

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Lemonade Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (31)

Lemon Butter Frosting tops a summer-perfect cake flavored with thawed lemonade concentrate.

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Fabulous Red Velvet Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (32)

We gussied up chocolate cake mix with sour cream and red food coloring, then crowned this cake with a white chocolate-cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut.

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Toasted Fennel-Lemon Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (33)

This moist beauty begs for a mug of afternoon tea. Fennel seeds add the faintest hint of licorice flavor, just enough to make the cake stand out from the other Bundts in the room. We like the sweeter flavor of Meyer lemons in this cake. Look for them sold in bags at large supermarkets. If you substitute regular lemons, reduce the zest to 2 tablespoons.

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Carrot Pineapple Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (34)

No one will believe you baked this beautiful, moist cake in your slow cooker! The homemade cream cheese frosting is lusciously delicious, but you can substitute canned frosting in a pinch.

Divine Slow-Cooker Desserts

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Poppy Seed Torte

Ultimate Cake Recipes (35)

The recipe for this four-layer cake-with a puddinglike filling, unmistakable poppy seed flavor and soft whipped cream frosting-comes from Wisconsin's White Gull Inn.

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Raspberry Swirl Angel Food Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (36)

A subtle swirl of fresh raspberries infuses this homemade angel food cake with light fruit flavor. Like all angel food cakes, it has no fat or cholesterol.

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Peach Cordial Mini Bundt Cakes

Ultimate Cake Recipes (37)

The memory of a childhood orchard trip inspired Melinsa Murphey of Olathe, Kansas, to create this recipe. The cakes are moist and sweet and quite generously proportioned, so you may want to serve a half-cake to each person (or bake them in muffin cups instead).

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Country Chocolate Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting

Ultimate Cake Recipes (38)

Begging for a crown of birthday candles, this layer cake has two kitchen tricks working in its favor. Mayonnaise yields a moist crumb; sour cream keeps sugary buttercream in tangy check. (Note: This recipe makes enough frosting to fill and frost the entire cake [top and sides]. To leave the sides unfrosted as we did in our photograph, just make a half batch.

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Pumpkin-Praline Layer Cake

Ultimate Cake Recipes (39)

This nutty layer cake is a favorite dessert with Midwest Living® readers. Whipped cream tops a moist filling of pumpkin, brown sugar, pecans, butter and more whipping cream.

Pumpkin Recipes We Absolutely Love

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Ultimate Cake Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What cake flavors go well with cream cheese frosting? ›

Chocolate cake, vanilla cake, pistachio cake, red velvet cake, lemon cake–this community loves them all.

What is the most popular birthday cake flavor? ›

The most loved cake flavour for birthday and anniversary cakes is chocolate. This decadent cake flavour has been satiating many people's sweet teeth for decades. Chocolate has a rich history that makes it more enticing and flavoursome.

Can I replace oil with melted butter in cake mix? ›

Most cake mixes call for oil, but butter will bring in amazing flavor. To substitute butter for oil in baking just melt the butter, measure it, let it cool, and add it as you would the oil. Compared to oil, butter will create a cake with a firmer, cakeier texture.

What are the top 3 cake flavors? ›

Popular cake flavors for custom cakes include classic favorites like chocolate, vanilla, and red velvet, as well as more unique flavors like lemon, carrot, and strawberry.

Should I refrigerate cream cheese frosting before frosting cake? ›

While the addition of butter and powdered sugar does help to stabilize it, cream cheese frosting should only be left out at room temperature for two hours before it needs to be put in the fridge.

What flavor cake goes best with buttercream frosting? ›

Favorite Cake Flavor Combinations
  • Chocolate cake layered with vanilla buttercream.
  • Chocolate truffle: chocolate cake layered with chocolate mousse and chocolate ganache with a buttercream or ganache coverture.
  • Vanilla with vanilla buttercream.
  • Almond cake with almond buttercream.

What kind of frosting do most bakeries use? ›

Most commercial bakeries are using a buttercream made with shortening rather than butter, because it is more stable, especially if it gets warm.

What is the number 1 best cake in the world? ›

Recipes. Sponge cake baked with meringue and almonds becomes the centerpiece of this delightful layer cake filled with custard and whipped cream. Kvæfjordkake began its inception in the north of Norway and has earned it's nickname as verdens beste, “the world's best”.

What is the most luxurious cake? ›

The "Diamond Cake" by Debbie Wingham - Price: $75 million

An amalgamation of luxury and confectionary art, it's embedded with more than 4000 diamonds, including pink, yellow, and white ones, making it not just a cake but a jewelled masterpiece. It's no wonder it holds the crown for the most expensive cake in the world!

What is the number one cake in the United States? ›

When putting all of the data together, we found that the most popular cake in the U.S. is ice cream cake, according to 10 U.S. states. Close behind is strawberry cake, most beloved by seven U.S. states, followed by molten lava cake, coming out on top for five U.S. states.

What does adding an extra egg to cake mix do? ›

Add an Extra Egg

Most cake mixes call for two to three eggs. Just one more egg will add extra moisture, fat, and a little protein, which means the cake will be softer and less likely to overbake and dry out in the oven.

Should you beat eggs before adding to cake mix? ›

Martina says, “Late in the mixing stage, eggs will incorporate better if you lightly beat them before adding to the batter.

What does adding extra egg yolk do to cake? ›

Why are eggs so important in a cake? Eggs, much like soy are emulsifiers and they help to hold the rest of the ingredients together. This creates more structure in your cake or baked goods. Adding an extra yolk will only help to hold the batter together better.

What flavors go together when baking? ›

  • Peanut butter and chocolate. This first flavor combination should come as no surprise: Peanut butter and chocolate is a timeless duo that conjures up feelings of comfort and nostalgia. ...
  • Strawberries and cream. ...
  • Caramel and chocolate. ...
  • Caramel and sea salt. ...
  • Raspberries and dark chocolate. ...
  • Pineapple and coconut.

What are the top 10 cake flavors? ›

Top 10 most popular cake recipes
  1. Lemon drizzle cake.
  2. Ultimate chocolate cake. ...
  3. Carrot cake. ...
  4. Classic victoria sandwich recipe. ...
  5. Raspberry bakewell cake. ...
  6. New York cheesecake. ...
  7. Chocolate brownie cake. ...
  8. Chocolate marble cake. ...
Jul 24, 2023

What is the best taste for dessert combination? ›

Our Top 10 Classic Baking Flavour Combos
  • Mint and Chocolate. ...
  • Lemon and Blueberry. ...
  • Coconut and Lime. ...
  • Almond and Cherry. ...
  • Maple and Pecan. ...
  • Orange and Ginger. ...
  • Pistachio and Rosewater. ...
  • Bacon and Maple Syrup. The savoury, smoky, and salty taste of bacon is beautifully complemented by the sweet and rich flavours of maple syrup.

What cake flavors go well with buttercream? ›

Buttercream Cake Flavours
  • Red Velvet Cake. with/ Vanilla Bean or White Chocolate Buttercream.
  • Traditional Chocolate Cake. with/ Salted Caramel, Raspberry, Coffee, Oreo Buttercream.
  • Coconut Cake. ...
  • Lemon Blueberry or Lemon Raspberry Cake. ...
  • White Chocolate Mud Cake. ...
  • Citrus Cake. ...
  • Persian Love Cake. ...
  • Caramel Mud Cake.

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