47 Cake Recipes to Make Any Day a Special Occasion
It’s never not a good time for cake. The question is: Which cake recipe will you choose? Heading to a birthday? Yellow cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles is the gold standard. Need a host gift? Fragrant lemon pound cake sure beats a box of chocolates. Looking to tackle a weekend baking project? Our best carrot cake recipe makes a worthwhile endeavor. Heck, bake your way through this entire collection. We’ve got cakes for every season and every reason. Whether you want sponge or pound cakes, sheet cakes or Bundts, our best cake recipes offer plenty of ways to immerse yourself in the world of batter and buttercream.
Photography by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman, Food Styling by Jesse Szewczyk2/47Easiest Vanilla Birthday Cake
Did you volunteer to bake a birthday cake but \*whispers\* don’t really bake? We’ve got you. This easy, from-scratch vanilla cake features flecks of vanilla bean (fancy!) and a swooshy layer of vanilla frosting. Not into vanilla? Try her chocolate counterpart.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca3/47Double Banana Cake
Photograph by Joe Lingeman, food styling by Shilpa Uskokovic, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua4/47Victoria Sponge Cake
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Summer Moore6/47Raspberry Cake With Whipped Cream Filling
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Suzie Myers7/47Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake
Photograph by Christopher Testani, Food styling by Victoria Granof, prop styling by Alex Brannian8/47Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
9/47Simple Strawberry Shortcakes
Sour cream makes these lemon-scented biscuits tender and airy. Spoon homemade whipped cream and macerated strawberries over the shortcakes for an apt celebration of berry season.
Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Susie Theodorou11/47Apple Cider Doughnut Loaf Cake
Bake the flavors you crave on fall mornings into a tidy little loaf. This apple cake is brushed with a butter-cider mixture and then showered with a crunchy blend of cinnamon and sugar for a cider donut experience you’ll want to put on repeat.
Photograph by Joe Lingeman, food styling by Shilpa Uskokovic, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua12/47PB&J Dome Cake
Photograph by Joe Lingeman, food styling by Shilpa Uskokovic, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua13/47Confetti Cake With Chocolate Frosting
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Stephanie Yeh14/47Preserved-Lemon Tea Cake
Hosting a brunch or afternoon tea? This sunshine-yellow loaf cake will please anyone in attendance. Puréeing preserved lemons and adding them to the batter gives the cake its deep, lemony fragrance and flavor and electrifying color.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou and Natasha Pickowicz, prop styling by Rebecca Bartoshesky15/47Tiramisù Layer Cake With Mascarpone Mousse
An espresso-flavored buttercream frosting and a Marsala-espresso soak ensure this impressive layer cake is eye-openingly delicious. The tangy mascarpone filling provides airy contrast.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Suzie Myers17/47Caramel Apple Snacking Cake
This caramel-apple-inspired cake features grated apples folded into the batter and a generous glaze of homemade caramel. If you can’t find Granny Smiths, use any crisp baking apple.
Photo by Alex Lau, styling by Sean Dooley18/47BA’s Best Angel Food Cake
Consider this snow-white cake a blank canvas, ready to be adorned with whatever toppings you please. We recommend peak-season berries and whipped cream). Save all the leftover egg yolks for another cooking project.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni19/47Tiramisu-y Icebox Cake
From Claire Saffitz’s new cookbook, this recipe channels tiramisu’s creamy, boozy charms into an easy-to-make icebox cake.
Photographs by Jenny Huang, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Sophie Strangio20/47Ricotta Cornmeal Pound Cake
Ricotta adds moisture to the batter, while coarse, nutty cornmeal gives this cake its texture (and if you choose yellow cornmeal, a distinct yellow hue).
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell21/47Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Enriched with sour cream and topped with spiced pecan streusel, this lofty Bundt cake would make any occasion special. Bake it for brunch, afternoon coffee, or just because.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou and Natasha Pickowicz, prop styling by Rebecca Bartoshesky22/47Vanilla Layer Cake With Mango Curd
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni24/47Flourless Chocolate Meringue Cake
Flourless chocolate cake gets a whole new look with meringue folded into the batter, resulting in a striking marbled effect. It also helps the shell of the cake crisp up while baking, locking in the moist, fudgy interior.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk25/47Ginger-Raspberry Icebox Cake With Caramel Cream
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Floral Styling by LaParis Phillips26/47Chocolate Sheet Cake With Brown Butter Frosting
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Stephanie Yeh27/47Chocolate-Matcha Butter Mochi Cake
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca28/47Any-Berry Lemon Ricotta Cake
Using creamy, airy ricotta in lieu of milk, sour cream, or buttermilk in this olive oil cake yields an exceptionally moist and tender crumb. Spoon syrupy, quick-macerated berries over the batter before baking to create its pretty top.
29/47Lemon Pound Cake
Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich30/47Apple-Walnut Upside-Down Cake
Tarte tatin meets pineapple upside-down cake in this tender, nutty apple cake. You’ll caramelize the apples and bake the cake in the same cast-iron skillet, allowing the cake to absorb all the buttery apple bits as it cooks.
Photograph by Julia Stotz31/47Coconut Tres Leches
A soak in cinnamon-infused coconut milk gives this rendition of tres leches its pudding-like consistency, while a shower of shredded coconut flakes adds crunch. Slice in to reveal a hidden layer of strawberry or guava preserves, sandwiched between the cake and cream.
Photograph by Joe Lingeman, food styling by Shilpa Uskokovic, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua32/47Carrot Sheet Cake With Cream Cheese Whip
Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Cyd McDowell. Prop Styling by Paige Hicks33/47Torched Banana Cake
Photograph by Joe Lingeman, food styling by Shilpa Uskokovic, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua34/47Tahini Hot Fudge Skillet Cake
Crisp edges and a chewy center channel brownie-like elements into this unfussy skillet cake. Whisking tahini into the hot fudge sauce tempers the sweetness with nutty, creamy sesame flavor.
Photo by Laura Murray, Food styling by Yekaterina Boystova36/47Black Sesame Mochi Cake With Black Sesame Caramel
Photograph by Eva Kolenko. Food styling by Susie Theodorou. Set design by Kira Corbin. On set producer: Jennifer Thomas.37/47Rum Cake With Sticky Maple Glaze and Coconut
Whipping instant pudding mix into the batter gives this cake its velvety texture. The boozy flavor comes from a rich rum-butter glaze.
Eva Kolenko40/47Blueberry-Lemon Icebox Cake
Sweet, jammy blueberries and tart lemon curd make a dynamic duo in this summery icebox cake recipe. Save any leftover blueberry–chia seed jam for serving.
Alex Lau42/47BA’s Best Chocolate Macaroon Cake
Inspired by chocolate-dipped macaroons, this gluten-free chocolate-coconut cake has shredded coconut in the batter, and a topping of coconut cream ganache. It’s an ideal Passover dessert, but equally good on any occasion.
Bobbi Lin46/47Semolina Cake With Oranges
Semolina, a coarse grind of wheat flour often used to make pasta, gives this simple cake its signature crunchy exterior, while Greek yogurt keeps the inside soft and plush.
