Cake is a beloved dessert that brings joy to many occasions. From birthdays to holidays, a homemade cake can make any event more special. Making cakes from scratch allows you to control the ingredients and customize flavors to your liking.
These 25 cake recipes offer something for every taste and skill level. You’ll find classic favorites like chocolate and vanilla, as well as unique flavors to spice up your baking routine. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced baker, there’s a cake recipe here for you to try. Get ready to impress your friends and family with these delicious homemade creations.
A classic vanilla cake is a timeless dessert that never goes out of style. You’ll love its soft, moist texture and rich vanilla flavor. This cake uses simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
To make it, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture.
Pour the batter into greased cake pans and bake until golden brown. Let cool completely before frosting. For best results, use real vanilla extract and room temperature ingredients.
Red velvet cake is a classic dessert that stands out with its vibrant red color. You’ll love its soft, moist texture and unique flavor.
This cake combines cocoa, buttermilk, and vinegar to create a slightly tangy taste. The rich cream cheese frosting perfectly complements the cake layers.
To make red velvet cake, you’ll mix together flour, cocoa powder, and other dry ingredients. In another bowl, blend butter, sugar, eggs, and red food coloring. Combine the wet and dry mixtures, then add buttermilk and vinegar.
Bake the cake layers until they’re done, then let them cool. Spread cream cheese frosting between the layers and over the entire cake. Enjoy your homemade red velvet treat!
Carrot cake is a sweet and moist treat that’s perfect for any occasion. To make it, you’ll mix wet ingredients like eggs, sugar, and oil with dry ingredients such as flour, cinnamon, and baking soda.
Grated carrots give the cake its signature flavor and texture. You can add extras like chopped nuts or pineapple for more taste and crunch.
Once baked, let the cake cool before frosting. The cream cheese frosting is made by beating cream cheese with butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Spread it generously over your cooled cake for a delicious finish.
Lemon poppy seed cake is a delightful treat that combines tangy citrus flavor with crunchy poppy seeds. You’ll love the bright, fresh taste of this moist and tender cake.
To make it, mix lemon zest and poppy seeds into a simple cake batter. Some recipes use cake mix as a shortcut, while others start from scratch.
The cake is often topped with a lemon glaze or cream cheese frosting for extra sweetness. It’s perfect for brunch, parties, or any time you want a lemony dessert.
For the best flavor, use fresh lemon zest and juice in your cake. Let the poppy seeds soak in buttermilk before adding them to the batter. This helps soften them and spread their nutty taste throughout the cake.
Strawberry shortcake is a classic summer dessert that’s easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser. You can create this treat using a simple vanilla cake as the base.
Start with a soft, fluffy cake layer. You can use a boxed mix for convenience or make it from scratch. Top the cake with fresh, juicy strawberries.
Add a layer of sweetened whipped cream for the perfect finishing touch. The combination of moist cake, sweet berries, and creamy topping is irresistible.
This dessert is perfect for strawberry season. It’s light, refreshing, and showcases the natural sweetness of ripe strawberries. You’ll love how quickly it comes together and how impressive it looks on your table.
Banana nut cake is a tasty treat that combines ripe bananas and crunchy nuts. You’ll love the moist texture and sweet banana flavor. To make it, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, and spices in a bowl.
In another bowl, mash bananas and add eggs, oil, and vanilla. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, then fold in chopped nuts. Pour the batter into a greased pan and bake until golden brown.
For extra flavor, add a cream cheese frosting on top. This cake is perfect for using up overripe bananas. It’s great for dessert or as a snack with coffee or tea.
Funfetti cake brings joy to any celebration with its colorful sprinkles and vanilla flavor. You can make this festive treat from scratch for a moist, fluffy texture.
Start with a white cake base and mix rainbow sprinkles into the batter. Be careful not to overmix, as this can cause the colors to bleed.
For the frosting, whip up a vanilla buttercream and add more sprinkles on top. The result is a cake that’s both visually appealing and delicious.
Funfetti cake works great as a layer cake or in cupcake form. It’s perfect for birthdays, but you can enjoy it any time you want a bit of extra fun in your dessert.
Pineapple upside-down cake is a classic dessert that’s easy to make. You’ll love its sweet and tangy flavor.
To start, melt butter in a baking pan and sprinkle brown sugar on top. Arrange pineapple slices over the sugar mixture. Some recipes add cherries in the pineapple centers for extra color.
Pour cake batter over the fruit. You can use a boxed mix or make it from scratch. For extra flavor, replace some of the water in the recipe with pineapple juice.
Bake the cake until a toothpick comes out clean. After cooling, flip the pan to reveal the caramelized fruit topping. Serve and enjoy this tasty treat!
German Chocolate Cake is a sweet treat you’ll love. It’s not actually from Germany, but was named after Sam German, who created a type of dark baking chocolate.
This cake has layers of chocolate cake with a unique frosting. The frosting is made with egg yolks, evaporated milk, sugar, and butter. It’s then mixed with coconut and pecans.
To make the cake, you’ll need flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and buttermilk. Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately, then combine them. Bake the layers in round pans.
Once cooled, spread the coconut-pecan frosting between the layers and on top. The result is a rich, moist cake with a delightful texture.
Angel food cake is a light and airy dessert that’s perfect for any occasion. This cake uses just a few simple ingredients, including egg whites, sugar, and flour.
To make angel food cake, you’ll need to whip egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Then, gently fold in the dry ingredients.
The cake bakes in a special tube pan, which helps it rise tall and stay fluffy. Once it’s done, flip the pan upside down to cool.
You can enjoy angel food cake plain or dress it up with fresh berries and whipped cream. It’s a great low-fat option for those watching their diet.
Mocha espresso cake combines rich chocolate and coffee flavors for a delicious treat. To make this cake, mix dry ingredients like flour, cocoa powder, and sugar in a bowl.
In another bowl, blend wet ingredients such as eggs, oil, and milk. Add strong coffee or espresso to enhance the flavor.
Combine the wet and dry mixtures, stirring until smooth. Pour the batter into greased cake pans and bake at 350°F for about 35 minutes.
Once cooled, frost the layers with a mocha buttercream. You can sprinkle cocoa powder or chocolate shavings on top for extra flair.
Tiramisu cake brings the classic Italian dessert to life in cake form. You’ll create layers of light sponge cake soaked in coffee and marsala wine.
Between the layers, spread a creamy mascarpone filling. This filling is made by cooking egg yolks, sugar, and marsala over a double boiler until thick.
Dust each layer with cocoa powder for that signature tiramisu look and flavor. The final result is a moist, flavorful cake that captures the essence of tiramisu.
To make this cake, you’ll need an 8 or 9-inch round cake pan. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare the pan with butter and parchment paper.
This tiramisu cake is perfect for special occasions or when you want to impress your guests with an elegant dessert.
Raspberry swirl cheesecake is a delightful dessert that combines creamy cheesecake with tangy raspberry. To make it, you’ll start with a graham cracker crust.
For the filling, mix cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth. Pour this into the crust.
Next, make a raspberry sauce by cooking fresh raspberries with sugar. Strain out the seeds for a smooth puree.
Drop spoonfuls of the raspberry sauce onto the cheesecake batter. Use a knife to swirl it gently, creating a beautiful pattern.
Bake the cheesecake in a water bath until it’s set but still slightly wobbly in the center. Let it cool completely before serving.
Salted caramel cake is a delicious treat that combines sweet and salty flavors. You’ll need to make a yellow cake base and a caramel frosting.
For the cake, cream butter and sugar, then add eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt. Bake in round pans at 350°F for about 25 minutes.
The frosting is made by cooking condensed milk, brown sugar, and butter until thick. Let it cool before spreading between cake layers and on top.
For extra flavor, drizzle some homemade salted caramel sauce over the finished cake. This adds a nice touch and enhances the caramel taste.
This cake combines sweet white chocolate with tangy raspberries for a delightful flavor contrast. To make it, mix butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in melted white chocolate.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Alternate adding this dry mixture and milk to the batter. Pour into cake pans and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes.
For the frosting, beat butter until creamy. Mix in powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Fold in cooled melted white chocolate. Chill the frosting to thicken it up before spreading between cake layers.
Add fresh raspberries between layers for extra flavor and texture. You can also swirl raspberry preserves into the batter before baking for a marbled effect.
Chiffon cake is a light and airy dessert that will melt in your mouth. You’ll love its soft, fluffy texture and delicate flavor.
To make this cake, you’ll need to separate egg whites and yolks. Beat the whites until stiff peaks form. Mix the yolks with oil, water, and flavorings.
Combine flour, sugar, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Fold the egg white mixture into the batter gently. This keeps the cake light and fluffy.
Pour the batter into an ungreased tube pan. Bake at 325°F for about an hour. Let it cool upside down before removing from the pan.
Matcha green tea cake is a delightful treat with a unique flavor. You’ll love its vibrant green color and earthy taste. To make this cake, start by mixing matcha powder with flour and baking powder.
Beat eggs and sugar until fluffy, then add the dry ingredients. Fold in vegetable oil for moisture. Pour the batter into a prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
For extra flavor, add a matcha frosting or dust with powdered sugar. You can also sprinkle chopped pistachios on top for crunch. This cake pairs well with a cup of green tea or coffee.
Hummingbird cake is a Southern classic that combines tropical flavors with a moist, tender crumb. This delightful dessert features bananas, pineapple, and pecans.
To make it, you’ll mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, and baking soda. Then add eggs, oil, mashed bananas, and crushed pineapple. Stir in chopped pecans for crunch.
Pour the batter into greased cake pans and bake at 350°F. Once cooled, frost with cream cheese icing for the perfect finish.
This cake is perfect for special occasions or when you want to treat yourself to something extra special.
Baking Techniques
Good cake baking starts with the right ingredients and methods. Paying attention to these details will help you create delicious cakes every time.
Choosing the Right Ingredients
Start with room temperature eggs and butter. This helps them mix better with other ingredients. Use real buttermilk when called for in a recipe. It adds flavor and helps the cake rise.
Try adding a bit of almond extract to boost flavor. It works well in many cake recipes.
When a recipe asks for cake flour, don’t swap it for all-purpose flour. Cake flour gives your cakes a lighter texture.
Fresh baking powder is key. Test it by putting a little in warm water. If it bubbles, it’s still good.
Oven Temperature and Timing
Preheat your oven before you start mixing ingredients. This ensures it’s at the right temperature when you’re ready to bake.
Use an oven thermometer to check if your oven runs hot or cold. Adjust as needed.
Don’t open the oven door while baking. This can cause your cake to sink.
Check your cake a few minutes before the recipe says it should be done. Ovens can vary.
Let your cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes after baking. Then move it to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Cake Decoration Tips
Want to make your cakes look amazing? Try these simple decoration ideas.
Use a piping bag to create swirls, rosettes, or borders. Practice on parchment paper first to perfect your technique.
Make fondant shapes for fun toppers. Cut out stars, flowers, or animals to match your cake’s theme.
Add texture with a fork or comb. Drag it through frosting for a striped or wavy look.
Create an ombre effect by blending different shades of frosting. Start with the darkest color at the bottom and lighten as you move up.
Sprinkles are an easy way to add color and flair. Use them to cover the sides or make patterns on top.
Try a naked cake look by leaving parts of the cake layers exposed. It’s trendy and requires less frosting.
Use fresh fruit or edible flowers to decorate. They add natural beauty and a pop of color.
Experiment with drip cakes. Pour ganache or colored icing over the edges for a stylish effect.
Don’t forget about writing! Practice piping letters to add personalized messages to your cakes.
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
