Our Most Baked Cake Recipes of All Time

By Southern Living Editors
Greg DuPree

Whether you have a birthday, anniversary, or dinner party to host (or just major sweet tooth to curb!), these are our best cake recipes to make from scratch. There’s truly never a bad time for a slice of cake, and these are our most delicious desserts you’re going to love. We brought together some of our favorite vintage recipes like Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake, Coconut Cake, and our Ultimate Carrot Cake recipe that will wow guests. Some of our best picks are remakes of the classics, like our Red Velvet Ice-Cream Cake and our Sea Salt-Caramel Cake. So whether you want to keep it old-school with our most timeless choices or mix it up a bit with newer creations, these are our most delicious homemade cake recipes of all time. If you don’t have any events coming up, it’s time to invite company over for a dinner party because you’re going to want to bake every one of these cake recipes from scratch.

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Our Most Baked Cake Recipes of All Time

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Old-Fashioned Pound Cake

Southern Living

Recipe: Old-Fashioned Pound Cake

Seve this any-occasion sweet on its own or dress it up with fresh berries and homemade whipped cream. 

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Strawberry-Lemonade Cake

Jen Causey

Recipe: Strawberry-Lemonade Cake

A slice of summertime baked right in your own kitchen, this cake is jam-packed with fresh flavor...literally. There's homemade Strawberry-Lemonade Jam spread between each layer. 

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Vintage Fresh Apple Cake

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Amy Burke

Recipe: Fresh Apple Cake

Nothing says fall like our cozy Fresh Apple Cake that’s filled with apples, cinnamon, and nuts.

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Mississippi Mud Cake

Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke

Recipe: Mississippi Mud Cake

Southerners young and old love this marshmallow-topped cake recipe. Or, if you already know the recipe for this staple like the back of your hand, try a new twist with our Mississippi Mud Cheesecake. 

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Pumpkin Cake

Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke

Recipe: Pumpkin Cake

Fall festivities call for all the pumpkin flare, and there's no gourd display that can stack up to this layered pumpkin cake.

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Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food styling: Mary-Claire Britton

Recipe: Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

There’s a rich history behind this rich cake, and once you make it, you’ll never question whether mayonnaise belongs in a dessert again.

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Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke

Recipe: Cream Cheese Pound Cake

If you thought your classic pound cake recipe couldn't get any better, then we dare you to add this creamy ingredient to the mix. 

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Sea Salt-Caramel Cake

Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Sea Salt-Caramel Cake

Our most recent rift on the classic caramel cake has the ideal amount of salty and sweet.

 

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The Ultimate Carrot Cake

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: The Ultimate Carrot Cake

Every cook needs a go-to carrot cake recipe for holidays and gatherings, and this one is our best of all time.

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Angel Food Cake

Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke

Recipe: Angel Food Cake

A classic, super-soft Angel Food Cake recipe will never fail at any party.

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Devil’s Food Cake

Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke

Recipe: Devil's Food Cake

As versitle as cakes come, this classic recipe can be used to make a chocolate sheet cake, a batch of cupcakes, or even a cakey trifle layer. 

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Caramel Apple Coffee Cake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: 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.

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Red Velvet Ice-Cream Cake

Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Red Velvet Ice-Cream Cake

This recipe is our summertime-friendly version of our classic Red Velvet Layer Cake.

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King Cake

Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke

Recipe: 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. 

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Homemade Yellow Cake

Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke

Recipe: 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.

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Triple-Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Triple-Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake

This pound cake recipe is fluffy, flavorful, and totally decadent. The best news? We have a recipe for Mini Triple-Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cakes to make serving even easier.

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Honey-Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Recipe: Honey-Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

This classic, eye-catching dessert is made from start to finish in your cast-iron skillet. You’ll love the honey-infused version of Pineapple Upside-Down Cake we came up with.

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The Lane Cake

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: The Lane Cake

This cake has a history that dates back more than 100 years, and we’ll surely be making it hundreds more.

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Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Poke cakes make for the most rich way to feed dessert to a crowd, and this recipe is one of our favorite ways to eat Banana Pudding.

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Key Lime Icebox Cake

Photo: Hector M Sanchez; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck; Food Stylist: Vanessa Rocchio

Recipe: Key Lime Icebox Cake

Key Lime Pies and Icebox Cakes are both essential to Southern cooks, and this easy recipe combines the two perfectly.

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Strawberry Birthday Cake

Southern Living

Recipe: Strawberry Birthday Cake

A strawberry-filled celebration awaits in every slide of this classic cake. Just add candles. 

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Fudge Cake

Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Anna Hampton

Recipe: Fudge Cake

You simply can never go wrong with an indulgent fudge cake recipe, like this classic one from Elizabeth Heiskell’s What Can I Bring? cookbook.

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Italian Ricotta Cheesecake

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Italian Ricotta Cheesecake

Ever since this creative, citrus cheesecake recipe ran in our November 1995 issue, it’s been wildly popular with Southern Living readers.

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Pumpkin-Spice Bundt with Brown Sugar Icing and Candied Pecans

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Pumpkin-Spice Bundt with Brown Sugar Icing and Candied Pecans

Spooning still-warm icing over this pumpkin cake will make the prettiest Bundt for your Thanksgiving table.

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Snowy Vanilla Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream

Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: 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.  

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Pumpkin Cheesecake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake

Put those store-bought pumpkin spice drinks to shame with this autumnal cheesecake that combines all of your favorite fall flavors in every slice. 

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Blueberry-Cornmeal Cake

Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Blueberry Cornmeal Cake

It’s best to make this cornmeal cake in the summer, when fresh blueberries are abundant at the farmers’ market.

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Classic Southern Pound Cake

Skyler Burt

Recipe: Classic Southern Pound Cake

We’ve tried tons of pound cake recipes over the years, and this version is always tried and true.

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Classic Birthday Cake

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Classic Birthday Cake

No matter your age, you can't go wrong with a rainbow sprinkle-topped sheet cake.

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Key Lime Pound Cake

Jen Causey

Recipe: Key Lime Pound Cake

 Our Key Lime Pound Cake somehow manages to be both substantial and airy.

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Pink Lemonade Cake

Southern Living

Recipe: Pink Lemonade Cake

Suited for occasions with feminine flare or a springtime air, this baked-from-scratch cake gets a quick boost of flavor from pre-sweetened pink lemonade drink mix beaten into the into the batter.

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Chocolate Peanut-Butter Cake

Southern Living

Recipe: Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cake

Your sweet tooth has met its match. This rich combination of chocolate and peanut butter is topped with crumbled sandwich cookies for an indulgent finishing touch. 

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Texas Skillet Cake

Photo: Stephen DeVries, Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: 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. 

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Pineapple-Coconut Cake

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Pineapple-Coconut Cake

This elegant layer cake is an all-time reader favorite. Slice into this flaky exterior, and you'll find a delightful burst of tropical flavors.

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Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Antonis Achilleos

Recipe: Cinnamon Coffee Cake

We wouldn't blame you if this cinnamon-filled cake made its way to your breakfast table, too. 

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Classic Coconut Cake

Southern Living

Recipe: Classic Coconut Cake

Complete this all-white layer cake with large flakes of toasted coconut. 

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White Texas Sheet Cake

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: White Texas Sheet Cake

Meet the scrumptious counterpart to the Lone Star legend–the Texas sheet cake. Don't worry, your favorite toppings still steal the show. This recipe simply substitutes white cake for chocolate to mix things up.

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Coconut Pound Cake

Antonis Achilleos

Recipe: Coconut Pound Cake

A ridged Bundt pan is the secret to this cake's gorgeous shape.

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Pumpkin Spice Magic Cake

Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Magic Cake

The magic of the season comes to life in this standout recipe. Inspired by the Mexican dessert called "impossible flan," this fall delight is easier to make than it looks.

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Butter Toffee-Pecan Layer Cake

Greg DuPree

Recipe: Butter Toffee-Pecan Layer Cake

Swathed in a creamy toffee frosting, you'll have to resist cutting yourself a slice before the party guests arrive.

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