Food and Recipes Desserts Cakes 54 From-Scratch Cake Recipes for Your Next Baking Project By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 5, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke Whether you have a birthday, anniversary, or dinner party to host (or just major sweet tooth to curb!), these are our best cake from scratch recipes. 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. These confections will convince you to leave that box of mix on the shelf. 01 of 54 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. 02 of 54 Vintage Fresh Apple Cake 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. 03 of 54 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. 04 of 54 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. 05 of 54 Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake 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. 06 of 54 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. 07 of 54 Sea Salt-Caramel Cake 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. 08 of 54 The Ultimate Carrot Cake 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. 09 of 54 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. 10 of 54 Orange Chiffon Cake Photographer: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: 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 to frost. We consider this cake to be the perfect dessert for spring or summer, but in winter, when citrus is so fresh, this is a welcome bright spot on the dessert buffet. 11 of 54 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. 12 of 54 Old-Fashioned Pound Cake Jennifer Davick Recipe: Old-Fashioned Pound Cake Seve this any-occasion sweet on its own or dress it up with fresh berries and homemade whipped cream. 13 of 54 Red Velvet Ice-Cream Cake 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. 14 of 54 King Cake Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Ana Kelly; Prop Styling: Kay E. 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. 15 of 54 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. 16 of 54 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. 17 of 54 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. 18 of 54 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. 19 of 54 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 richest way to feed dessert to a crowd, and this recipe is one of our favorite ways to eat Banana Pudding. 20 of 54 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. 21 of 54 Strawberry Birthday Cake Southern Living Recipe: Strawberry Birthday Cake A strawberry-filled celebration awaits in every slide of this classic cake. Just add candles. 22 of 54 Fudge Cake 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. 23 of 54 Pumpkin-Spice Bundt with Brown Sugar Icing and Candied Pecans 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. 24 of 54 Snowy Vanilla Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream 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. 25 of 54 Blueberry-Cornmeal Cake 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. 26 of 54 Classic Southern Pound Cake Skyler Burt; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Karen Rankin Recipe: Classic Southern Pound Cake We've tried tons of pound cake recipes over the years, and this version is always tried and true. 27 of 54 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. 28 of 54 Key Lime Pound Cake Jen Causey Recipe: Key Lime Pound Cake Our Key Lime Pound Cake somehow manages to be both substantial and airy. 29 of 54 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. 30 of 54 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. 31 of 54 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. 32 of 54 Classic Coconut Cake Southern Living Recipe: Classic Coconut Cake Complete this all-white layer cake with large flakes of toasted coconut. 33 of 54 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. 34 of 54 Coconut Pound Cake Antonis Achilleos Recipe: Coconut Pound Cake A ridged Bundt pan is the secret to this cake's gorgeous shape. 35 of 54 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. 36 of 54 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. 37 of 54 Cherries-and-Cream Icebox Cake Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner Recipe: 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." 38 of 54 Lemon-Lime Poke Cake Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Lemon-Lime Poke Cake Need to feed dessert to a crowd? Poke cake is the way to go. The citrus flavors and decorations on this one scream summertime. 39 of 54 Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake Johnny Autry; Food and Prop Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake Leave it to Test Kitchen pro and Hey Y'all host Ivy Odom to make strawberry shortcake easier, tastier, and big-batch friendly with this recipe that's a hit with readers. 40 of 54 Blueberry-Lemon Cake Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Blueberry-Lemon Cake Sweet blueberry and tart lemon are a beautiful pair for spring and summer gatherings. This layer cake doesn't require expert decorating skills—simply top with fresh blueberries. 41 of 54 German Chocolate Cake Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: German Chocolate Cake Since the Coconut-Pecan Frosting on this classic cake is so thick, use our Test Kitchen's method of pressing it onto the sides and top of the cake with a small spatula, instead of spreading it. 42 of 54 Lemon Loaf Cake Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Karen Rankin Recipe: 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. 43 of 54 Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cheesecake Photographer: Will Dickey Prop Stylist: Missie Crawford Food Stylist: Erin Merhar Recipe: 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. 44 of 54 Strawberry-Rosé Snack Cake Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Strawberry-Rosé Snack Cake "This Strawberry- Rosé Cake wowed my girlfriends' supper club," wrote on editor. You'll love the floral quality a bit of rosé wine brings to classic strawberry cake. 45 of 54 1234 Cake with Chocolate Frosting Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner Recipe: 1234 Cake with Chocolate Frosting Grandma probably has this classic cake recipe committed to memory, and it's time you learned it, too. It's the easiest way to whip up a dessert for any occasion. 46 of 54 Mint Chocolate Chip Cake Southern Living Recipe: Mint Chocolate Chip Cake Fresh mint leaves offer up better flavor than store-bought extract in this dessert that's perfect for mint chocolate chip ice cream lovers. 47 of 54 Pecan Pie Cake with Browned Butter Frosting Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Pecan Pie Cake with Browned Butter Frosting Thanksgiving is usually all about the pies, but this layered stunner makes the argument for serving cake on Turkey Day. 48 of 54 Cranberry-Orange Cake with Orange Buttercream Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Recipe: 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. 49 of 54 Apple Butter Pound Cake with Caramel Frosting Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: 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. 50 of 54 Wacky Cake Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: 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. 51 of 54 Lemon Raspberry Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford Recipe: Lemon Raspberry Cake The flavors in this beautiful spring confection are all-natural from lemon juice and zest and fresh raspberries. It's the prettiest centerpiece for any celebration. 52 of 54 Caramel-Frosted Pound Cake Southern Living Recipe: Caramel-Frosted Pound Cake Pound cake? Yum. Caramel cake? Yum. Pound cake covered in homemade caramel frosting? Double yum. 53 of 54 Hummingbird Cake Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Hummingbird Cake This is the most popular cake recipe in Southern Living history for a reason. Find out for yourself, y'all! 54 of 54 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. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit