Food and Recipes Desserts Cakes Cakes To Bake Every Month In 2023 We've collected 12 of our all-time favorite, well-loved cakes to make for every month of the year. By Hallie Milstein Hallie Milstein Hallie Milstein is an Editorial Fellow for Southern Living covering food and culture. She has been published in Modern Luxury magazines, Our State Magazine, and Hudson Valley Magazine. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on November 22, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: GREG DUPREE; PROP STYLING: KAY E. CLARKE; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL For 2023, baking is at the top of our New Year’s resolutions. Not only does finishing a baking project come with a personal sense of accomplishment, but we think your family will get behind this monthly tradition as well. Think of this list as your baking bucket list to get you started. Drop off a seasonal cake to make your neighbor's day or volunteer to bring dessert to Mother's Day brunch this year. Expert home bakers and novices alike will love concocting these sweet treats that range from playful takes on classic Southern cakes to new recipes worth celebrating. With the variation of cake recipes on this list, you'll hone your decorating abilities and try something new. Celebrate the holidays with new cake traditions and make the sweetest memories with your family while baking. Whether you prefer cupcakes, cheesecake, luscious layers, or Bundts, there's a cake for every taste and skill level on this list. No matter the resolutions you leave undone, there's always, always, always cake. If you're ready to up your baking game, preheat the oven and pencil in these recipes—it's time to get started. 01 of 12 Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake Alison Miksch; Prop styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food styling: Mary-Claire Britton Kick off the year with something simple but oh-so decadent. If rich is what you're looking for, you can't do better than our Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake. As much as Southerners love Duke's, it may not be the first of ingredient you think of when it comes time to get baking, but trust us on this one. With the help of some mayo, this will be the light and fluffy, yet deeply flavored cake you may need to make again before January is even over. "Decadent and delicious," gushes a reviewer. "This was perhaps one of the best cakes I’ve ever eaten. It was rich, moist, and the perfect amount of sweetness." 02 of 12 February: Molten Red Velvet Cakes HECTOR MANUEL SANCHEZ Set the Valentine's Day mood with a couple of these dreamy cakes. With each spoonful of these fluffy, red, miniature cakes, warm chocolate lava will ooze out. With a dessert this sinfully delicious, it can be difficult to share—even with your beloved, individually portioned cakes are the key to keeping the day romantic rather than starting a dessert-motivated scuffle. It's cake good enough to fight over, but better to delight in. 03 of 12 March: Orange Chiffon Cake Photographer: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer As cold February begins to thaw, so too does our aversion to leaving the house. Luncheons, book clubs, and spring gatherings begin to fill up the calendar in March, and this indulgent cake recipe will be your best friend (along with those you prepare it for). Take advantage of the last of winter's bright citrus and whip up this chiffon cake with orange juice and zest in the batter. 04 of 12 April: Bananas Foster Cake with Rum Buttercream Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hilegas This play on bananas foster will blow away every other dessert option at the Easter affair. It's a different, slightly boozy take on a fruity favorite that your guests will be begging for a second slice of, and for your recipe too. Unlike banana bread, you want to use perfectly ripe bananas for this cake, but we've got the trick for browning bananas, too. 05 of 12 May: Classic Southern Pound Cake Skyler Burt; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Karen Rankin Whether you're looking for a pretty dessert to celebrate Mama on Mother's Day or need something sweet to surprise the new neighbors with, this beauty will do the trick. This is a delicious and humble recipe, but the beauty of this classic cake lies in its versatility. Cut a satisfying slice for breakfast, dessert, or as an afternoon snack. "This is my go-to recipe for pound cake," raves one reviewer. "It’s a perfect pound cake, with a nice caramelized crunch on the outside and pillowy soft crumb on the inside. It is the recipe that is most requested by my guests." 06 of 12 June: Petite Blueberry Cheesecakes Sweet, fresh summer blueberries are a lovely match for tart cheesecake. It's a good thing that these delectable cakes come in such tiny packages, otherwise we'd be tempted by their delicious flavor to finish off the batch in one sitting. Make mini cheesecakes in bulk to freeze the leftovers and enjoy them throughout the month. 07 of 12 July: Key Lime Icebox Cake Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Nothing can be certain but death, taxes, and the fact that the South will be hot in July—too hot to turn on the oven, at least. And that's the beauty of the icebox cake. Not only will this cool, creamy, no-bake dessert hit the spot on a balmy summer day, but it can also be made ahead of time for the family Independence Day cookout (just add some red and blue berries!) or any seasonal celebration. 08 of 12 August: Peach Cobbler Cake Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hilegas This stunning layer cake is marvelous mash-up of Southern-favorite peach cobbler and angel food cake. From the light and fluffy cake to the cloudlike whipped cream and fresh, tender peaches, you'll find that this heavenly cake is just what the summer called for. It's pretty as a picture and as satisfying as an August breeze. 09 of 12 September: Apple Butter Pound Cake with Caramel Frosting Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall The weather may still be stifling in most of the South, but September means fall, as far as we're concerned. So we better bake like it, and we all know that autumn baking means apples galore. This succulent cake is made with apple butter, guaranteeing buttery fall flavors in every bite—especially when you beat the butter extra thoroughly. 10 of 12 October: Pumpkin Pie Cake Micah A. Leal When the temperature drops even the slightest bit, we're ready to pretend "fall" is a full season in the South. Baking in autumn (or as we call it, football season) wouldn't be complete without pumpkins. If you love pumpkin pie, you'll be obsessed with this cake rendition that starts with a graham cracker crust and is enjoyed best with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. 11 of 12 November: Butter Toffee-Pecan Layer Cake Greg DuPree Thanksgiving is usually all about the pie, but this year, we're going rogue. We're reluctant to admit it, but no pecan pie stands a chance against this luxurious cake, taken over the top by browned butter and toasted pecans. "Phenomenal cake," raves a reviewer. "Came out just like the photos. Tender and tasty, the caramel frosting kept it moist for over 3 days until it was eaten up. Will definitely make it again!" 12 of 12 December: Sea Salt-Caramel Cake Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Give your classic caramel cake a salty surprise for the holiday season. From fluffy cake, to the scrumptious caramel frosting (that doesn't require a candy thermometer!), and the sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top, this dessert will wow your Christmas crowd. This holiday cake is so good, it will get repeat requests year-round. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit