Food and Recipes Desserts Cakes 31 Spice Cake Recipes Every Southerner Should Make This Holiday Season By Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon is a Digital Associate Editor and has been on the Southern Living team since 2017. She helps run the brand's social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok, where she's happily behind the scenes. When she's not ruffling feathers with an etiquette poll via Instagram Stories, she's writing content for the website and assisting in various print projects like gift guides and home stories.She grew up in Mobile, Alabama, which she insists is home to the country's first Mardi Gras (not New Orleans) and now lives in Birmingham with her husband and rescue pup Rocky, whose name is unrelated to The University of Tennessee (Roll Tide). Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on August 18, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Greg Dupree There's nothing like a homemade spice cake to get in the fall and holiday spirit. Made with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, spice cake recipes have just the right amount of zing when paired with sweet ingredients. From the classics like pumpkin spice cakes and apple spice cakes to pretty creations like Pumpkin Spice Battenberg and jam cakes, we have plenty of options to get you from fall to the new year. Whether you want to curl up with a cozy apple slice and a cup of coffee or you need to serve a stunning layer cake for an elegant dinner party, these recipes are just divine. From the start of fall to Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, this round-up is festive, comforting, and oh-so-delicious. With timeless ideas like these, your family might have a new holiday tradition in store. These recipes will comfort you through the entire fall and winter seasons. 01 of 31 Hummingbird Cake Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman Recipe: Hummingbird Cake The Hummingbird Cake is our most popular recipe of all time, and you'll see why once you try a slice. This Southern classic cake is made with pineapples and bananas, and is fashioned into three delicious moist layers topped with cream cheese frosting and pecans. This recipe was first submitted to Southern Living by Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina in 1978. 02 of 31 Pumpkin Layer Cake with Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting Alison Gootee; Styling: Suzonne Stirling Recipe: Pumpkin Layer Cake with Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting New Orleans-based cookbook author and food blogger Joy Wilson shared this beautiful recipe with us, and the best part about it is the cake layers, which can be made up to three days before your event. The gorgeous and tasty caramel and cream cheese frosting looks the best when applied with a small offset spatula to give it that swirly effect on the cake. 03 of 31 Pumpkin Spice-Heath Cake Alison Miksch Recipe: Pumpkin Spice-Heath Cake Sheet cake recipes are the easiest way to feed dessert to a crowd, meaning this recipe is perfect for the holidays. Topped with cream cheese frosting, toffee, and almond candy bits, this scrumptious pumpkin spice cake will be a winner at your next fall party. 04 of 31 Apple Spice Cake Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner Recipe: Apple Spice Cake This no-fuss cake doesn't require any layers or frosting, but delivers plenty of fall flavor in every bite. Top this one-layer cake with some spiced whipped cream when serving. Feel free to sprinkle some additional cinnamon on top if you desire. 05 of 31 Apple Stack Cake Photo: Victor Protasi; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Apple Stack Cake Ronni Lundy's Apple Stack Cake is a labor of love that's so worth it. This cake is best when "cured" for two or three days. After making the cake, simply wrap it in cheesecloth and and plastic wrap, then store it in a cool, dark place (that's not your fridge) for two to three days. 06 of 31 Vintage Fresh Apple Cake Hannah Zimmerman/Southern Living Recipe: Fresh Apple Cake This apple cake, filled with fresh Granny Smith apples and topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting, was made to feed a crowd. Don't be concerned if your batter seems super thick, that's exactly how it should be—nearly the consistency of cookie dough. Garnish the cake by sprinkling on the remaining pecans. 07 of 31 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 This Bundt cake is a total stunner for fall parties. Be sure the icing is still warm when you spoon it over the cake for the prettiest results. 08 of 31 Erika Kwee's Spiced Carrot Cake with Candied Pecans and Caramel Sauce Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner Recipe: Erika Kwee's Spiced Carrot Cake with Candied Pecans and Caramel Sauce If you'd like to make preparation a little easier the day you'll be serving up slices of this cake, you can prepare the candied pecans and caramel a few days in advance. 09 of 31 Hummingbird Bundt Cake Jennifer Davick Recipe: Hummingbird Bundt Cake A less time-consuming version of our ever-popular Hummingbird Cake we mentioned earlier in this round up, this beautiful Bundt is drizzled with a cream cheese glaze. Pur glaze immediately after cooling cake and top with pecans! 10 of 31 Eggnog Spice Cake with Bourbon Custard Filling and Eggnog Buttercream Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Eggnog Spice Cake with Bourbon Custard Filling and Eggnog Buttercream This boozy, four-layer cake has dressy holiday dinner party written all over it. Pipe zigzags by starting at the base of the cake and pipe a 1 ½-inch-wide zigzag of frosting up the side of the cake. Start the next piping at the base touching the first zig zag, and repeat the process until the sides are completed. Grate nutmeg on the top. 11 of 31 Mini Apple Cider Pound Cakes Brian Woodcock Recipe: Mini Apple Cider Pound Cakes Choose from a streusel topping or two glazes for these mini pound cakes that make perfect hostess gifts. You get your choose of three different toppings for these cakes: Streusel Topping, Bourbon Glaze. or Lemon-Sugar Glaze. If you are up to it, why not make all three? 12 of 31 Pumpkin Spice Cake Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Cake This impressive dessert, inspired by a Mexican recipe called "impossible flan," will truly stand out among all other holiday desserts. Use a light-colored bundt pan, as a darker-colored pan may overbake the cake. Sprinkle with pecans, and serve with additional cajeta (Mexican caramel sauce) on the side. 13 of 31 Amanda Mack's Apple-Almond Spice Cake with Brown Butter Frosting Gabriela Herman Recipe: Amanda Mack's Apple-Almond Spice Cake with Brown Butter Frosting You'll find all of fall's favorite spices on the ingredient list for this over-the-top loaf cake including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cardamom. Top the cake with apple chips and toasted sliced almonds. 14 of 31 Pumpkin Spice Battenberg Greg DuPree Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Battenberg This checkerboard-patterned cake ups the ante on the fall cake presentation. Make sure to spray your pan well with cooking spray to keep the parchment paper divider in place for the pumpkin and vanilla layers. 15 of 31 Mexican Chocolate Pudding Cake Brian Woodcock Recipe: Mexican Chocolate Pudding Cake If you like your sweets with a dash of heat, this gooey pudding cake is the dessert for you. Serve with ice cream for the best taste. Your guests are sure to ask for seconds! 16 of 31 Tennessee Jam Bundt Cake Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck Recipe: Tennessee Jam Bundt This classic Southern cake deserves a comeback. Tangy blackberry jam and rich caramel frosting pair perfectly with warm spices on the cake. Immediately pour frosting over the cooled cake. 17 of 31 The Ultimate Carrot Cake Alison Miksch Recipe: The Ultimate Carrot Cake There's never a bad time for carrot cake. If you're really into the presentation, make our Candied Carrot Curls to top this all-time favorite cake. Frost with Brown Sugar-Cream Cheese Frosting in between layers and down the sides of the cake. 18 of 31 Pecan Spice Cake with Caramel-Rum Glaze Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Pecan Spice Cake with Caramel-Rum Glaze This comfy cake has all the flavors you love for fall. The best part? It only takes 30 minutes of hands-on time. The more powdered sugar you put in the glaze, the thicker it will be. 19 of 31 Blackberry Jam Cake Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Blackberry Jam Cake Food Network star, chef, and cookbook author Damaris Phillips shared this timeless layer cake recipe, which was inspired by her Aunt Julie. Pipe on the caramel cream cheese frosting and top the cake with nuts and blackberries. 20 of 31 Acadian Syrup Cake with Roasted Pears and Caramel Sauce Hector Sanchez Recipe: Acadian Syrup Cake with Roasted Pears and Caramel Sauce This Cajun staple is filled with warm spices that are sweetened up by classic cane syrup. Use honey if you can't find pure cane syrup. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the cake, and serve with roasted pears, caramel sauce, and spiced whip cream. Make sure it's warm or at room temperature, don't refrigerate. 21 of 31 Spice Cake with Cranberry Filling Photo: Hector Sanchez Recipe: Spice Cake with Cranberry Filling Between the spice cake layers, cranberry filing, and apple cider frosting, we don't know what our favorite part of this recipe is. We're lucky we don't have to choose just one. 22 of 31 Butterscotch-Spice Trifle Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Butterscotch-Spice Trifle This gorgeous holiday trifle recipe is spicy and sweet (and so easy to put together). It can be made a day in advance to help you with last-minute prep. Refrigerate it for at least four hours before serving. 23 of 31 Apple-Pecan Carrot Cake Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Apple-Pecan Carrot Cake Everything you love about fresh apple cake and carrot cake in one dreamy recipe that's topped with fluffy Mascarpone Frosting. Drizzle the cake with Apple Cider Caramel Sauce over the frosting, and garnish with pecans. 24 of 31 Holiday Spice Cake Alison Miksch Recipe: Holiday Spice Cake This festive cake recipe looks beautiful in our Cherry Spice Cake Trifle (pictured), but you can enjoy it as a layer cake, too. Delicious and makes for a beautiful centerpiece? 25 of 31 Japanese Fruitcake with Lemon-Coconut Frosting Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Japanese Fruitcake with Lemon-Coconut Frosting Recipe This traditional recipe has been a reader favorite for decades, and it's a holiday tradition worth starting. The lemon-coconut frosting is enough to make you want to come back for seconds. 26 of 31 Chocolate-Gingerbread-Toffee Cake Jennifer Davick Recipe: Chocolate-Gingerbread-Toffee Cake Go all out on holiday cheer with this festive recipe that's a true show-stopper. Spread ginger whipped cream on the tops and sides of the cake just before serving. 27 of 31 Cranberry-Apple-Pumpkin Bundt Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck Recipe: Cranberry-Apple Pumpkin Bundt This Bundt cake recipe packs all of our favorite fall and holiday flavors into one. It can't be beaten with its creamy maple glaze drizzle and crunchy pecan and pepita garnish. Pour the glaze immediately onto the cooled cake. 28 of 31 Spice Cake with Citrus Filling Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell Recipe: Spice Cake with Citrus Filling We can't resist a white cake for Christmastime, and this dazzling recipe is filled with holiday flavor. Use a kitchen torch to lightly brown the frosting, if desired. 29 of 31 Marbled Pumpkin Praline Cake Iain Bagwell Recipe: Marbled Pumpkin-Praline Cake This layer cake has so many flavor dimensions that it's guaranteed to impress even the most skeptical guest. This white cake has everything from sugared pecans, and kumquats, to bay leaves. 30 of 31 Sugar-and-Spice Cake Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett Recipe: Sugar-and-Spice Cake Guests will never know that this gorgeous cake started with a box of white cake mix. The vanilla buttercream icing is so good, that you'll want to just eat it straight out of the mixer. 31 of 31 Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake Greg Dupree Recipe: Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake There isn't a recipe that feels more fall than this beautiful Bundt. The sweet cream cheese filling and homemade praline frosting are just the icings on the cake (is that too on the nose?) Garnish the frosting with toasted pecans. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit