Food and Recipes Party Food and Drink 48 Luscious Layer Cakes Perfect for Any Occasion 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 November 8, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch; Food Styling: Torie Cox The only thing we could possibly love more than cake? Layer cake. Think about it: layers of cake, striped with filling or frosting, and that satisfying moment when you cut into something impressive like our Strawberry Dream Cake. While we love our pound cakes and our coffee cakes, there's just something about a layer cake that's supremely charming. Of course, these layer cakes would be well-suited for any celebration, from birthdays to the holidays. But sometimes, you don't need a layer cake for the occasion—a layer cake is the occasion. We tend to err on the side of more cake, rather than less. From luscious lemon layers to jam cakes to caramel cake recipes so rich you'll need a nap after, we've collected some of our best and most impressive layer cake recipes here. You'll find the legendary Hummingbird Cake, the iconic Lane Cake, and more unexpected surprises, like the bright and fruity Strawberry-Lemonade Cake or the ever-indulgent Bourbon-Chocolate Cake with Browned Buttercream Frosting. 01 of 48 Strawberry-Lemonade Cake Jen Causey Recipe: Strawberry-Lemonade Cake Layers of moist Lemon Cake, Strawberry-Lemonade Jam, and Strawberry Buttercream make this three-layer cake a must for strawberry lovers. 02 of 48 Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake Alison Miksch; Prop styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food styling: Mary-Claire Britton Recipe: Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake Our Southern secret to a moist chocolate cake? Duke's Mayonnaise. 03 of 48 White Chocolate Poinsettia Cake Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: White Chocolate Poinsettia Cake Petal-shaped cookies are the perfect polishing touch for this elegant layered cake. 04 of 48 Mama's German Chocolate Cake Southern Living Recipe: Mama's German Chocolate Cake Layers of fluffy, moist German chocolate cake and creamy Coconut-Pecan Frosting make this towering, triple-decker dessert an instant favorite. 05 of 48 The Coconut Chiffon Cake Hector Sanchez Recipe: The Coconut Chiffon Cake White as a Sunday glove, coconut is the doyenne of Southern layer cakes, a masterpiece of home cookery that has crowned dining room sideboards for more than a hundred years. 06 of 48 Sea Salt-Caramel Cake Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Sea Salt-Caramel Cake Rich caramel frosting topped with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt makes for a fancy finish. 07 of 48 The Red Velvet Cake Hector Sanchez Recipe: The Red Velvet Cake In 1989, an armadillo-shaped groom's cake in Steel Magnolias kicked off a cult following for red velvet. The craze has continued, fueled in part by the red velvet cakes that have graced the Southern Living Christmas cover three times. 08 of 48 Pumpkin Layer Cake with Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting Alison Gootee; Styling: Suzonne Stirling Recipe: Pumpkin Layer Cake with Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting A must-try for pumpkin spice fans, these cake layers can be made up to three days before your event. 09 of 48 Triple-Layer Chocolate-Caramel Cake Greg Dupree Recipe: Triple-Layer Chocolate-Caramel Cake This creamy chocolate and caramel frosting is even better with a a splish of bourbon, but it can be left out without causing any problems. 10 of 48 Best Homemade White Cake Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christina Lane; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Best Homemade White Cake Whether you're a white cake pro or layering for this first time, this is the perfect cake to serve friends and family. 11 of 48 Butter Toffee-Pecan Layer Cake Greg DuPree Recipe: Butter Toffee-Pecan Layer Cake Toffee bits and chopped pecans stud these rich cake layers, and browned butter lends a special touch to the frosting on the top. 12 of 48 The Lane Cake Hector Sanchez Recipe: The Lane Cake In March 1966, Southern Living featured a recipe for Lane Cake in its second issue. Our latest twist? Dried peaches (finely diced and ridiculously delicious) stand in for raisins, and the traditional meringue frosting gets a spirited makeover with a triple shot of peach schnapps. 13 of 48 Eggnog Spice Cake with Bourbon Custard Filling and Eggnog Buttercream Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Eggnog Spice Cake with Bourbon Custard Filling and Eggnog Buttercream Slightly boozy and decorated with a festive, zigzag frosting, guests are sure to enjoy this layered take on Christmas eggnog. 14 of 48 The Lemon Cheese Layer Cake Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: The Lemon Cheese Layer Cake Expecting a twist on cheesecake? You're in for an even sweeter surprise. These layers are filled with a buttery rich lemon curd instead. 15 of 48 Peppermint Cake with Seven-Minute Frosting Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Peppermint Cake with Seven-Minute Frosting Peppermint-vanilla cake and fluffy pink buttercream make a merry combination in this layer cake full of Christmas spirit. 16 of 48 The Jam Cake Hector Sanchez Recipe: The Jam Cake The origins of jam cake lie deep in Appalachia where store-bought sugar was once scarce. Cakes were often sweetened with homemade jams, filled with wild berries and mountain fruits. The payoff for the genius swap? Rich, dense cake layers with a depth of flavor sugar alone can't deliver. 17 of 48 Caramel Cake Jennifer Davick Recipe: Caramel Cake This old-fashioned cake will seal your reputation as a baker. 18 of 48 Hummingbird Cake Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Hummingbird Cake This is the ultimate recipe for Hummingbird Cake. It's the most requested recipe in Southern Living magazine history and frequents covered dish dinners all across the South, always receiving rave reviews. 19 of 48 Strawberry Dream Cake Photo: Greg Dupree Recipe: Strawberry Dream Cake You'll fall in love with this too-good-to-be-true strawberry cake. Fluffy whipped frosting made with marscapone cheese, sugar, whipping cream, and vanilla and almond extracts is the perfect finishing touch. We love the presentation of cake slices with upright strawberries between the layers. When it comes down to the details, this sweet confection takes the cake. 20 of 48 Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse Cake Photo: J. Savage Gibson Recipe: Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse Cake Starting with a boxed cake mix makes this cake both easy and delicious. Kids and adults alike will love the creamy peanut butter mousse between layers of chocolate cake. Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts and serve with a scoop of ice cream. 21 of 48 Lemon-and-Chocolate Doberge Cake Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Lemon-and-Chocolate Doberge Cake Black and white and lemon all over. This striped cake is a thing of beauty. 22 of 48 Chocolate Strawberry Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford Recipe: Chocolate Strawberry Cake Skip the store-bought chocolate-covered strawberries in favor of something a little more decadent, like this Chocolate Strawberry Cake. 23 of 48 Blueberry-Lemon Cake Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Blueberry-Lemon Cake Blueberry and lemon are a match made in heaven, and this recipe is all the proof we need. 24 of 48 Lemon-Cheese Layer Cake Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Recipe: Lemon-Cheese Layer Cake This mile-high cake packs 8 layers of cake into one towering package. 25 of 48 Eggnog Layer Cake with Bourbon-Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Eggnog Layer Cake with Bourbon-Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting Deck the halls with this stunning layer cake, which is packed with plenty of eggnog flavor. 26 of 48 Bourbon-Chocolate Cake with Browned Buttercream Frosting Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop styling: Lydia Pursell Recipe: Bourbon-Chocolate Cake with Browned Buttercream Frosting This cake combines two of our favorite things in the whole wide world: bourbon and chocolate. 27 of 48 Mint Chocolate Chip Cake Southern Living Recipe: Mint Chocolate Chip Cake This Mint Chocolate Chip Cake is pretty in green. If you love everything mint chocolate, you'll adore this cake. 28 of 48 Chocolate Peppermint Cake Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner Recipe: Chocolate Peppermint Cake If you like Peppermint Patties, you'll love our Chocolate Peppermint Cake. 29 of 48 Lemon Raspberry Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford Recipe: Lemon Raspberry Cake Lemon and raspberry work together in this stunning two-layered cake. 30 of 48 Red Velvet Layer Cake Jennifer Davick Recipe: Red Velvet Layer Cake If red velvet is your thing, look no further than our classic Red Velvet Layer Cake recipe. 31 of 48 Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake with Caramel Buttercream Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake with Caramel Buttercream Stack those layers tall and don't bother frosting the sides: you'll want to show off all the goodness that awaits inside these layers. 32 of 48 German Chocolate Cake Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: German Chocolate Cake Sometimes, you just want to stick to the classics, and we'll admit, we do the classics quite well. 33 of 48 Buttermilk-Chocolate Cake Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas: Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Buttermilk-Chocolate Cake Buttermilk brings extra tenderness and moisture to this chocolate layer cake. 34 of 48 The Ultimate Carrot Cake Alison Miksch Recipe: The Ultimate Carrot Cake Complete with candied carrot curls, this carrot cake truly is the ultimate. 35 of 48 Blackberry Jam Cake Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Blackberry Jam Cake Blackberry jam brings just enough fruity tartness to this layer cake. 36 of 48 Praline Layer Cake Greg DuPree Recipe: Praline Layer Cake The praline is one of the South's most beloved sweets, and, in this show-stopping layer cake, it certainly does not disappoint. Candied pecans add a toasty crunch to the top of the cake, while the soft layers are held together with a dark, nutty filling and a silky buttercream frosting. Pecans are great all year long, but there is something about the Fall season that makes you want to bake and bake a lot. This cake will truly satisfy your sweet tooth. 37 of 48 Chocolate Layer Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Southern Living Recipe: Chocolate Layer Cake with Vanilla Buttercream This "choco-licious" dessert temptation is impossible to resist. The addition of hot tap water at the end makes for an exceptionally moist cake. 38 of 48 Toasted Almond-Butter Cake Southern Living Recipe: Toasted Almond-Butter Cake This buttery, moist cake has the perfect hint of almonds and coconut. A sweet Cream Cheese Frosting makes it an even more outstanding way to end the meal. 39 of 48 Chocolate-Praline Cake Southern Living Recipe: Chocolate-Praline Cake This chocolate cake is off-the-charts rich. If you like pralines, you'll love this candy-like frosting. 40 of 48 Gingerbread Cake with Stout Buttercream Southern Living Recipe: Gingerbread Cake with Stout Buttercream The bold flavor of a stout complements the spices in the German-inspired gingerbread cake. Spread a simple buttercream icing over the cake and garnish with toasted pecans. 41 of 48 Lightened Hummingbird Cake Southern Living Recipe: Lightened Hummingbird Cake We lowered the fat and calories by substituting applesauce for some of the oil, using less butter and sugar, fewer eggs, and substituting light for regular cream cheese. 42 of 48 Blackberry-Raspberry Truffle Cake Recipe: Blackberry-Raspberry Truffle Cake Lavish amounts of semisweet chocolate and sour cream give rise to these luscious cake layers. No one will ever guess the recipe begins with a mix. A simple coating of coarsely chopped pecans and a handful of colorful berries will send this towering treat to the table in high style. 43 of 48 Four-Layer Coconut Cake Southern Living Recipe: Four-Layer Coconut Cake Layer upon layer of tropical coconut and soft whipped cream topping make this a year-round favorite indulgence. 44 of 48 Coconut-Almond Cream Layer Cake Beth Dreiling Hontzas / Styling Rose Nguyen / Food styling Marian Cooper Cairns Recipe: Coconut-Almond Cream Cake This decadent layer cake is deliciously rich as well as moist. For a colorful presentation, garnish with kumquats, currants, and fresh mint sprigs. 45 of 48 Chocolate Italian Cake Recipe: Chocolate Italian Cake Finely chopped pecans and a hint of cinnamon in the Chocolate-Cream Cheese frosting gives this chocolate spin-off the classic Italian Cream Cake that something extra. Garnish with pecan halves for a pretty presentation. 46 of 48 Bourbon-Chocolate Cake With Praline Frosting Recipe: Bourbon-Chocolate Cake With Praline Frosting Chocolate Ganache smoothed between layers of rich chocolate cake topped with Praline Frosting and a warm Bourbon Glaze make this recipe fit for special occasions. Serve alongside a warm cup of coffee or tea. 47 of 48 Best Carrot Cake Tina Cornett Recipe: Best Carrot Cake Make this classic favorite for a crowd and you might not have any leftovers to bring home. Simply adding a can of crushed pineapple and the luscious Buttermilk Glaze makes this truly the Best Carrot Cake. 48 of 48 Brown Sugar Layer Cake with Peach Buttercream Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Brown Sugar Layer Cake with Peach Buttercream This warm brown sugar-peach cake celebrates everything we love about the Southern summertime. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit