Cake Recipes

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Classic Yellow Cake Batter

Layer cake, cupcakes, or loaf cake? One basic batter makes all these and more. Raspberry-Cream Layer Cake, Cappuccino-Chocolate Cupcakes, and Chocolate-Vanilla Marble Cakes each use this entire batch of batter. For the Pineapple Buckle, halve the recipe -- leftover batter would deflate if stored.

25 Easy Cake Recipes That Every Home Baker Should Master

Classics for a reason, these easy cake recipes are just that good. We recommend you give them all a try.

By Jennifer Anderson

Lemon Cake

This cheery lemon cake is perfect for festive occasions. Top it off with our Whipped Frosting that's the perfect light and fluffy complement to this moist cake.

These Beautiful Bundt Cakes Are Surprisingly Easy to Make at Home

Serve these gorgeously shaped cakes at brunch or for dessert—either way, they're guaranteed showstoppers.

By Jennifer Anderson

Truly, Madly, Deeply: 12 Chocolate Cake Recipes to Fall in Love With

Get your fix of rich and intense chocolate with a dozen of our top treats.

By Lynn Andriani

Our 25 Favorite Cheesecake Recipes

Fruit-topped, chocolate-laced, fun-sized, no-bake, made with cream cheese or ricotta -- cheesecake is as adaptable as it is irresistible. Whether you're seeking New York-style tradition or holiday whimsy, there's a cheesecake recipe for every occasion.

By Kelly Vaughan

One-Bowl Chocolate Cake

Birthday? Anniversary? Going-away party? This super-easy, one-bowl layer cake is the perfect dessert for any gathering of chocolate buffs.

No-Bake Cheesecake

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There are certain days during the summer when the last place anyone wants to be is in a hot kitchen. But that's when kids can come to the rescue, making a delicious dessert for the whole family without ever having to ask their parents to turn on the oven. This no-bake cheesecake is sure to please with its creamy center.

German Chocolate Bundt Cake

German chocolate cake is defined by its iconic coconut-pecan frosting; for this recipe, we've bucked tradition and tucked it inside of this Bundt cake instead. Here's the trick: Transfer the batter to the pan, then spoon on the gooey goodness—we used a small ice cream scoop for easy release and evenly distributed dollops. It settles into the middle while baking, so when you cut through that glossy ganache, a scrumptious surprise awaits.

Vanilla Pound Cake

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How sweet it is—pound cake from scratch in three simple steps! We've added vanilla to our recipe for an extra hint of flavor!

No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake

This easy mousse-like treat blends the tartness of Key lime pie with the richness of cheesecake. Its graham-cracker crust sets in the freezer rather than the oven, and the traditional whipped-cream topping is folded right into the filling, along with fresh citrus juice and zest, cream cheese, and sweetened condensed milk. Chill it overnight, and wake up to a world of bliss.

Lucinda's New York-Style Cheesecake

Creamy, tangy, and oh so sweet, this New York-Style Cheesecake will become an instant favorite.

Inspiration and Ideas

20 Must-Make Ice Cream Cake Recipes

We all scream for ice cream…cakes! They’re spectacular make-ahead desserts and can be as simple or as fancy as you please. Whatever you choose, they’ll appeal to adults and kids alike and are a delightful way to celebrate a birthday or end a dinner party.

Our All-Time Favorite Pound Cake Recipes

Check out our collection of recipes -- from the classic vanilla to ones spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, flavored with berries, and yes we have several super chocolatey loaves here.

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Classic Cheesecake

A crumbly graham cracker crust and silky cream cheese filling make this New York-style cheesecake a winner.

All Cake Recipes

Vanilla Sponge Cake with Strawberry-Meringue Buttercream

Tall and light-as-air, this three-layer chiffon cake is a strawberry lover's delight. There are three pounds of berries sandwiched between its layers, mixed into the ethereal whipped frosting, and in a sugar-dusted pile on top.

Strawberry-Swirl Bundt Cake

This rosy riff on a strawberry shortcake is sure to become a new Bundt cake classic. Egg whites and cake flour create a stark white batter (and super tender crumb) that is a perfect canvas for tinting. For the pink part, flavor a third of the batter with ground freeze-dried strawberries. Alternate pouring in the two batters; then swoosh a knife through a few times to swirl. To serve, fill the center of the cake with whipped cream and macerated berries and prepare to impress.

Coconut-Pineapple Loaf Cake

Toasted coconut balances the tart sweetness of pineapple and provides a crunchy topping for this buttery cake. Not too delicate, it's a treat just right for toting.

Citrus Upside-Down Cake

This spectacular cake is practically foolproof to make. You slice a variety of peeled oranges into rounds, nestle them in a butter-rum glaze in a square pan, spread the batter over them, bake, and flip. To achieve the effect of stained-glass windows, we combined blood oranges, Cara Caras, and mandarins.

Key Lime Bundt Cake

This Bundt cake takes its flavor cues from Key lime pie and fuses it with the best part of a coffee cake: the streusel, of course! The cinnamon-scented nubbins get scattered in the pan, layered in the middle, and sprinkled on top before baking. As for the lime, a full cup of juice flavors the batter, the syrup that infuses the cake, and makes an appearance in the sweet and tart glaze.

Chocolate-Raspberry Cake

This beauty is baked with a splash of Chambord and layered with a sweet raspberry filling, both of which offer bright counterpoints to the thick layer of chocolate-cream cheese frosting and whole berries scattered on top. You won't be able to have just one slice.

Lemon-Rhubarb Olive-Oil Bundt Cake

A dairy-free dump and whisk batter means this Bundt is extra easy to make. Plus the olive-oil and whipped egg whites give it a light, fluffy texture reminiscent of a cake donut. And there's a secret technique to this tangy, lemon-rhubarb knockout: a coat of sanding sugar in the pan helps the cake come out of the mold, while also baking into a sparkly shell.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

This all-purpose buttercream has an ultra-silky, stable texture that spreads beautifully over cakes and cupcakes, and can be piped into perfect peaks and patterns.

Classic New York-Style Cheesecake

A dense yet not-heavy classic that can't be beat. For a silky-smooth batter, take care to bring the cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream to room temperature before blending. Using a water bath ensures the cake bakes evenly, so the center doesn’t crack.

Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

Everyone needs a delicious coffee cake recipe in their repertoire, and this cinnamon streusel coffee cake recipe is the perfect option. Meaning "something strewn" in Old German, streusel is easy to throw together -- and then to throw on top of this sour-cream coffee cake. The sweet glaze in the recipe is the perfect coffee cake topping.

Coconut-Sugar Hummingbird Cake

This classic southern cake can be over-the-top sweet. Enter coconut sugar, a sweetener from the sap of the coconut tree's flower buds. While it has no coconut flavor, it does bring a caramelized, almost savory complexity to baked goods. It's perfect in a cake that's plenty sweet (as well as moist), thanks to the fresh banana and pineapple. This recipe appears in our cookbook, "A New Way to Bake" (Clarkson Potter).

Orange-Cardamom Bundt Cake

This cardamom-scented sunburst of a Bundt cake gets a double dose of orange-liqueur-spiked syrup: It's soaked into the bottom via skewer-poked holes, and brushed on top to harden into a fine, crackly glaze that sets off the rays so well. Serve it for brunch or afternoon tea, it pairs especially well with a spiced cup of milky chai.

Rhubarb Crumb Cake

When tart, juicy rhubarb teams up with an orange-scented cake, dessert nirvana is achieved. The stalks offer jammy brightness and a rosy hue, and a crunchy brown-sugar crumble is its crowning glory. Cozy each slice up to a spoonful of whipped cream infused with the reserved rhubarb syrup.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

The combination of rich, buttery cake and caramelized pineapples in this classic dessert will transport guests to the good ol' days. It's traditionally made in a cast-iron skillet, but a 9- or 10-inch cake pan will also get the job done in a pinch.

Raspberry-Swirl Cheesecake

Marbling cheesecake is an easy way to elicit oohs and aahs. This one has a raspberry puree swirled in.

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Go the full eight minutes when creaming the butter and sugar—it helps incorporate air and will give these berry and cream cupcakes a light and fluffy texture.

Lemon-Glazed Sheet Cake

A delicate cake that has a double dose of tangy brightness, thanks to a zest-filled batter and a silky citrus glaze. The optional candied lemon-rind topping adds a design element that will have the crowd swirling with delight.

Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake

This stunner is a naturally gluten-free cake that has a smooth, ultra-rich texture. Packed with decadent dark chocolate and espresso, it's like the mocha latte of your dreams in dessert form. And we haven't even gotten to its best selling point: this cake is super easy to pull together, with only eight basic pantry ingredients and three simple steps.

Cream-Cheese Pound Cakes

For best results, bake these cakes at least a day before serving. Store, wrapped in plastic, for up to three days at room temperature, or freeze for up to three months.

Coconut Cloud Cake

This light, flavorful dessert, filled and topped with seven-minute frosting and coconut, is a little slice of heaven.

Apple-Cider Doughnut Cake

If you love the apple-cider doughnuts often sold at farmers' markets, you'll love this cake! Baked in a Bundt pan, it's essentially a giant cakey doughnut, made a little more wholesome with whole-wheat flour. A blend of olive oil and applesauce helps keep it moist. This classic fall dessert recipe appears in our cookbook, "A New Way to Bake" (Clarkson Potter). Martha also made this recipe on "Martha Bakes" episode 802.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Chocolate lovers will adore this dessert. The edges and top develop a delicately crisp crust while the center remains moist and fudgy.

Hummingbird Carrot Cake

When you give carrot cake a hummingbird-inspired spin, it really takes a slice to new heights. To capture the essence of a classic Hummingbird Cake, we stirred shredded coconut and puréed pineapple into our batter and swapped butter for oil to get a rich crumb and featherweight texture. Then we coated the classic frosting with chopped pecans and topped it with a nest of candied carrots.

Chocolate Cake

Baking an easy dessert like this chocolate cake can be almost as thrilling for a birthday girl or boy as blowing out the candles.

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