Bring back childhood memories with these homemade cakes. Making a cake recipe from scratch will make any celebration special.
Classic Cake Recipes Made from Scratch
Classic Chocolate Cake
If you need to learn how to make chocolate cake from scratch, this easy homemade chocolate cake recipe is a perfect place to start. It appeared on a can of Hershey’s cocoa way back in 1943. I tried it, my boys liked it, and I’ve been making it ever since. —Betty Follas, Morgan Hill, California
If you’re not a pro and preparing a cake at home, here’s how to make box cake taste homemade!Â
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Skillet Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Total Time
50 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
For a change of pace, you can substitute fresh or frozen peach slices for the pineapple in this old-fashioned recipe. —Bernardine Melton, Paola, Kansas
3/42
Coffee Cake
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
20 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I love the excellent texture of this easy cinnamon coffee cake recipe. Always a crowd-pleaser, its pleasing vanilla flavor enriched by sour cream may remind you of breakfast at Grandma's! Make it the night before a holiday to save time in the morning. —Eleanor Harris, Cape Coral, Florida
4/42
Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf Recipe
Total Time
50 min
Servings
3 mini loaves (6 pieces each)
From the Recipe Creator:
My family always asks for this love-me-tender lemon loaf cake. Sometimes, I shake things up and make cupcakes with the batter. So awesome for brunch! —Lola Baxter, Winnebago, Minnesota
5/42
Chocolate Chiffon Cake
Total Time
1 hour 25 min
Servings
20 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
If you want to offer family and friends a dessert that really stands out from the rest, this is the cake to make. The beautiful high, rich sponge cake is drizzled with a succulent chocolate glaze. —Erma Fox, Memphis, Missouri
6/42
Yellow Cake Recipe
Total Time
40 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This yellow cake will become your go-to recipe for birthdays, but the tender cake with flavorful chocolate buttercream is truly perfect for any occasion. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
7/42
Rum Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
We like a touch of rum for the holidays, and this orangy rum cake is decadent alone or with big swoops of whipped cream. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada
8/42
Classic Tres Leches Cake
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Tres leches means “three milks.” This cake gets its name because it uses three kinds of milk—evaporated, condensed and cream. This tres leches cake’s light and airy texture has made it a classic in Mexican kitchens for generations. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen. But if you’re in a hurry, try this quick cloud cake recipe.
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Carrot Cake
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This wonderful recipe dates back to my great-grandmother. You will love the texture the cake gets from pineapple, coconut and, of course, carrots! For lighter appetites or to serve more people, cut it into smaller pieces and place them in pretty cupcake liners. —Debbie Terenzini-Wilkerson, Lusby, Maryland
10/42
Red Velvet Cake
Total Time
50 min
Servings
14 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
It's just not Christmas at our house until this festive cake appears. This is different from other red velvets I’ve had; the icing is as light as snow. For quicker assembly, you can leave the layers untrimmed and simply frost the top and side of the cake with icing. —Kathryn Davison, Charlotte, North Carolina
11/42
Kentucky Butter Cake
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I found this Kentucky butter cake recipe in an old cookbook I bought at a garage sale and couldn’t wait to try it. I knew it had been someone’s favorite because of the well-worn page. —Joan Gertz, Palmetto, Florida
12/42
Spice Cake
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Whenever I get a craving for a tasty old-fashioned treat, I make this cake. Great cooks in my family have been baking it for generations, and their families have been enjoying the wonderful spice flavor and rich frosting.
—Nancy Duty, Jacksonville, Florida
13/42
Sour Cream Pound Cake
Total Time
1 hour 30 min
Servings
20 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Because I'm our town's postmaster, I can bake only in my spare time. I especially enjoy making desserts such as this one. It tastes amazing as is, or tuck it under ice cream and chocolate syrup like a hot fudge sundae! —Karen Conrad, East Troy, Wisconsin
14/42
Marble Cake
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Pound cake and chocolate make the best marble cake. — Ellen Riley, Birmingham, Alabama
15/42
Black Forest Chocolate Torte
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
If you're thinking about pulling out all the stops for a dessert that says wow, look no further. This cherry-crowned beauty—stacked layers of chocolate cake and cream filling—will have everyone talking. —Doris Grotz, York, Nebraska
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Hummingbird Cake
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
14 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This impressive hummingbird cake is my dad’s favorite, so I always make it for his birthday. It makes a memorable dessert for any celebration and is lovely with a summer meal. —Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, New Jersey
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Gingerbread Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
9 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
The rich molasses and spice flavor of this old-time dessert is complemented with a buttery caramel sauce.—Joy Sparks, Muskegon, Michigan
18/42
Lemon Chiffon Cake
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This moist, airy chiffon cake was my dad's favorite. Mom revamped the original recipe to include lemons. I'm not much of a baker, but whenever I make this dessert my family is thrilled! —Trisha Kammers, Clarkston, Washington
19/42
Carrot Bundt Cake
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My grandma was very special to me. She had a big country kitchen that was full of wonderful aromas any time we visited. This was one of her prized cake recipes, and it continues to be a favorite from generation to generation. —Denise Strasz, Detroit, Michigan
20/42
Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Frosting
Total Time
40 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This moist chocolate cake recipe with coffee reminds me of my grandmother because it was one of her specialties. I bake it often for family parties, and it always brings back fond memories. The cake is light and airy with a delicious chocolate taste. This recipe is a keeper! —Patricia Kreitz, Richland, Pennsylvania
21/42
Upside-Down Fruitcake
Total Time
55 min
Servings
9 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I get tired of people bad-mouthing holiday fruitcakes. It's one of my favorite holiday flavors and I look forward to it every year. This year, I decided to combine it with everyone's favorite, upside-down cake. Try to say no to this fruitcake; I dare you! —James Schend, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
22/42
Butter Pecan Cake
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
16 pieces
From the Recipe Creator:
Pecans and butter give this cake the same irresistible flavor as the ever-popular butter pecan ice cream flavor. —Becky Miller, Tallahassee, Florida
23/42
Funfetti Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This simple and tender cake has been celebrated in my family for years. Dressed up with tinted frosting and confetti, it becomes pure party fun. — Karen Berner, New Canaan, Connecticut
24/42
Angel Food Cake
Total Time
50 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
For our daughter's wedding, a friend made this lovely, airy angel food cake from a recipe she's used for decades. It really is one of the best angel food cake recipes I've found. Serve slices plain or dress them up with fresh fruit. —Marilyn Niemeyer, Doon, Iowa
25/42
Vanilla Mug Cake
Total Time
15 min
Servings
1 serving
From the Recipe Creator:
This easy, microwave-friendly cake is the quickest way to get dessert on the table for one (or even two). Use your favorite 12-ounce mug and enjoy a fluffy vanilla cake with almost no cleanup. —Julie Andrews, Rockford, Michigan
26/42
French Apple Cake
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Dark rum adds richness to the natural flavor of apples in this homey and delicate cake. Serve with a fresh-brewed cup of coffee for a simply wonderful afternoon treat. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
27/42
Blue Velvet Cake
Total Time
50 min
Servings
12 slices
From the Recipe Creator:
You'll be hearing non-stop compliments when you bring this dessert out. A twist on the traditional red velvet cake, this recipe uses blue food coloring to create a showstopping design while keeping the same flavors we love. —Molly Allen, Hood River, Oregon
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Pumpkin Spice Cake
Total Time
50 min
Servings
15 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
The aroma of a rich pumpkin spice cake baking in the oven is the best and surest sign of fall! Once cooled, spread with a cloud of fluffy and tangy cream cheese frosting. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Chocolate Chip Mug Cake
Total Time
15 min
Servings
1 serving
From the Recipe Creator:
This single-serving fluffy cake has a sweet sugar base like a chocolate chip cookie. But unlike a cookie, you only need your microwave and 15 minutes to bake it! —Julie Andrews, Rockford, Michigan
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Battenberg Cake
Total Time
1 hour 35 min
Servings
12 slices
From the Recipe Creator:
Behold, the beautiful Battenberg! This gorgeous, intricate, almond-flavored sponge cake was made famous as a signature challenge on the "Great British Bake-Off." If you're up for personal baking challenge, the results are stunning and, of course, delicious. —Nancy Mock, Southbridge, Massachusetts
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Champagne Cake
Total Time
57 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This champagne cake recipe combines two celebratory treats into one, and we'll cheers to that. Concentrated champagne brings a subtly sweet flavor and added moisture to the cake. —Lisa Kaminski, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
35/42
Apple Fritter Cake
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
15 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Enjoy the classic fall flavors you crave in a fantastic from-scratch cake. Glaze when it's still warm to create that irresistible fritter-like finish. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Orange Olive Oil Cake
Total Time
50 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Citrusy and bright, this orange olive oil cake is the best afternoon snacking cake with a cup of tea or a frothy cappuccino. A really good olive oil makes all the difference. —Cathy Trochelman, Brookfield, Wisconsin
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Vegan Birthday Cake
Total Time
55 min
Servings
12 slices
From the Recipe Creator:
Looking for a quick and easy vegan birthday cake recipe? This moist, fluffy vanilla two-layer cake with chocolate frosting is for you! It easily comes together using common pantry ingredients and is perfect for any celebration. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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White Velvet Cake
Total Time
50 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Consider this the sister to traditional red velvet cake, just without the red food coloring and cocoa powder. It's still made light and tangy with buttermilk and has a texture that's soft, fluffy and, yes, velvety! Layer and top with a luscious cream cheese frosting. —Molly Allen, Hood River, Oregon
39/42
Earl Grey Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This delightful layer cake gets a triple wallop of Earl Grey flavor: steeped milk and finely minced tea leaves go in the batter, then each of the delicate cake layers is brushed with a tea-infused simple syrup. A lovely vanilla frosting adorns it all. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
40/42
Pumpkin Crunch Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
15 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My deliciously spiced pumpkin cake has a built-in crunchy topping created with cake mix, chopped pecans and a drizzle of butter. It's a comforting fall treat to cozy up to time and again! —Cathy Trochelman, Brookfield, Wisconsin
41/42
Kit Kat Cake
Total Time
45 min
Servings
1 cake
From the Recipe Creator:
Looking to create an impressive cake that's also incredibly easy to make? This Kit Kat cake is it! It starts with a chocolate cake prepared from a mix, adorned with Kit Kat candy bars and a handful of M&M's for good measure. —Sarah Tramonte, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
42/42
Nothing Bundt Cake Copycat
Total Time
50 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My kids love chocolate cake so I'm always looking for away to kick it up a little. This recipe is so moist, delicious and easy to make. The kids love it. —Elizabeth Wynne, Aztec, New Mexico
