Celebrate your special day and the season with these fall birthday cake ideas. We have tasty recipes featuring pumpkin, apple, cozy spices and more.
32 Fall Birthday Cake Recipes You’ll Love
Updated on Mar. 17, 2023
Oma’s Apfelkuchen (Grandma’s Apple Cake)
My husband’s German family calls this Oma’s apfelkuchen, which translates to “Grandma’s apple cake.” They’ve been sharing the recipe for more than 150 years. I use Granny Smith apples, but any variety works. —Amy Kirchen, Loveland, Ohio
1/31
2/31
Vertical Carrot Cake
Total Time
1 hour 50 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This vertical spin on a cherished classic is packed with spices and sure to impress. The brown butter cream cheese frosting truly takes this fall birthday cake over the top! —Mark Neufang, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
3/31
Ginger-Glazed Lemon Bundt
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Tangy ginger, tart lemon and puckery cranberries make this melt-in-your-mouth fall birthday cake as crisp—and gorgeous—as autumn. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
4/31
Chocolate Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Years ago, I drove 4-1/2 hours to a cake contest, holding my entry on my lap the whole way. But it paid off. One bite and you'll see why this velvety beauty was named the best chocolate cake recipe and won first prize. —Sandra Johnson, Tioga, Pennsylvania
5/31
Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Since we are originally from Texas, we naturally love sweet potatoes, but this sweet potato cake deserves to be a tradition in any home, whether you’re from the South, East, North or West. My Montana husband rancher loves it and I get great revues from ladies I’ve treated with it at various social events. — Diane Mannix, Helmville, Montana
6/31
Apple Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I am a healthy eater most of the time, but this fall birthday cake is worth the splurge! Every year I treasure the opportunity to make my own birthday cake, and I choose this. You can add a cup of raisins to the batter before baking if you’d like. —Jennifer Owen, Louisville, Kentucky
7/31
Chocolate Ganache Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This decadent triple-layer beauty is pure chocolate indulgence. The cake layers can be frozen prior to final assembly; in fact, they're easier to work with when frozen. —Kathleen Smith, Overland, Missouri
8/31
Pumpkin Cake with Whipped Cinnamon Frosting
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My mom made this for me, and one bite can completely take me back to my childhood. You can easily convert it into a great carrot cake recipe: just use grated carrots in place of pumpkin and add raisins. —Melissa Pelkey Hass, Waleska, Georgia
9/31
Chocolate Pecan Piecaken
Total Time
1 hour 40 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Why fight over whether cake or pie is better when you can combine the two to make this Chocolate Pecan Piecaken recipe? —James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Editor
10/31
Black Walnut Cake
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My mother's family members were all excellent cooks who were known for their great hospitality. As a longtime family favorite, this old-fashioned cake was always expected to be on the menu at holiday dinners, special occasions and potlucks. —Elisabeth Garrison, Elmer, New Jersey
11/31
Cranberry-Almond Pound Cake
Total Time
1 hour 30 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
When you want an extra-special dessert for the holidays, it’s hard to beat a seasonal homemade cake. I like to drizzle mine with a simple but elegant glaze flavored with amaretto. —Jackie Howell, Tucson, Arizona
12/31
Pecan Banana Bundt Cake
Total Time
55 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My daughter, Liz, often made this banana bundt cake for us. It was delicious and different. She discovered five-spice powder during a culinary class field trip. —Marina Castle Kelley, Canyon Country, California
13/31
Butter Pecan Layer Cake
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
16 pieces
From the Recipe Creator:
Pecans and butter give this fall birthday cake the same irresistible flavor as the popular butter pecan ice cream flavor. —Becky Miller, Tallahassee, Florida
14/31
Apple Gingerbread Skillet Cake
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This gingerbread recipe came from my grandmother, and we always ate it with warm applesauce. I adapted it into a one-pan dessert by layering the apples around the bottom of a cast-iron skillet and topping them with the gingerbread batter. The skillet creates a wonderfully thick crust on the gingerbread. —Mary M. Leverette, Columbia, South Carolina
15/31
Peanut Butter Bundt Cake
Total Time
2 hours 30 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This peanut butter Bundt cake with frosting is heavenly to me. I use smooth peanut butter, but crunchy would work, too. —Karen Holt, Rock Hill, South Carolina
16/31
Chocolate Spice Layer Cake with Caramel Icing
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Mariann James of Ferguson, Missouri created a sweet and salty favorite with her original recipe for chocolate spice cake with caramel icing. The spicy chocolate cinnamon cane sugar was a perfect addition to her unique cake. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
17/31
Best Vanilla Cake
Total Time
50 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
There’s a reason this fall birthday cake recipe is the best. Adding creamy vanilla bean paste into the moist, rich cake batter creates a power-packed vanilla flavor that can’t be bought in stores. Try spreading vanilla buttercream frosting on top to finish it off. —Margaret Knoebel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
18/31
Double Butterscotch Coconut Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I got this recipe from a co-worker years ago, and then I changed it a bit by adding a family favorite: butterscotch. It is super easy to throw together and is a perfect accompaniment to coffee or tea. —Marina Castle Kelley, Canyon Country, California
19/31
Maple Walnut Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This maple-flavored birthday cake with candied walnuts honors beloved my grandpa, who made maple syrup when I was a child. It honors his memory and has proven to be a favorite with family and friends throughout the years. —Lori Fee, Middlesex, New York
20/31
Chunky Apple Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
15 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
After taste testing lots of apple cakes, I’ve found this apple cake recipe the best. Full of old-world comfort, the yummy brown sugar sauce really makes the cake special. For a festive occasion, top with a dollop of whipped cream. —Debi Benson, Bakersfield, California
21/31
Pumpkin Pie Cake
Total Time
50 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
No one will guess this showstopper dessert with luscious cinnamon frosting starts with a mix! It's a year-round favorite. —Linda Murray, Allenstown, New Hampshire
22/31
Apple Cider Pound Cake
Total Time
1 hour 25 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Fall in New England is so beautiful, and the apples here are the best! This apple cider cake is a family favorite and I like to serve it with hot cocoa.
23/31
Contest-Winning Chocolate Potato Cake
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I won grand champion honors in a potato festival baking contest with this fall birthday cake. The icing recipe can be doubled if you have a real sweet tooth. —Catherine Hahn, Winamac, Indiana
24/31
Italian Cream Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Buttermilk makes every bite of this awesome Italian cream cheese cake recipe moist and flavorful. I rely on this recipe year-round. —Joyce Lutz, Centerview, Missouri
25/31
Rustic Honey Cake
Total Time
45 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
When my boys were young, they couldn’t drink milk but they could have yogurt. This was a cake they could eat. And it’s one dessert that doesn’t taste overly sweet, which is always a nice change of pace. —Linda Leuer, Hamel, Minnesota
26/31
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
27/31
Majestic Pecan Cake
Total Time
1 hour 50 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This fall birthday cake truly lives up to its name. The pecan-dotted cake is stacked in three layers, and made-from-scratch frosting is the crowning touch.—Karen R. Jones, Claypool, Indiana
28/31
Ginger-Walnut Tube Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My husband, Ken, loves this tube cake with its bits of crystallized ginger. Feel free to drizzle it with a lemony glaze. —Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, NJ
29/31
Pecan Cake with Cookie Butter Frosting
Total Time
45 min
Servings
20 servings.
From the Recipe Creator:
My mom and I bought a jar of cookie butter to try it out, and we fell in love with it. I knew the flavor would go well with maple syrup and pecans, so I came up with this cake. I like to make a pretty design on the top of the cake with pecan halves. —Natalie Larsen, Columbia, Maryland
30/31
Orange Cake
Total Time
55 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A delightful orange frosting is the secret to this cake from Kathleen Gingras of Thorold, Ontario. "It is great with a scoop of ice cream," she suggests.
31/31
Brown Sugar Pound Cake
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This tender pound cake is the first one I mastered. You'll want to eat the browned butter icing by the spoonful. It tastes like pralines. —Shawn Barto, Winter Garden, Florida
