45 better cake recipes

Herman milk sourdough starter: a sweet, milk-based fermented batter that becomes the base for Amish friendship bread, cinnamon coffee cakes, and quick breads. Pass cups along to friends; the starter never runs out.

Pineapple nut cake with crushed pineapple baked right into the batter and finished with a nut icing. A no-egg, no-butter dump cake that comes together in minutes with just 5 ingredients.

A campfire coffee cake made in a cast iron Dutch oven with charcoal. Bisquick batter over pie filling, topped with cinnamon sugar and butter. Wake up the whole campsite with this one.

A marbled angel food cake with swirled white and lemon-yellow batters, topped with a tangy lemon glaze. Light as air and gorgeous for spring.

Lavender angel food cake with 12 egg whites beaten to stiff peaks and dried lavender folded into the batter. Light, fragrant, and fat-free. Ready in about an hour.

Light upside-down cake with canned apricot halves on the bottom, topped with a sponge-like batter made from separated eggs and bread crumbs.

Raspberry angel food cake with fresh berries folded directly into the whipped egg white batter. Light, fat-free, and bursting with pockets of fruit.

Two-ingredient brown rice flour griddle cakes, naturally gluten-free. Ferment the batter overnight for tangy flavor or cook them right away like crepes.

A fat-free marbled sponge cake with swirled vanilla white and lemon-yellow batters baked in a tube pan. Feather-light and elegant for any occasion.

Homemade funnel cake with a simple batter of flour, egg, and milk fried golden in swirling patterns and dusted with powdered sugar. County fair flavor at home.

Golden fruitcake with dried apricots, raisins, candied cherries, orange peel, citron, and shaved almonds in a light cake flour batter. Baked low and slow for 4 gorgeous holiday loaves.

A light chocolate banana layer cake with bittersweet chocolate, fresh bananas blended into the batter, and layers of banana cream and sliced bananas. Dusted with powdered sugar for an elegant finish.

Old-fashioned buttermilk gingerbread with a streusel-style crumb topping built from the same dough. Molasses, ginger, and cinnamon meet a tangy buttermilk batter for a soft, warm-spiced cake. Serve warm with whipped cream or baked apple.