246 top cake recipes

Layered chocolate banana trifle with chocolate cake, homemade chocolate pudding, sliced bananas, and whipped cream. Topped with toasted almonds and cherries. A stunning make-ahead dessert.

Rich flourless chocolate mousse cake spiked with Cointreau or Chambord, baked in a water bath and topped with billowy whipped cream. An Italian-style showstopper dessert.

Crisp-fried noodle cake topped with stir-fried leeks, mushrooms, carrots, and bean sprouts in a ginger-garlic sauce. A crunchy, saucy vegetarian Asian main dish.

Flourless raspberry truffle cake made with a full pound of melted chocolate, whipped egg whites, and butter. Topped with sweetened cream, fresh raspberries, and chocolate curls.

Lemon-pecan torte made with ground pecans and matzoh meal instead of flour, topped with a lemon curd glaze. A naturally flourless cake perfect for Passover.

Bristol icebox cake: layers of vanilla wafer crumbs and a crushed pineapple-pecan-butter mixture, chilled overnight and topped with whipped cream. Vintage no-bake dessert.

Rocky road frosting with chocolate, miniature marshmallows, and salted peanuts folded into a buttercream base. The classic ice cream flavor turned into a chunky cake topping.

Cinnamon flop is an old-fashioned coffee cake made from a simple no-egg batter topped with brown sugar, cinnamon, and chunks of butter that melt into gooey pockets as it bakes.

Streusel plum cake with a light, fluffy batter topped with halved plums, cinnamon-brown sugar crumble, and a vanilla glaze drizzle. Works with peaches, apples, or pears too.

Pineapple coconut coffee cake with a yeasted dough base, pineapple preserves, and flaked coconut topping. Only 3 ingredients plus the dough. Great warm or at room temperature.

Rich chocolate tube cake made with unsweetened chocolate, sour cream, and folded egg whites, topped with a warm semi-sweet chocolate frosting. Dense, moist, and intensely chocolatey.

Quick praline peach topping with brown sugar, chopped almonds, and butter spooned over angel food cake. A 5-minute warm dessert sauce with fresh or frozen peaches.

Whole wheat apple coffee cake with currants, toasted walnuts, apple butter, and warm spices. Made lighter with egg whites and canola oil, topped with a sugar crust.

A lighter take on English trifle with sponge cake, strawberries, banana, orange juice, and Greek yogurt topped with flaked almonds. No cooking, no custard, ready in 40 minutes.

Mini rice cake snacks topped with herbed cream cheese and sour cream, baked until warm and bubbly. A quick 10-minute appetizer with tarragon, rosemary, oregano, and dill.

A traditional Dutch spice cake (gevulde speculaas) with a ground almond filling sandwiched between two layers of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg-spiced dough. Topped with whole toasted almonds.