19 of Our Best Birthday Cake Recipes for Adults (and Kids!) (2024)

How to Make a Cake from Scratch That Looks Like It’s From a Bakery

Buttermilk White Cake with Coconut

This delicate, tender birthday cake recipe includes fluffy frosting and coconut. We include whipped egg whites to create an irresistible, airy crumb. Buttermilk provides just the right amount of tang against that sweet buttercream.

Red Velvet Cake

A little cocoa and red food coloring turn a classic white cake into a red-hot dessert. Buttercream frosting adds an extra layer of decadence to this classic birthday cake recipe.

Dulce de Leche Cake

With irresistible dulce de leche cream, whipped cream frosting, and caramelized sugar drizzle outside, this birthday cake recipe is sure to impress. It needs a night to chill, so be sure to plan accordingly.

Chocolate and Vanilla Red Velvet Cake

This creative take on the classic red velvet cake includes a rich vanilla filling made with white chocolate and mascarpone cheese. The luxurious chocolate ganache frosting makes this a fantastic birthday cake recipe anyone will enjoy, regardless of age.

Vanilla Ruffle Cake

This gorgeous photo might not convince you it's an easy birthday cake recipe, but we promise it is. The simple vanilla cake comes together with butter and a handful of pantry ingredients. Once cool, our almost-homemade buttercream only takes minutes to make, thanks to jarred marshmallow creme. We used a hint of red food coloring for a pink hue, but feel free to use whatever color you want.

Peaches & Cream Prosecco Cake

What better way to toast the guest of honor than with a birthday cake recipe that already has booze? Both the sponge cake and the peach filling are infused with your choice of bubbly Prosecco or sparkling rosé. Add a few sprigs of fresh mint to the cake for a pop of color and a refreshing finish.

Yellow Cake

No need to resort to a boxed mix when you can make a classic yellow cake. Make your birthday cake into a two-layer cake or keep things simple by baking it in a 9x13 pan. Feel free to add some orange zest to the batter to give your cake a citrus twist.

Chocolate-Lover's Cake

This indulgent chocolate birthday cake recipe is topped with a heavenly chocolate butter frosting. It makes the perfect birthday cake for the chocolate lover in your life. Change up the flavor profile with our cherry variation featuring maraschino cherries and cherry preserves.

Buy It: Wilton 9-inch Nonstick Ultra Bake Professional Round Cake Pan ($9, Target)

Layered Ice Cream Cake

Cake and ice cream are a classic combination. Combine them into one delicious bite with this easy birthday cake recipe. We use cake mix as a shortcut ingredient to make the cake layers and fill them with ice cream—keep it classic with vanilla, or choose your favorite flavor. Freeze the cake completely before adding the fluffy cream cheese topping.

Italian Cream Cake

This classic treat is one of the best homemade birthday cake recipes you'll ever taste. Our top-rated three-layer cake gets its rich flavor from coconut and pecans. Extra toasted pecans between the layers add just the right amount of crunch.

Orange-Carrot Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Carrot cake might not be your first choice for a birthday cake recipe, but this one is definitely an exception. Made with orange juice and zest and finished with orange fluff frosting, this cake is full of citrusy goodness.

Six-Layer Strawberry Cake

Six layers might take some time, but your loved one's birthday is worth the extra effort. And don't worry, you're only baking three cakes and then splitting them into two (make sure they're completely cooled before cutting!). Those layers of moist white cake are filled with a rich strawberry-and-lemon cream cheese frosting.

Double Chocolate Cake

With more than 70 ratings from our BH&G readers, this birthday cake recipe is one to remember. Cocoa powder, dark chocolate, and creamy chocolate frosting give the rich cake lots of chocolaty goodness.

Gluten-Free Birthday Cake

If you (or someone in the family) have allergy restrictions, you can still bake a delicious, homemade, gluten-free birthday cake recipe. This gluten-free yellow cake is perfect for topping with plenty of frosting and sprinkles. Keep a container of our gluten-free flour mix on hand for all your baking needs.

Pink Lemonade Cake

Enjoy a taste of summer any time of the year with this lemon-infused birthday cake recipe. Thanks to the addition of frozen lemonade concentrate and lemon extract, you get that zesty punch in every bite. Lemonade buttercream and lemon garnish complete the citrusy dessert.

Layered Blueberry (Pan)Cake

Talk about an impressive birthday cake. Layers of white cake are piled to look just like your favorite breakfast. Maple syrup, blueberries, and two white chocolate squares to mimic the pat of butter make the eye-catching finishing touches. Everyone will be snapping pictures before the candle-blowing time.

Naked Cake

For a more sophisticated birthday cake recipe for adults, give this cake a try. A simple light layer of frosting allows the lemon-olive oil cake layers to shine. To achieve the signature "naked" look, use a bench scraper or cake spatula to thin out the frosting on the sides.

Buy It: Williams Sonoma Olivewood Bench Scraper ($20, Williams Sonoma)

Tres Leches Cake

If you enjoy super-moist cakes, look no further than this birthday cake recipe. Popular in Latin American cultures, the dense cake layers are infused with a thick sauce made with three (tres) types of milk (leche): evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk or whipping cream.

Buy It: Hamilton Beach Classic Hand and Stand Mixer ($66, Walmart)

Double-Layer White Chocolate Cake

Fans of white chocolate will swoon for this birthday cake recipe. The decadent buttery cake incorporates melted white chocolate right into the batter. As if that wasn't sweet enough, we have a seriously delicious white chocolate frosting to go on top. Use our tips for piping those pretty rosettes.