32 Quick and Easy Birthday Cake Recipes
Updated: May 11, 2023Need to make a birthday cake in a pinch? We've got plenty of festive and easy birthday cake recipes that will please adults and kids alike!
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Mamaw Emily’s Strawberry Cake
My husband loved his Mamaw’s strawberry birthday cake recipe. He thought no one could duplicate it. I made it, and it’s just as scrumptious as he remembers. —Jennifer Bruce, Manitou, Kentucky
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Homemade Confetti Cake
This easy birthday cake recipe is moist and fluffy with lots of sprinkles and a whipped vanilla buttercream. It’s almost impossible not to feel happy when you see the fun pop of rainbow confetti! —Courtney Rich, Highland, Utah
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Rustic Honey Cake
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
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Lemon Sheet Cake
Lemon pie filling lends a splash of citrus flavor to a convenient cake mix, and a rich cream cheese frosting gives it sweetness. My family likes this lemon sheet cake cold, so I cut it into squares and freeze it before serving. —Alyce Dubisar, North Bend, Oregon
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Coconut-Lemon Ice Cream Cake
My family loves this lemon ice cream cake anytime. The sweet cream of coconut and tart lemon juice make a delicious combo, and the streusel adds a nice crunch. —Janet Gill, Canton, Ohio
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Poke Cake
When my family is planning a get-together, I can count on three or four people to ask if I'm bringing this dessert. If you don't have a chocolate cake mix, use a white or yellow one and stir in 3 tablespoons baking cocoa. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas
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Lime Angel Food Cake
For this easy birthday cake recipe, I took a store-bought angel food cake and turned it into this special dessert with a lovely lime cream frosting topped with toasted coconut. It went over big! —Nancy Foust, Stoneboro, Pennsylvania
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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
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Cream Cheese Sheet Cake
This tender, buttery cream cheese cake with a thin layer of fudge frosting is perfect for a crowd. It's always popular at potlucks and parties. It's not uncommon to see folks going back for second and even third pieces. —Gaye Mann, Rocky Mount, North Carolina
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Glazed Chocolate Angel Food Cake
A drizzling of rich chocolate glaze lends an elegant touch and will keep guests wanting more. With only 3g of fat per slice, this easy birthday cake is a treat you’ll want to see year after year! —Mary Relyea, Canastota, New York
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Coconut Poppy Seed Cake
This moist coconut cake is definitely one of my most-requested desserts. Use different cake mixes and pudding flavors for variety. —Gail Cayce, Wautoma, Wisconsin
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Margarita Cake
This margarita cake is perfect on a warm day. You’ll be surprised at how closely it tastes like the real thing. —Dawn Lowenstein, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
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Yummy Chocolate Cake
My husband and I are trying to eat lighter but still crave sweets. This moist, healthy chocolate cake really helps with that. With the rich frosting, it makes a decadent treat! —LaDonna Reed, Ponca City, Oklahoma
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Strawberry Poke Cake
That classic spring treat—strawberry shortcake—takes on a wonderful new twist with this strawberry poke cake recipe. Strawberry gelatin and strawberries liven up each pretty slice of this lovely layered cake that's made from a convenient boxed mix. —Mary Jo Griggs, West Bend, Wisconsin
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Pineapple Breeze Cake
This lovely cake features ladyfingers, a creamy filling and a crushed pineapple topping. It’s a special treat for my large family. —Barbara Joyner, Franklin, Virginia
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Cherry Pudding Cake
A cross between a cake and a cobbler, this dessert is a hit whenever I make it to share at a potluck. My family insists I make an extra batch to leave at home. A neighbor shared the recipe over 30 years ago. —Brenda Parker, Kalamazoo, Michigan
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Pina Colada Tube Cake
We named this a “pina colada” cake because it has coconut, pineapple and rum. It’s a soothing finish at the end of a big spread. —Debra Keil, Owasso, Oklahoma
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Cranberry Crunch Cake
New Jersey is known for its cranberries, and this cake is a delicious way to use them. The marshmallows melt and seep through the cake, making it moist and very tasty. It’s great for brunch or just with a cup of coffee! —Adelaide Krumm, Manasquan, New Jersey
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Chocolate Comfort Cake
This moist and delicious chocolate cake is usually the first dessert to go. People even eat the crumbs. It’s always my top choice for family get-togethers. —Ellen Riley, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
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Berry Dream Cake
I use cherry gelatin to give a boxed cake mix an eye-appealing marbled effect. It's so festive-looking. Top it with whatever fruit you like! —Margaret McNeil, Germantown, Tennessee
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Vanilla Bean Angel Food Cake
Angel food cake is everyone’s favorite blank slate for making awesome desserts. Serve it with a simple glaze or pile on fresh fruit, chocolate sauce or nutty sprinkles. —Leah Rekau, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Strawberry-Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake
I prepare this colorful and easy birthday cake recipe quite often in the summer when fresh rhubarb is abundant. People actually line up for a piece. —Bonnie Krogman, Thompson Falls, Montana
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Pineapple Orange Cake
This is one of my favorite easy birthday cake recipes. It’s moist and light yet so satisfying. I’ve been adapting it for years and now it’s almost guilt-free. —Pam Sjolund, Columbia, South Carolina
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One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
This cake mixes up quickly and bakes while we enjoy our dinner. My son, David, loves to help decorate it. —Coleen Martin, Brookfield, Wisconsin
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Cherry Dream Cake
I serve this cherry cake for get-togethers because it’s so easy. No one will know your secret is adding a package of cherry gelatin to a boxed cake mix! —Margaret McNeil, Germantown, Tennessee
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Orange and Pear Upside-Down Cake
I love cooking with my cast-iron skillet, whether it’s to make a main dish or dessert. This upside-down cake is quick and easy. —Linda Persall, Cullman, Alabama
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Hazelnut Cake Squares
When one of my daughters is asked to bring a dish to a church function, a birthday party or any special occasion, she asks me for this recipe. It is so easy to prepare because it starts with a cake mix. It doesn't need icing, so it's perfect for bake sales too. —Brenda Melancon, McComb, Mississippi
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Black Forest Upside-Down Cake
The divine flavors of this simple Black Forest cake will impress your guests and leave you with many requests for the recipe! —Kimberly Campbell, Wheeling, West Virginia
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Root Beer Float Cake
I add root beer to both the cake batter and fluffy frosting to get that great root beer float taste. Serve this moist cake to a bunch of hungry kids and watch it disappear! —Kat Thompson, Prineville, Oregon
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Rainbow Sherbet Angel Food Cake
Talk about a dessert that pops. Sometimes, I make this easy birthday cake even more eye-catching by coloring the whipped cream, too. Use whatever sherbet flavor combination you like. —Bonnie Hawkins, Elkhorn, Wisconsin
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Lemon Berry Dump Cake
This sweet-tart cake recipe is so much fun to make with my grandkids. They love just "dumping it all in" and watching it magically become a pretty, delicious dessert. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada
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Raspberry Cake
Jazz up plain cake with raspberry gelatin and frozen berries. Spread with a light, fruity whipped topping (or this whipped topping substitute), the festive results make a cool and refreshing dessert. —Marion Anderson, Dalton, MinnesotaUp Next: 16 Adorable Kids Birthday Party Ideas and Decorations
Originally Published: May 07, 2020
