32 Fall Birthday Cake Recipes You’ll Love

Celebrate your special day and the season with these fall birthday cake ideas. We have tasty recipes featuring pumpkin, apple, cozy spices and more.

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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

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Vertical Carrot Cake

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
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Ginger-Glazed Lemon Bundt

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
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Special-Occasion Chocolate Cake

This recipe won Grand Champion at the Alaska State Fair, and with just one bite, you'll see why! The decadent chocolate cake boasts a luscious ganache filling and fudge buttercream frosting. —Cindi DeClue, Anchorage, Alaska
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Sweet Potato Pound Cake

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

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Apple Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting

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
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Three-Layer Chocolate Ganache Cake

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
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Pumpkin Cake with Whipped Cinnamon Frosting

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
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Chocolate Pecan Piecaken

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
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Black Walnut Layer Cake

My sister gave me the recipe for this beautiful fall birthday cake years ago. The thin layer of frosting spread on the outside gives it a chic modern look. —Lynn Glaze, Warren, Ohio
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Cranberry-Almond Pound Cake

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
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Pecan Banana Bundt Cake

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
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Butter Pecan Layer Cake

Pecans and butter give this fall birthday cake the same irresistible flavor as the popular butter pecan ice cream flavor. —Becky Miller, Tallahassee, Florida
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Apple Gingerbread Skillet Cake

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
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Peanut Butter Bundt Cake

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
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Chocolate Spice Layer Cake with Caramel Icing

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
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Best Vanilla Cake

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
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Double Butterscotch Coconut Cake

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
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Maple Walnut Cake

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
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Chunky Apple Cake

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
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Pumpkin Pie Cake

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
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Sparkling Cider Pound Cake

This pound cake is incredible and completely reminds me of fall with every bite. Using sparkling apple cider in the batter and the glaze gives it a delicious and unique flavor. I love everything about it! —Nikki Barton, Providence, Utah
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Contest-Winning Chocolate Potato Cake

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
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Italian Cream Cheese Cake

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
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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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Mama's Spice Cake

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
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Majestic Pecan Cake

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
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Ginger-Walnut Tube Cake

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
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Pecan Cake with Cookie Butter Frosting

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
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Orange Cornmeal Cake

This cake bakes up tender and light with a subtle orange taste. It tastes rich but is comparatively low in saturated fat. Serve the cake as is, or dress it up with a dollop of whipped cream and strawberries or raspberries. It is wonderful warm, but the flavor improves as it sits, so make it a day or two before you plan to serve it. Store the cake at room temperature. —Leigh Rys, Herndon, Virginia
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Brown Sugar Pound Cake

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

Katie Bandurski
As Senior Shopping Editor, Katie connects Taste of Home readers with the best gifts, deals and home products on the market. An avid foodie and a holiday enthusiast, Katie is an expert at cultivating meaningful moments. When she’s out of the office, you’ll find her exploring Wisconsin, trying out new vegetarian recipes and watching Christmas movies.