Birthday Cake Recipes - Cooking Light

Our Favorite Birthday Cake Recipes

If you are searching for the perfect birthday cake, you're sure to find exactly what you're looking for in our varied collection. From sheet cakes to layer cakes, meringue frostings to buttercream frostings—here you will find something for everyone.

Our first selection, White Birthday Cake with Italian Meringue Frosting, is a gorgeous white cake that's great for any birthday. The fluffy meringue icing glides easily over the layers and acts as a canvas for any decoration you choose.

View Recipe: White Birthday Cake with Italian Meringue Frosting

Photo: John Autry

Vanilla Cake with Italian Meringue Frosting

Our Italian meringue covered cake makes a beautiful and festive addition to any birthday celebration. Sweet vanilla cake is light and buttery—it won’t leave party-goers feeling overindulged.

View Recipe: Vanilla Cake with Italian Meringue Frosting

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Fresh Coconut Cake

This coconut cake can be enjoyed year round—even if your birthday celebration falls during the cooler months. Even though fresh coconut is sublime, you can use Goya brand coconut water in place of fresh coconut water and buy coconut flakes in the baking aisle.

View Recipe: Fresh Coconut Cake

Double-Caramel Turtle Cake

A candy bar in cake form—yes, please. Let this caramel, chocolate confection be the star of your next birthday party.

View Recipe: Double-Caramel Turtle Cake

Photo: Randy Mayor

Strawberry Layer Cake

To make this birthday cake kid-friendly, use fresh orange juice instead of Grand Marnier in the cream cheese frosting. The bright pink cake will be a lovely surprise when you make the first slice.

View Recipe: Strawberry Layer Cake

Photo: John Autry

Chocolate-Orange Layer Cake

Orange-flavored filling complements the bold chocolate cake and decadent glaze. There is no doubt that this cake with be a birthday party showstopper.

View Recipe: Chocolate-Orange Layer Cake

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Yellow Butter Cake with Vanilla Meringue Frosting

You'll find potato starch on the baking aisle at most of your local supermarkets and health-food stores. Also known as potato flour, it helps ensure the cake will have a fine crumb and moist texture. Your birthday guests will surely notice just how delicious this cake is.

View Recipe: Yellow Butter Cake with Vanilla Meringue Frosting

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Coconut Cake with Buttercream Frosting

This coconut cake recipe is one of our readers' all-time favorites. The frosting is also popular for several other cupcake and cake flavors like carrot, spice and basic white. Before you light the birthday candles, garnish the cake plate with sugar-frosted cranberries and rosemary sprigs.

View Recipe: Coconut Cake with Buttercream Frosting

Photo: John Autry

Carrot Cake

Warm spices and brown sugar add rich, caramelized flavors to this carrot cake. If you can't find fromage blanc, use more cream cheese. This cake is great for a big birthday crowd—it's easy to slice and serve without having to worry about sliding cake layers.

View Recipe: Carrot Cake

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Caramel Layer Cake

Work quickly to spread the frosting on the cake before it begins to set. We call for light brown sugar in the cake to lend a subtly sweet flavor, but dark brown in the frosting to provide a contrasting rich caramel flavor that your birthday party-goers will love. You can use light brown sugar for both the cake and frosting, if you prefer.

View Recipe: Caramel Layer Cake

Photo: John Kernick

Black Forest Cherry Cake

The original cake has many layers; our streamlined version is easy to assemble and doesn't sacrifice any flavor or presentation panache. The heavy cherry filling may cause the cake to sink slightly in the center once assembled, but it won't detract from the stunning presentation—especially once it is aglow with birthday candles.

View Recipe: Black Forest Cherry Cake

Photo: Randy Mayor

Nathan’s Lemon Cake

This is a namesake because the recipe developer’s mom baked it for his birthday every year. We've adapted this recipe to trim the fat and calories, and it's still a moist, lemony treat.

View Recipe: Nathan’s Lemon Cake

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Black and White Angel Food Cake

If your birthday honoree can't decide whether he or she wants vanilla or chocolate, this cake is the perfect choice because it delivers both. Beaten egg whites create the light, airy texture of this classic dessert. Place leftover yolks in an airtight container, cover with a thin layer of water, and refrigerate for up to two days.

View Recipe: Black and White Angel Food Cake

Texas Sheet Cake

This cake yields 20 servings—great for a big birthday crowd. What else? It’s nutritionally sound yet boasts rich, moist texture and flavor.

View Recipe: Texas Sheet Cake

Photo: Lee Harrelson

Fresh Lime Chiffon Cake

This lime chiffon cake is just the right dessert to serve on a warm spring or summer birthday. Light in taste and texture, the recipe uses fat-free whipped topping to keep the calories on the light side as well. For the prettiest presentation, be sure to use the suggested garnishes.

View Recipe: Fresh Lime Chiffon Cake

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Here's a moist, buttery dessert that can make even the smallest birthday gathering a true celebration. It was a favorite with our staffers, receiving top scores for its taste. Fresh edible flowers, such as mums, make an easy, pretty decoration; most people remove the flowers before eating the cake. If you're offering the cake at an informal gathering, serve it right from the pan.

View Recipe: Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Photo: Randy Mayor

Lemon-Lime Layer Cake

To create a nutritionally sound birthday cake that's moist and tender with luscious frosting, we use a combination of full-fat (butter), reduced-fat (1/3-less-fat cream cheese), and fat-free (egg substitute) ingredients. As with any baked good--especially one that's light--measure all ingredients carefully. Twisted lemon and lime slices are a pretty garnish that indicates the flavor of the dessert.

View Recipe: Lemon-Lime Layer Cake