57 cake recipes

Whether you’re looking for an easy dessert recipe for entertaining, making a birthday cake (with more ideas here) or looking for easy baking ideas for your family, read on to find our easy cake recipes, then try our favourite vanilla recipes.

How to bake a basic cake

Do I need to line my cake tins?

If a cake recipe tells you to butter and flour a tin then do so. The batter might not rise as well if you don’t (it needs the butter to help it slide upwards). If it tells you not to, don’t! Some cake mixes need a rough surface to help them climb up.

How do I make my cake rise higher?

To help your sponge rise sift the flour a couple of times so that it’s nicely aerated when you add it. Sifting the baking powder along with the flour will make sure that it’s well mixed before beating.

Does the tin size matter?

You can’t change the tin sizes willy-nilly when baking a cake, so if you do use smaller or larger tins, adjust the cooking time (more for smaller tins, as the cake will be thicker, and less for larger ones).

Does it matter where in the oven I put my cake?

If your oven has a hot spot and your cakes always come up risen more on one side, rotate them half way through the cooking time.

How to fold and cream a basic cake mix

How do I soften butter for baking?

It can be a painstakingly time-consuming task waiting for your butter to soften before adding it to pastry as if it is heated in the microwave it’ll be too soft/liquid to make a well-risen cake. For those impatient bakers you can cube your butter, get a bowl of warm water and place the cubes in the water for around 5 minutes and it will be at the perfect temperature for your pastry.

How long do I need to mix the butter and sugar when making a cake mix?

Creaming together the butter and sugar is a traditional way of starting to make a cake, however many bakers do not mix them together for long enough. Spend at least 5 minutes creaming the butter and sugar on a high speed until the mixture turns extremely light, almost white and fluffy for optimal rise and a lighter cake.

How do I fold my cake mix correctly?

Fold thick into thin when combining two lots of mixture for a cake or soufflé. For example, you would add the beaten egg whites to the base, not the other way around. Add a couple of spoonfuls first and stir them in well, then fold in the remainder.

Easy homemade cake recipes

Victoria sponge cake

A classic, simple cake recipe for victoria sponge is one of the recipes that you should have in your repertoire. Once you master this, bake sales and afternoon tea will no longer be daunting, and making variations will be easy.

Rhubarb and custard cake

April is often the month (weather depending) when the rhubarb that is available in the shops changes from that grown indoors to outdoor-grown, which can vary in colour, texture and flavour. Capture its sharp and sweet flavours in cake form with this delicious rhubarb and custard sponge. Soured cream keeps this bake moist, and the crumble topping is a great contrast to rhubarb.

Rhubarb and ginger cake

Bake our easy ginger traybake recipe with moreish Bonne Maman rhubarb compote, perfect with your afternoon cuppa.

Blood orange loaf cake

Blood oranges, celebrated for their ruby red flesh and juice, are only in season for a short time (between January and March), as they need huge temperature shifts in order to grow well – hot in the day and then down to below freezing at night. Check out more of our blood orange recipes.

Biscoff cake

Make this triple-layered bake for a birthday party or celebratory afternoon tea.

Brown sugar breakfast cake

Begin your day by enjoying a slice of yogurt sponge topped with a luscious swirl of brown sugar buttercream. The beauty of this cake is that it tastes even better the day after baking. It’s also a treat that extends beyond breakfast – serve as a dessert with a dollop of cream.

New York crumb cake

Packed with greens and a deeply savoury broth, this is a real winter warmer – use the best quality sausages you can findThis bake is all about the ratio, size and texture of the crumb – at least a third to three-quarters of the cake – and large, fall-apart-in-your-mouth rubbles.

Chocolate biscuit cake

There’s no need to turn on the oven with this caramel biscuit cake. It’s also a great way to use up any broken biscuits in the bottom of the biscuit tin.

Salted honey polenta cake

Sea salt adds richness and enhances flavour in this salted honey polenta cake.

Vanilla cake

Decorate this classic vanilla-scented sandwich cake with fresh flowers and sprinkles for a celebratory feel.

Blood orange polenta drizzle cake

Change up the classic lemon drizzle with juicy blood oranges. Our polenta cake is easy to make and the ideal sweet treat to accompany your morning coffee.

Oreo cake

Fans of Oreo will love this triple-stacked sponge cake, slathered with a light and airy Oreo buttercream.

Madeira cake

Serve this madeira cake with a spoonful of greek yogurt and your favourite berries, or a little chocolate spread for a special treat.

Coffee cake with cappuccino buttercream

Try our super easy coffee slab cake, this recipe is nut-free and comes with a creamy cappuccino buttercream. This simple yet moreish cake is perfect for parties, birthdays or just family gatherings. Check out more of our best coffee recipes here.

Easy pound cake

The oldies are the goodies. You can count on this classic vanilla pound cake recipe, perfect for slicing thickly and enjoying with a mug of tea. It doesn't get easier than this golden-brown beauty.

Easy carrot cake

Try our simple carrot cake recipe that's easy to make. Everyone loves the spiced flavour of carrot cake. We’ve added muscovado sugar for a richer flavour, golden sultanas and pecans for texture and a shot of syrup to sweeten the frosting.

Cherry cake

Use up storecupboard ingredients with this simple, tasty cherry cake, with only 10 minutes of hands-on-time needed.

School cake

Ever so simple to make, check out this vanilla sponge traybake, perfect for a celebration or get-together.

Tottenham cake

This cake originates from the Tottenham area in North London from the early 1900s. Topping a light sponge with raspberry icing, scatter desiccated coconut or sprinkles on top.

Chocolate drip cake

We’ve upped the ante on classic chocolate cake with this drip cake recipe – the sponge is slathered in chocolate buttercream and topped with glossy ganache.

Chocolate sponge cake

Need a super easy chocolate cake? Check out this quick and easy basic chocolate sponge cake. This moist chocolate cake is a super simple, all-in-one cake for all those chocolate lovers out there. Serve with an extra dollop of cream for ultra indulgence. Best chocolate recipes here...

Red velvet cake

Give your chocolate cake a red tinge in this classic American cake recipe, covered in silky-smooth cheese frosting for extra indulgence.

Easy chocolate cake

Our really popular and easy chocolate fudge cake recipe is super easy and quick to make so it is perfect for when you need to bake a last minute simple cake for a special occasion. Why not try some of our other delicious chocolate cake recipes?

Salted caramel cake

This cake has serious wow factor thanks to the head-to-toe salted caramel flavouring: both the sponge and buttercream are flavoured with salted caramel, topped with nuggets of fudge and lashings of salted caramel sauce.

Lemon and poppy seed cake

Petersham Nurseries’ pretty lemon and poppyseed cake makes for a moist and moreish sweet treat to present to friends and family.

Peanut butter banana bread

This is an easy banana cake recipe to try – a real nutty twist on everyone's favourite. Serve with your freshly brewed morning coffee. Discover even more banana bread, banana cake and banana muffin recipes here.

Orange drizzle cake

This moist cake is more subtle than a lemon drizzle and is even better a day after baking, so it’s perfect if you’re thinking ahead for future guests or events.

Dorset apple cake

Capture the essence of autumn with this delightful apple cake, a perfect treat for the season. Featuring a crunchy demerara sugar topping and a soft, lightly spiced sponge, it’s incredibly easy to make and can stay fresh for up to five days when stored in the fridge.

Date and walnut cake

Enjoy this simple all-in-one loaf cake for an afternoon treat. Serve with a cup of tea or cold glass of milk.

Espresso martini cake pops

Transform cake pops into a grown-up treat with espresso powder, Kahlúa and vodka. Shop-bought madeira loaf cakes make it more effortless, too.

Prosecco cake

Try this Victoria sponge, which combines elements of a lemon drizzle cake and a buck's fizz cocktail. It’s great for a special occasion or simply to have with your afternoon cuppa.

Fig cake

Soft and squidgy figs are mixed with marsala then baked into a vanilla and almond sponge, a comforting cake that’s great alongside a cup of tea.

Black velvet cake

This rich, dark marble cake is flavoured with Guinness and prosecco to take it to the next level.

Apple crumble cake

Combine the comfort of an apple crumble with a fluffy sponge to create this autumnal fruit pudding. Serve ample amounts of custard or cream for added indulgence.

Toffee apple cake

Looking for an autumnal afternoon tea treat? Check out this crowd-pleasing toffee apple cake, topped with a sticky toffee frosting.

Pumpkin cake

Celebrate the arrival of autumn with this seasonal special. Made with real pumpkin, its also dotted with nuts, flavoured with maple syrup and finished with a zesty soft cheese topping. Perfect for Halloween or Bonfire Night.

Chocolate and salted caramel ice-cream bombe

Why not make our impressive frozen no-bake chocolate and ice cream dessert recipe? This easy chocolate bombe recipe uses chocolate Swiss roll cake and Maltesers for extra indulgence and crunch, plus, there's no need to bake in the oven.

Classic marble cake

Perfect for when you have guests popping over last minute, this minimal effort cake delivers a comforting hit of vanilla and chocolate.

Almond cake

You don’t need to be a nut-lover to enjoy this crowd-pleasing cake. Serve with a cuppa and berries and cream for a real tea-time treat.

Kids' chocolate birthday cake

This easy chocolate sheet cake works brilliantly as a base for any kid's birthday cake. We've added a chocolate frosting here, but you could it personalise it with a different topping if you like. Try another of our traybake or sheet cake recipes here.

Lemon cupcakes

These cute little lemon cupcakes would work equally well for a kid's party, baby shower or just a treat to serve with afternoon tea. If you love cupcakes then check out more of our best cupcake recipes here...

Lemon drizzle cake

A classic lemon drizzle cake that sounds as good as it tastes. If you fancy some enjoyable baking with a great reward at the end, this recipe is for you. We've got more lemon dessert and pudding recipes here.

Chocolate orange cake

Chocolate and orange is a classic sweet flavour combination. Treat yourself to this indulgent chocolate cake, laced with orange curd and zest and slathered with moreish chocolate orange buttercream.

Ultimate Victoria sponge

Follow these simple steps to get a beautiful, classic jam and cream sponge sandwich that is lighter than air.

Passionfruit layer cake

A simple sponge cake layered with the tangy, fresh-tasting sweetness of a passion fruit icing. This easy cake recipe would make a lovely afternoon tea treat. Discover our best layer cake recipes here.

Coffee cake with pecan brittle

Classic coffee cake is one of our all-time favourite afternoon treats. In this easy recipe, we've given it a modern twist to include deliciously crunchy pecan brittle. See our best ever coffee recipes for more inspiration.

White chocolate fudge cake

Liked our easiest ever chocolate fudge cake? Then you really, really have to try the white chocolate version. It looks fantastic and is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.

Raspberry custard cake

Check out this easy traybake recipe with sweet and juicy raspberries and creamy custard, a perfect teatime treat. Long-life custard is a bit more stable and usually thicker than fresh, so it's good for baking into cakes.

Persian love cake

Check out this beautiful Persian love cake, wonderfully fragrant thanks to cardamom, nutmeg and pistachios.

Zuccotto

Fancy baking something a little different? Why not go for our version of zuccotto chocolate cake – a classic Italian dessert with sponge, chocolate and a splash of booze.

Black cake

Check out this speedy version of the classic Caribbean treat – featuring port, dark rum and dried fruits, it's rich and decadent.

Oreo Baileys fridge cake

Icebox cakes are a popular no-bake dessert in America and are incredibly simple to make – simply layer thin, crisp chocolate biscuits with sweetened whipped cream. Left overnight, the biscuits soften and become ‘cake’. Here we've used Oreos and Baileys cream to make ours extra-indulgent.

Blackberry cake

Sweet but tart blackberries are in season in the summer – put them to work in this pretty cake with fresh fruit baked into the sponge and a vibrant coulis drizzled over freshly whipped cream.

Chocolate loaf cake

Chocolate lovers, this one’s for you: a dark chocolate loaf is infused with espresso and topped with a creamy ganache and a sprinkle of chilli flakes for a subtly spicy hit.

Grapefruit drizzle cake

A moreish, sugary crust gives a wonderful texture in this seasonal spin on lemon drizzle.

Matcha crêpe cake

Our no-bake matcha mille crêpe cake looks really impressive but is also easy to make. Create this beautiful green tea-inspired cake using layers of crêpes and custard cream and dust with some matcha powder to finish.

Coffee loaf cake with mocha fudge frosting

If your daily coffee shop treat is always a mocha, you’ll just love this coffee cake. It has a really indulgent icing made with dark chocolate and coffee – yumm!

Vietnamese coffee loaf cake

A rich, creamy loaf cake inspired by classic Vietnamese iced coffee, with a Russian buttercream topping. Bake Edd Kimber's showstopping creation with our step-by-step guide.

Aperol cake

Oranges start coming into season in the colder months, giving winter bakes a much-needed sunny hit. This pretty drizzle cake with Aperol does just the trick, perfect for feeding guests at a grown-up afternoon tea.

Strawberry and pistachio cake

This lovely summer pistachio cake with strawberry icing is worth the extra effort. When strawberries smell good, they should be at optimum ripeness and have flavour – perfect for this cake.

Pistachio and chocolate icebox cake

In this impressive no-bake dessert, biscuits become softened by the ice cream and the whole thing holds together so you can cut it into wedges. You only need a handful of ingredients, too.

Coffee and cream fridge cake

Wow the whole family with this nostalgic no-bake fridge cake, packed with layers and layers of indulgence. It only requires a few ingredients plus there's no need to turn on the oven.

Vegan lemon loaf cake

A delicate, zingy vegan lemon cake made without eggs, milk or butter! The key to that lemony tang is a decent lemon extract (we use Nielsen-Massey). Check out more impressive vegan baking ideas.

Finally, here's how to cool, dry and store cakes

Do I need to cool my cakes?

Cool your cakes in the tin when they are very hot. Once they can be handled, take them out. Otherwise they will steam and end up soggy.

How long do I let my cake cool before icing?

Before icing cakes or any baked produce, remember to leave them to cool completely; they need to be cold. Being at an ideal temperatures means that the icing will stay exactly where it needs to be and will not run off the cake.

How do I cut a cake?

Use dental floss to cut a cake in half; it works like a cheese wire. But not the mint flavour, of course!

How do I fix a dry cake?

Your heart deflates when you realise that all the time and effort spent baking a cake has been wasted because once it’s out of the tin, it’s dry. Fear not; just make a simple syrup. Boil equal parts sugar and water together and brush it over the dry cake, the sweet liquid will seep into the sponge creating more moisture.

How do I store a cake?

The two or three tiered cupcake stands are beautiful but not very practical unless you’re in range of ravenous friends who will demolish the food within an hour or two; this is due to the fact that they are not airtight. It is worth investing in a cake stand that has a sealed lid to keep your baked produce fresh