21 Best Cakes to Bake This Fall
Fall is the perfect time for baking cakes with warm spices and seasonal flavors. Your kitchen smells amazing and you get cozy desserts that taste way better than anything from a store. These 21 cakes use ingredients like pumpkin, apples, and warm spices that just taste right when the weather gets cold. Most of these freeze well too so you can make them ahead for holidays or whenever you need something special.
Classic Pumpkin Spice Cake
This is the cake that makes everyone think of fall. The canned pumpkin keeps it super moist and the spices smell incredible while baking. You can make it as layers with cream cheese frosting or just a simple sheet cake with powdered sugar. The pumpkin flavor is mild so even people who think they don’t like pumpkin usually love this. Perfect for Halloween parties or Thanksgiving dessert.
Get the recipe here.
Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake
Bundt cakes look fancy but are actually easier than layer cakes since you don’t have to worry about frosting. The apples get soft and sweet while baking and the cinnamon makes your whole house smell amazing. Just dust with powdered sugar when it’s cool and you’re done. This keeps well for days wrapped up tight. Great for taking to potlucks or giving as gifts.
Get the recipe here.
Spiced Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Carrot cake is perfect for fall even though you can make it year-round. The carrots keep it moist and the spices like cinnamon and nutmeg taste so good together. The cream cheese frosting is tangy and balances out the sweet cake perfectly. Don’t skip the frosting – it’s what makes carrot cake special. Some people add nuts or raisins but the basic version is my favorite.
Get the recipe here.
Maple Walnut Layer Cake
Real maple syrup in this cake gives it such a better flavor than fake maple extract. The walnuts can be added directly for crunch or pureed, and they pair perfectly with the maple flavor. This is definitely a special occasion cake since real maple syrup costs more than regular sugar. The maple buttercream frosting is amazing too. Perfect for when you want something that tastes like fall but isn’t pumpkin or apple.
Get the recipe here.
Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cake
This is like apple pie and cake had a baby. You cook the apples with caramel in the bottom of the pan, then pour cake batter over and flip when done. The presentation always looks impressive even though it’s not that hard to make. The caramel gets all gooey and soaks into the cake a little. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for the full effect.
Get the recipe here.
Cranberry Orange Pound Cake
The tart cranberries balance out the sweet cake and the orange zest makes everything bright and fresh. This is less heavy than regular pound cake but still has that dense texture. The cranberries look pretty scattered throughout the cake. You can use fresh cranberries when they’re in season or dried ones work too. Good for breakfast with coffee or as dessert.
Get the recipe here.
Brown Butter Spice Cake
Browning the butter takes a few extra minutes but adds this incredible nutty flavor that makes the cake taste so much better. The warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves are perfect for fall. This is a simple single-layer cake that doesn’t need fancy frosting – just a dusting of powdered sugar. The brown butter smell while you’re making it is almost as good as eating it.
Get the recipe here.
Pear Gingerbread Cake
Pears and ginger are such a good combination. The pears get soft and sweet while baking and add moisture to the cake. Fresh ginger gives better flavor than powdered but either works. This cake actually gets better after a day when the flavors have time to blend together. Perfect with a cup of tea on a cold afternoon. Not as common as apple desserts but just as delicious.
Get the recipe here.
Sweet Potato Cake with Marshmallow Frosting
Sweet potatoes make this cake incredibly moist and give it a beautiful orange color. The marshmallow frosting is like having s’mores on your cake. You can use canned sweet potato or cook your own – both work fine. This feels like Thanksgiving in cake form. The marshmallow frosting is easier to make than you’d think and looks really impressive when toasted a little with a kitchen torch.
Get the recipe here.
Apple Butter Coffee Cake
Apple butter in the batter gives this such a concentrated apple flavor. Coffee cakes are great because they work for breakfast or dessert. The crumb topping gets all crunchy and sweet. You can buy apple butter at the store or make your own if you got time and lots of apples. This keeps well covered and actually tastes better the next day when everything settles together.
Get the recipe here.
Cinnamon Roll Cake
This tastes like cinnamon rolls but in cake form which is way easier than making actual cinnamon rolls. There’s cinnamon sugar swirled through the batter and a vanilla glaze on top. The swirl creates pretty patterns when you cut into it. This is perfect for weekend breakfast or brunch. Kids go crazy for this and it makes the kitchen smell like a bakery.
Get the recipe here.
Harvest Spice Cake with Buttercream
This uses all the warm spices that taste like fall – cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves. The buttercream frosting is classic vanilla but you could add some of the spices to that too if you want. This is a basic layer cake that’s perfect for celebrations. The spice blend smells amazing and tastes like everything good about autumn. Great for birthday parties in fall months.
Get the recipe here.
Banana Walnut Coffee Cake
The bananas keep this cake super moist and add natural sweetness. Walnuts give it crunch and go really well with banana flavor. This works for breakfast with coffee or as an afternoon snack. The streusel topping makes it feel special. Use really ripe bananas for the best flavor – the ones that are too brown to eat raw work perfect. Freezes really well if you want to make it ahead.
Get the recipe here.
Pecan Praline Cake
This Southern-style cake has pecans in the batter and a praline topping that gets all caramelized and crunchy. The praline topping is basically brown sugar, butter, and pecans broiled until bubbly. It’s rich and sweet and perfect for special occasions. Toasting the pecans first makes them even better. This is definitely a showstopper cake that looks harder to make than it actually is.
Get the recipe here.
Apple Spice Sheet Cake
Sheet cakes are great for feeding a crowd and this one is perfect for fall gatherings. The apples add moisture and the spices make it taste warm and cozy. A simple cream cheese frosting or even just powdered sugar works great. This travels well and cuts into neat squares. Way easier than making a layer cake but still feels special and seasonal.
Get the recipe here.
Chai Spiced Layer Cake
If you love chai tea, you’ll love this cake. It has all those warming spices like cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. The flavor is complex but not overwhelming. A simple buttercream or cream cheese frosting lets the spice flavors shine. This is different enough from regular spice cake to be interesting but familiar enough that everyone will like it. Perfect with a cup of actual chai tea.
Get the recipe here.
Pumpkin Roll Cake
This looks super fancy but isn’t as hard as it seems once you get the hang of rolling it up. The pumpkin cake is thin and flexible and gets rolled up with cream cheese filling. The trick is rolling it while it’s still warm so it doesn’t crack. These freeze amazingly well wrapped tight in plastic. Perfect for holidays when you want something that looks impressive.
Get the recipe here.
Butterscotch Bundt Cake
Butterscotch flavor is underrated – it’s rich and caramel-y but different from regular caramel. This cake is super moist and has butterscotch chips mixed in for extra flavor and texture. The bundt shape makes it look elegant with just a simple glaze drizzled over. Butterscotch pudding mix in the batter is the secret to getting that deep flavor throughout.
Get the recipe here.
Spiced Apple Cider Cake
Apple cider reduces down and concentrates the apple flavor in this cake. The warm spices complement the cider perfectly. This has a tender crumb and stays moist for days. You can make it as a bundt cake or layers depending what you prefer. The cinnamon sugar on top adds even more fall flavor. Perfect for using up apple cider when you buy too much at the orchard.
Get the recipe here.
Salted Caramel Apple Cake
The combination of sweet cake, tart apples, rich caramel, and a hint of salt is absolutely perfect. The salted caramel sauce can be store-bought or homemade. Apples in the batter add moisture and texture. This feels fancy and restaurant-quality but you can totally make it at home. The salt really makes all the other flavors pop. Great for impressing people at dinner parties or special occasions.
Get the recipe here.