1Raspberry Peach Upside-Down Cake
Parker Feierbach This cake is a BEAUTY. Our favorite thing about upside-down cakes? They're impossible to mess up because you can place your fruits just so before pouring the batter on. It's always a joy to see how they turn out once you flip them—they ALWAYS impress.
Get the Raspberry Peach Upside-Down Cake recipe.
2Funfetti Birthday Cake
Parker feierbachSprinkles are a classic for a reason—you really can't beat 'em when it comes to making a cake feel extra celebratory. Sprinkle them on top, and around the bottom right after you've frosted your cake to make sure your buttercream is still wet enough that they'll stick.
Get the Funfetti Birthday Cake recipe.
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3Creamsicle Ombre Cake
Parker FeierbachIt's surprisingly easy to frost a cake with this ombre effect: Simply split your frosting into 4 bowls, and color each using increasingly more food dye than the last. Pipe them around the cake, then use a bench scraper or offset spatula to smooth them out. Hot tip: don't skip refrigerating the crumb coat! It makes it a LOT easier to frost once it's been chilled.
Get the Creamsicle Ombre Cake recipe.
4Strawberry Cheesecake
Want to give classic cheesecake an elegant (and easy!) upgrade? This strawberry topping is your answer. All you need to do is heat together strawberry preserves and lemon juice until smooth and thick then brush it over fresh strawberries on top of your cooled and beautiful cheesecake.
Get the Strawberry Cheesecake recipe.
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5Peanut Butter Cake
PARKER FEIERBACHThose that love peanut butter LOVE peanut butter, and this cake was made with those in mind. Peanut butter cake, peanut butter frosting, AND peanut butter drizzle make a big statement, without too much effort. We love adding whole chopped Reese's, but for a colorful (and still peanut-buttery) twist, use chopped Reese's Pieces instead!
Get the Peanut Butter Cake recipe.
6Naked Cake
Parker feierbachA naked cake is THE best way to frost a cake if you're worried about getting it just right. The imperfections in the frosting are what makes a naked cake so beautiful!
Get the Naked Cake recipe.
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7Number Cake
Parker feierbachFor this cake, we traced our number on the back of an empty cereal box to used it as a stencil—trust us, it's very doable! Use this method (or a shaped cake pan, no judgement) to write out almost anything. As long as you top it with a fun assortment of candies and/or fruits, it'll look adorable no matter what.
Get the Number Cake recipe.
8Blueberry Mousse Cake
Joel goldbergWhen life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade—make a fruity, white chocolate mousse cake instead. Top it with sugared blueberries, white chocolate shavings, and lemon peel, and you'll have a cake worthy of any celebration.
Get the Blueberry Mousse Cake recipe.
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9Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake
Andrew BuiOnce you've got the ganache atop your flourless chocolate cake down, take it to the next level with the addition of peanut butter. Dot melted peanut butter in horizontal lines on top of ganache all the way down the cake, then use a toothpick to drag lines up and down the cake. Let it set for at least 15 minutes before cutting (bonus: more time to admire your handiwork!).
Get the Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake recipe.
10Almond Cake
Joel Goldberg This is one of those gluten-free and dairy-free recipes we turn to again and again. It's SO good, you can leave it decorated simply with a little homemade whipped cream and fruit.
Get the Almond Cake recipe.
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11Mini Chocolate Cake
Andrew buiThis chocolate cake is rich and almost brownie-like and goes so well with the tart raspberry cream cheese frosting. It’s best to use a large round tip for the bottom 2 layers, saving the more decorative designs for the top. Add raspberries between the layers if you want extra cuteness!
Get the Mini Chocolate Raspberry Cake recipe.
12Lemon-Berry Firecracker Cake
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDSFor a blast of flavor and color, our spin on the classic firecracker cake upgrades itself from white cake to a tangy lemon batter with blueberry- and strawberry-flavored swirls on the inside. On the outside, we split a simple glaze into multiple colors, and went wild with decorating to match 4th of July fireworks.
Get the Lemon-Berry Firecracker Cake recipe.
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13Strawberry Crunch Cake
PARKER FEIERBACHThis cake is WAY easier to make than it looks, trust us. All you need is two boxes of store-bought cake mix (strawberry and vanilla) to create those gorgeous layers, and some Nilla wafers and freeze-dried strawberries (hint: check the baby food aisle if you can't find them by the baking stuff) to create the ice cream bar coating effect on the outside. Easy peasy!
Get the Strawberry Crunch Cake recipe.
14Watermelon Cake
Brad HollandThis recipe is FULL of cake decorating tips and tricks. Our favorites? Using a clean sponge to get that mottled outside-of-a-watermelon look, and using licorice jelly beans to approximate seeds!
Get the Watermelon Cake recipe.
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15Glazed Donut Cake
No one can deny the allure of a good glazed donut. Forget breaking out the heavy-bottomed pot and the fry oil—this easy bundt cake decorating idea checks ALL the same boxes. Thank us later!
Get the Glazed Donut Cake recipe.
16Marshmallow Cake
AMANDA GRYPHONClassic buttercream is great and all, but have you ever had Italian meringue? The not too sweet frosting pairs well with the rich chocolate cake and looks great swirled or toasted on the outside. Pipe it on to make pretty swirls and rosettes, or use a kitchen torch for a s'mores vibe.
Get the Marshmallow Cake recipe.
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17Checkerboard Cake
Chelsea LupkinMaking this puzzling chocolate and vanilla cake is a little bit of a brain teaser, and you'll need a set of round biscuit or cookie cutters (8", 6", 4", and 2") to achieve it. Once you've got the hang of it though, it's extremely easy. Everyone will love the surprise inside.
Get the Checkerboard Cake recipe.
18Banana Pudding Cake
Brandon BalesWe can't sing the praises of crushed cookies to decorate a cake enough—here we crushed Nilla wafers to decorate the sides and used whole ones (and bananas!) to stick between piped frosting puffs. Though it will be hard, try to resist adding a ton of banana pudding in between the layers. Otherwise, things will get pretty messy, and it'll be harder to frost.
Get the Banana Pudding Cake recipe.
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19Pineapple Coconut Cake
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GOREThis fluffy coconut cake is filled with an easy pineapple curd and finished with a cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut flakes. We love decorating with the bigger, unsweetened toasted flakes, but if you prefer sweetened coconut for the outside it works just as well.
Get the Pineapple Coconut Cake recipe.
20Citrus Olive Oil Cake
Erik BernsteinIf you've never had olive oil-based dessert, this citrusy, tender cake is a great place to start. Lemon and orange zest play super well with the grassy, bright flavors of olive oil. Our top tip for dusting powdered sugar on cakes? Sift it through a fine mesh sieve above the cake for the most even application!
Get the Citrus Olive Oil Cake recipe.
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