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Cake Dreams: 15 Party Cakes from Martha Stewart

Warning: These gorgeous party cakes may cause crowding at your dessert table.
By Sara Schwartz
<p>Frosted with browned-butter buttercream, this fluffy caramel cake is courtesy of Dr. Maya Angelou.</p><br /><p><b>Recipe:</b> <a href="/recipefinder/caramel-cake-recipe-mslo0809" target="_blank"><b>Caramel Cake</b></a></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart
Warning: These gorgeous party cakes from Martha Stewart may cause crowding at your dessert table. You may want to make two!For more masterful recipes from the house-and-home expert, check out our best recipes from Martha Stewart, or take a look at more of our favorite dazzling party cakes, including spiced carrot cake and rich chocolate cake recipes.
1

Caramel Cake

<p>Frosted with browned-butter buttercream, this fluffy caramel cake is courtesy of Dr. Maya Angelou.</p><br /><p><b>Recipe:</b> <a href="/recipefinder/caramel-cake-recipe-mslo0809" target="_blank"><b>Caramel Cake</b></a></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Frosted with browned-butter buttercream, this fluffy caramel cake is courtesy of Dr. Maya Angelou.


Recipe: Caramel Cake

2

Flourless Chocolate Cake

<p>Chocolate lovers will adore this dessert. The edges and top develop a delicately crisp crust while the center remains moist and fudgy.</p><br /><p><b>Recipe: <a href="/recipefinder/flourless-chocolate-cake-recipe" target="_blank">Flourless Chocolate Cake</a> </b></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Chocolate lovers will adore this dessert. The edges and top develop a delicately crisp crust while the center remains moist and fudgy.


Recipe: Flourless Chocolate Cake

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3

Inside-Out Strawberry Ice Cream Cake

<p>Ice cream replaces traditional frosting in this playful cake that also features sweet strawberry jam between the buttermilk cake layers.</p><br /><p><b>Recipe: <a href="/recipefinder/inside-out-strawberry-ice-cream-cake-recipe" target="_blank">Inside-Out Strawberry Ice Cream Cake</a> </b></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Ice cream replaces traditional frosting in this playful cake that also features sweet strawberry jam between the buttermilk cake layers.


Recipe: Inside-Out Strawberry Ice Cream Cake

4

Chocolate Almond Upside-Down Cake

<p>Courtesy of Gale Gand from her cookbook, <i>Chocolate and Vanilla</i>, this light buttermilk chocolate cake is baked on a bed of butter, sugar, and toasted almonds, creating a soaked-in caramel coating when removed from the pan.</p><br /><p><b>Recipe:</b> <a href="/recipefinder/chocolate-almond-upside-down-cake-recipe-mslo110" target="_blank"><b>Chocolate Almond Upside-Down Cake</b></a></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Courtesy of Gale Gand from her cookbook, Chocolate and Vanilla, this light buttermilk chocolate cake is baked on a bed of butter, sugar, and toasted almonds, creating a soaked-in caramel coating when removed from the pan.


Recipe: Chocolate Almond Upside-Down Cake

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5

Grasshopper Cake

<p>For sports-themed parties, try this chocolate-mint cake embellished with cleverly cut mints and a thick layer of buttercream frosting.</p>
<p><b>Recipe: <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/grasshopper-cake-recipe%22 target="_blank">Grasshopper Cake</a> </b></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

For sports-themed parties, try this chocolate-mint cake embellished with cleverly cut mints and a thick layer of buttercream frosting.

Recipe: Grasshopper Cake

6

Apple-Cinnamon Upside-Down Cake

<p>With the cinnamon in this homey cake, firm but ripe apples such as Empire or Gala will hit the spot. Taking a few extra minutes to layer the apple slices carefully will be worth the effort.</p><br /><p><b>Recipe: <a href="/recipefinder/apple-cinnamon-upside-down-cake-recipe" target="_blank">Apple-Cinnamon Upside-Down Cake</a> </b></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

With the cinnamon in this homey cake, firm but ripe apples such as Empire or Gala will hit the spot. Taking a few extra minutes to layer the apple slices carefully will be worth the effort.


Recipe: Apple-Cinnamon Upside-Down Cake

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7

Butterscotch-Pecan Cake

<p>Underneath the pecan sheath of this statuesque cake lies a sweet secret: brown-butter frosting and butterscotch-soaked layers spiked with rum, both of which make familiar flavors seem sophisticated.</p><br /><p><b>Recipe:</b> <a href="/recipefinder/butterscotch-pecan-cake-recipe-mslo1110" target="_blank"><b>Butterscotch-Pecan Cake</b></a></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Underneath the pecan sheath of this statuesque cake lies a sweet secret: brown-butter frosting and butterscotch-soaked layers spiked with rum, both of which make familiar flavors seem sophisticated.


Recipe: Butterscotch-Pecan Cake

8

Lemon Cake

<p>This lemon-laced butter cake stays light and moist thanks to sour cream and an even ratio of egg whites to whole eggs.</p><br /><p><b>Recipe: <a href="/recipefinder/lemon-cake-recipe" target="_blank">Lemon Cake</a> </b></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

This lemon-laced butter cake stays light and moist thanks to sour cream and an even ratio of egg whites to whole eggs.


Recipe: Lemon Cake

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9

Plum Cake

<p>This moist, lemony plum cake needs little more than a dusting of confectioners' sugar. If you like, though, a dollop of sour cream is a delicious accompaniment.</p><br /><p><b>Recipe:</b> <a href="/recipefinder/plum-cake-recipe-mslo1110" target="_blank"><b>Plum Cake</b></a></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

This moist, lemony plum cake needs little more than a dusting of confectioners' sugar. If you like, though, a dollop of sour cream is a delicious accompaniment.


Recipe: Plum Cake

10

Banana Bourbon Layer Cake

<p>A topping of bourbon-flamed bananas caramelized with butter and brown sugar kick this banana-buttermilk cake up a notch. A pillowy layer of sour cream-enhanced whipped cream cuts the sweetness of the dessert.</p>
<p><b>Recipe: <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/banana-bourbon-layer-cake-recipe    " target="_blank">Banana Bourbon Layer Cake</a></b></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

A topping of bourbon-flamed bananas caramelized with butter and brown sugar kick this banana-buttermilk cake up a notch. A pillowy layer of sour cream-enhanced whipped cream cuts the sweetness of the dessert.

Recipe: Banana Bourbon Layer Cake

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11

Cream Cheese and Poppy Seed Cakes

<p>Fluted brioche molds make these individual vanilla cakes blossom. Sweetened cream cheese adds a fluffy dimension, and a sprinkling of poppy seeds lends a bit of crunch.</p><br /><p><b>Recipe:</b> <a href="/recipefinder/cream-cheese-poppy-seed-cakes-recipe-mslo1110" target="_blank"><b>Cream Cheese and Poppy Seed Cakes</b></a></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Fluted brioche molds make these individual vanilla cakes blossom. Sweetened cream cheese adds a fluffy dimension, and a sprinkling of poppy seeds lends a bit of crunch.


Recipe: Cream Cheese and Poppy Seed Cakes

12

Angel Food Cake

<p>There's a reason angel food cake is a favorite dessert – it's tender, light as air, and tastes, well, divine. What's more, it's virtually fat-free and uses just six ingredients.</p><br /><p><b>Recipe: <a href="/recipefinder/angel-food-cake-recipe" target="_blank">Angel Food Cake</a> </b></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

There's a reason angel food cake is a favorite dessert – it's tender, light as air, and tastes, well, divine. What's more, it's virtually fat-free and uses just six ingredients.


Recipe: Angel Food Cake

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13

Honey Cake with Caramelized Pears

<p>Preparing this dessert with high-quality honey and freshly grated lemon zest results in a perfumed cake that's irresistible straight out of the oven.</p><p><b>Recipe:</b> <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/honey-cake-caramelized-pears-recipe-mslo1110%22 target="_blank"><b>Honey Cake with Caramelized Pears</b></a></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Preparing this dessert with high-quality honey and freshly grated lemon zest results in a perfumed cake that's irresistible straight out of the oven.

Recipe: Honey Cake with Caramelized Pears

14

Orange Cornmeal Cake

<p>Olive oil lends a Mediterranean backdrop to this richly textured orange cake. Topping the cake with sanding sugar instead of granulated will increase the contrasting crunch factor of each bite.</p><br /><p><b>Recipe: <a href="/recipefinder/orange-cornmeal-cake-recipe" target="_blank">Orange Cornmeal Cake</a> </b></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Olive oil lends a Mediterranean backdrop to this richly textured orange cake. Topping the cake with sanding sugar instead of granulated will increase the contrasting crunch factor of each bite.


Recipe: Orange Cornmeal Cake

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15

Appalachian Stack Cake

<p>In the Kentucky area, this clove- and ginger-spiced molasses cake once served as a wedding cake; neighbors and friends would each contribute a layer, and the hosts would provide the filling.</p><br /><p><b>Recipe: <a href="/recipefinder/four-layer-appalachian-stack-cake-recipe" target="_blank">Four-Layer Appalachian Stack Cake</a> </b></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

In the Kentucky area, this clove- and ginger-spiced molasses cake once served as a wedding cake; neighbors and friends would each contribute a layer, and the hosts would provide the filling.


Recipe: Four-Layer Appalachian Stack Cake

16

Get more recipes on MarthaStewart.com

Go to <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/" target="_blank">MarthaStewart.com</a> for more irresistible recipes, including:
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<a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/fancy-cupcakes" target="_blank"><b>Fun and fancy cupcakes</b></a>
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<a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/quick-dinner-in-front-of-the-tv-recipes" target="_blank"><b>Quick and easy TV dinners</b></a>
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<a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/healthy-main-dishes" target="_blank"><b>50 healthy, hearty main dishes</b></a>
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