The Best Birthday Cake Recipes, From Layer Cakes To Sheet Cakes

Is a birthday without a cake really a birthday at all?

Sure, we’ve had happy birthdays that were celebrated with key lime pie and brownie sundaes. But even if you’re not a cake person, nothing says “I love you,” or “I love you but I’m afraid to tell you because I fear rejection,” or maybe just “I can tolerate sitting next to you at work pretty well, at least on most days” better than a cake.

Making a layer cake does take a little effort ― there are multiple layers to be baked, each of which needs proper cooling before stacking it up and frosting it without it toppling over. We’ve got 50 of those gorgeous doozies for you below.

If you’re a little less ambitious or less coordinated, go with a sheet cake. Most of them just require a quick bake in the oven, some time cooling on the counter and an easy dollop of frosting on top. We’ve got 25 of those recipes for you below.

Now go forth and bake with courage. You’re about to make someone’s day.

LAYER CAKES

1Classic Yellow Cake With Chocolate Creme Fraiche FrostingHummingbird HighGet the Classic Yellow Cake With Chocolate Creme Fraiche Frosting recipe from Hummingbird High
2Brooklyn Blackout CakeHalf Baked HarvestGet the Brooklyn Blackout Cake recipe from Half Baked Harvest
3Bourbon Butterscotch Layer CakeCompletely DeliciousGet the Bourbon Butterscotch Layer Cake recipe from Completely Delicious
4From Scratch Strawberry Cake With Cream Cheese FrostingI Am BakerGet the From Scratch Strawberry Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting recipe from I Am Baker
5Chocolate Avocado CakeI Am BakerGet the Chocolate Avocado Cake recipe from I Am Baker
6Ding Dong CakeI Am BakerGet the Ding Dong Cake recipe from I Am Baker
7Nutella CakeHandle The HeatGet the Nutella Cake recipe from Handle The Heat
8Zucchini Caramel Cake with Cream Cheese ButtercreamCompletely DeliciousGet the Zucchini Caramel Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream recipe from Completely Delicious
9Vegan Chocolate Cake with Creamy Chocolate Almond Butter "Buttercream"Half Baked HarvestGet the Vegan Chocolate Cake with Creamy Chocolate Almond Butter "Buttercream" recipe from Half Baked Harvest
10Vietnamese Iced Coffee CakeHummingbird HighGet the Vietnamese Iced Coffee Cake recipe from Hummingbird High
11Chocolate Zucchini CakeSallys Baking AddictionGet the Chocolate Zucchini Cake recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction
12Pinata CakeSallys Baking AddictionGet the Pinata Cake recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction
13Homemade Strawberry CakeSallys Baking AddictionGet the Homemade Strawberry Cake recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction
14Salted Caramel Apple CakeBrown Eyed BakerGet the Salted Caramel Apple Cake recipe from Brown Eyed Baker
15Chocolate Cake With Lavender Ruffled FrostingHummingbird HighGet the Chocolate Cake With Lavender Ruffled Frosting recipe from Hummingbird High
16Six-Layer Chocolate Cake With Toasted Marshmallow Filling And Malted Chocolate FrostingBrown Eyed BakerGet the Six-Layer Chocolate Cake With Toasted Marshmallow Filling And Malted Chocolate Frosting recipe from Brown Eyed Baker
17Lemon Blueberry Layer CakeSally's Baking AddictionGet the Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction
186-Layer Chocolate Sprinkle CakeSweetapolitaGet the 6-Layer Chocolate Sprinkle Cake recipe from Sweetapolita
193-Layer Pistachio CakeHandle The HeatGet the 3-Layer Pistachio Cake recipe from Handle The Heat
20Bananas Foster Layer CakeLife, Love And SugarGet the Bananas Foster Layer Cake recipe from Life, Love And Sugar
21Raspberry Chocolate Chip Layer CakeSally's Baking AddictionGet the Raspberry Chocolate Chip Layer Cake recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction
22Three Layer Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake CakePineapple & CoconutGet the Three Layer Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake Cake recipe from Pineapple & Coconut
23Matcha Green Tea Cake With Vanilla Honey Cream Cheese FrostingHalf Baked HarvestGet the Matcha Green Tea Cake With Vanilla Honey Cream Cheese Frosting recipe from Half Baked Harvest
24Chocolate Bourbon Peanut Butter Buckeye CakeHalf Baked HarvestGet the Chocolate Bourbon Peanut Butter Buckeye Cake recipe from Half Baked Harvest
25White Chocolate Malt CakeHummingbird HighGet the White Chocolate Malt Cake recipe from Hummingbird High
26Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake CakeI Am BakerGet the Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake Cake recipe from I Am Baker
27Oreo Layer CakeLife, Love & SugarGet the Oreo Layer Cake recipe from Life, Love & Sugar
28Nutella Chocolate CakeLife, Love & SugarGet the Nutella Chocolate Cake recipe from Life, Love & Sugar
29Boozy Yellow Birthday Cake With Chocolate Frosting And Caramelized White Chocolate GanacheHummingbird HighGet the Boozy Yellow Birthday Cake With Chocolate Frosting And Caramelized White Chocolate Ganache recipe from Hummingbird High
30Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Layer CakeAverie CooksGet the Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Layer Cake recipe from Averie Cooks
31Chocolate Coffee Layer CakeCompletely DeliciousGet the Chocolate Coffee Layer Cake recipe from Completely Delicious
32Green Ombre CakeI Am BakerGet the Green Ombre Cake recipe from I Am Baker
33Vanilla Caramel Latte CakeAnnie's EatsGet the Vanilla Caramel Latte Cake recipe from Annie's Eats
34Salted Caramel Apple Snickers CakeHalf Baked HarvestGet the Salted Caramel Apple Snickers Cake recipe from Half Baked Harvest
35Mississippi Mudslide CakeI Am BakerGet the Mississippi Mudslide Cake recipe from I Am Baker
36Birthday Cake LasagnaI Am BakerGet the Birthday Cake Lasagna recipe from I Am Baker
37Coconut Cream Lime CakeCompletely DeliciousGet the Coconut Cream Lime Cake recipe from Completely Delicious
38Zebra CakeSally's Baking AddictionGet the Zebra Cake recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction
39Boston Cream PieBrown Eyed BakerGet the Boston Cream Pie recipe from Brown Eyed Baker
40Fudgy One-Bowl Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pretzel CakeHalf Baked HarvestGet the Fudgy One-Bowl Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pretzel Cake recipe from Half Baked Harvest
41Southern Coconut CakeCompletely DeliciousGet the Southern Coconut Cake recipe from Completely Delicious
42Red Velvet Layer Cake With Cream Cheese FrostingSally's Baking AddictionGet the Red Velvet Layer Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction
43Cookies And Cream Oreo CakeBrown Eyed BakerGet the Cookies And Cream Oreo Cake recipe from Brown Eyed Baker
44Funfetti CakeCompletely DeliciousGet the Funfetti Cake recipe from Completely Delicious
45Chocolate And Earl Grey London Fog Layer CakeHummingbird HighGet the Chocolate And Earl Grey London Fog Layer Cake recipe from Hummingbird High
46Banana Cake With Brown Butter Cream Cheese FrostingSally's Baking AddictionGet the Banana Cake With Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction
47Sweet Potato Spice CakeCompletely DeliciousGet the Sweet Potato Spice Cake recipe from Completely Delicious
48Banana and Chocolate Crunch Cake with Graham Cracker FrostingHummingbird HighGet the Banana and Chocolate Crunch Cake with Graham Cracker Frosting recipe from Hummingbird High
49Hummingbird CakeHummingbird HighGet the Hummingbird Cake recipe from Hummingbird High
50Chocolate Bourbon Caramel Macaron CakeHalf Baked HarvestGet the Chocolate Bourbon Caramel Macaron Cake recipe from Half Baked Harvest

SHEET CAKES

1Funfetti Sheet CakeSally's Baking AddictionGet the Funfetti Sheet Cake recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction
2Salted Caramel Apple Sheet CakeHandle The HeatGet the Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake recipe from Handle The Heat
3Copycat Cracker Barrel Double Fudge CakeI Am BakerGet the Copycat Cracker Barrel Double Fudge Cake recipe from I Am Baker
4White Chocolate And Raspberry Sheet CakeHummingbird HighGet the White Chocolate And Raspberry Sheet Cake recipe from Hummingbird High
5Chocolate Sheet Cake With Peanut Butter FrostingSally's Baking AddictionGet the Chocolate Sheet Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction
6Pineapple Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese FrostingSally's Baking AddictionGet the Pineapple Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction
7Tres Leches CakeBrown Eyed BakerGet the Tres Leches Cake recipe from Brown Eyed Baker
8Chocolate Caramel Poke CakeHandle The HeatGet the Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake recipe from Handle The Heat
9Yellow Sheet Cake With Fudge FrostingSally's Baking AddictionGet the Yellow Sheet Cake With Fudge Frosting recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction
10Best Banana CakeSally's Baking AddictionGet the Best Banana Cake recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction
11Chocolate Mint Texas Sheet CakeA Spicy PerspectiveGet the Chocolate Mint Texas Sheet Cake recipe from A Spicy Perspective
12Oatmeal Raisin Snack CakeBrown Eyed BakerGet the Oatmeal Raisin Snack Cake recipe from Brown Eyed Baker
13Black Forest Sheet CakeMacheesmoGet the Black Forest Sheet Cake recipe from Macheesmo
14Carrot Sheet CakeHandle The HeatGet the Carrot Sheet Cake recipe from Handle The Heat
15Chocolate Mudslide Poke CakeBrown Eyed BakerGet the Chocolate Mudslide Poke Cake recipe from Brown Eyed Baker
16Lemon Sheet CakeCooking ClassyGet the Lemon Sheet Cake recipe from Cooking Classy
17Coca-Cola Chocolate CakeBrown Eyed BakerGet the Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake recipe from Brown Eyed Baker
18Banana Sheet CakeRoxana's Home BakingGet the Banana Sheet Cake recipe by Roxana's Home Baking
19Peppermint Texas Sheet CakeRecipe GirlGet the Peppermint Texas Sheet Cake recipe from Recipe Girl
20The Best Pumpkin CakeSally's Baking AddictionGet the Best Pumpkin Cake recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction
21Chocolate Dump-It CakeBrown Eyed BakerGet the Chocolate Dump-It Cake recipe from Brown Eyed Baker
22Red Currant Walnut Sheet CakeCatalina BakesGet the Red Currant Walnut Sheet Cake recipe from Catalina Bakes
23Red Velvet Poke CakeBrown Eyed BakerGet the Red Velvet Poke Cake recipe from Brown Eyed Baker
24Banana-Chocolate Chip Snack CakeBrown Eyed BakerGet the Banana-Chocolate Chip Snack Cake recipe from Brown Eyed Baker
25Coconut Sheet CakeCooking ClassyGet the Coconut Sheet Cake recipe from Cooking Classy