Cake is a festive dessert for celebrating birthdays, weddings, holidays, and many special occasions. It can be categorized by texture, flavor, cultures, ingredients, and cooking methods (using oven or no-bake). We’ve gathered 51 most popular different types of cake and recipes for you to try. 

Do we ever need a reason to enjoy a home-baked cake? From classic birthday cakes, to rich black forest cake, to pound cakes, and carrot cake, we all have our favorites.

Regardless of what you are looking for, you’ll find something you like in the comprehensive list below.

Most Popular Types Cakes

Chocolate Cake

Always a crowd-pleaser for chocolate lovers, this classic cake is rich, chocolaty, and pairs well with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

Red Velvet Cake

Striking to look at and delicious to eat, red velvet cake has chocolate flavors and a rich cream cheese icing. 

Black Forest Gateau

Filled with sweet cherries, chocolate, and real whipped cream, this is an ideal cake for milestone birthdays.

The cherry liqueur in this recipe adds a rich cherry flavor that’s absolutely delicious.

Pound Cake

An easy way to identify pound cake is by its ingredients: a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of eggs, and a pound of flour.

Often baked in a loaf or Bundt pan, there are many coffee cakes, sour cream cakes, and fruit crumb cakes that were developed from the classic pound cake recipe.

Chiffon Cake

Light and airy, chiffon cake gets its texture from whipped egg whites and baking powder. It’s considered to be a cross between a sponge and an oil cake. 

Carrot Cake

Who says you can’t have vegetables in cake? Carrot cakes are moist and rich, and can be filled with raisins or chopped nuts.

Similar to red velvet cake, this delicious cake is topped with a rich cream cheese frosting.  

Birthday Funfetti Cake

Perfect for kids and adults alike, this classic frosted vanilla layer cake has rainbow sprinkles baked into the batter!

Topped with sweet buttercream, it’s full of rich flavors.

Marble Cake

This marble cake draws on the tradition of Kentucky butter cake with swirls of chocolate and vanilla throughout. The marbling is a fancy touch and the taste is out of this world!

German Chocolate Cake

This is one of the most indulgent cakes ever with its rich chocolate layers combined with a coconut pecan frosting. Learn how to make this masterpiece and watch the compliments pour in!

Birthday Cupcakes

If you prefer more icing than cake, try these pretty vanilla cupcakes that bake up beautifully in just 30 minutes.

You can even bake them the day before, and then frost them the day of the party! They’re also great for potlucks.   

Princess Birthday Cake

If your child is a fan of princesses, they’ll love this cake. Beautifully decorated, it’s a theme-based cake that’s perfect for little ones.   

Vanilla Cake With Old Fashioned Vanilla Buttercream

Filled with sweet vanilla flavors, this classic layer cake is moist and delicious. Top it with some sliced berries for a splash of color! 

Milk Bar Birthday Cake

This cake features sweet cake crumbs, a batter full of rainbow-colored sprinkles, and a sweet cream cheese frosting.

The sides of the cake aren’t frosted, exposing the colorful flecks of sprinkles. This cake will take some time but the instructions are very thorough and easy to follow. 

Irish Cream Cake

If you love Bailey’s Irish cream, then this dessert is for you! It’s a rich chocolate layer cake with an Irish cream frosting. If that were not enough, it’s topped with a homemade caramel sauce!

Types Of Cakes With Fruits

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Big on flavor and easy to pull together, this classic upside-down cake uses canned pineapple rings and Duncan Hines cake mix with great results!

It’s also ready to serve in an hour. 

Mango Charlotte Cake

This gorgeous cake doesn’t require baking! It’s a delicious mash-up of French-style charlotte cake and creamy cheesecake.

It’s sure to get a lot of oohs and aahs from your guests.

Hummingbird Cake

If you love fresh fruit in your cake, you’ve got to give this one a try.

Loaded with banana, pineapple, pecans, and spices, and topped with cream cheese and coconut frosting, you’ll think you’re in the tropics!

Strawberry Jello Cake

Popular with kids and adults alike, this jello cake will be the star at your next get-together.

Make it with a boxed cake mix or with a homemade cake, and switch up the flavor of Jello too! It’s a versatile cake that everyone will love.

Banana Cake

This sheet cake is soft and moist with rich banana flavors. The lemon cream cheese icing gives the cake a unique, summery feel. Perfect for BBQs, parties and potlucks!

Caramel Apple Cake

When autumn arrives, you can use fresh apples to make this apple spice layer cake with caramel buttercream. This dessert is topped with caramel drizzle for a stunning presentation!

Orange Creamsicle Cake

This orange creamsicle cake is the stuff dreams are made of, especially when it comes to a kid’s birthday celebration! It’s a moist vanilla cake with a stunning orange frosting. So memorable and fun!

Types Of Cake With Different Textures

Cheesecake

Yes, cheesecakes are also a category of cake! This one is topped with sweet strawberries and is filled with a smooth blend of cream cheese and white chocolate.

Opera Cake

Featuring the flavors of coffee and chocolate, this classic French cake is filled with delicious layers of sweet chocolate ganache, moist almond sponge cake, and rich buttercream.

Angel Food Cake

Light and delicate, angel food cake gets its height from whipped egg whites. Baked in a special angel food cake pan, it’s typically cooled upside down in the pan to help prevent it from falling.

Because it’s so light, a classic frosting would weigh it down. We suggest a dollop of fresh whipped cream and colorful mixed berries.

Butter Cake

Made with butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and baking powder, this is a great cake for new bakers.

Enjoy it with a hot cup of tea or coffee! 

Sponge Cake Genoise

Light and airy and with just 4 ingredients, this is a great cake to serve with a sweet glaze and tart-sweet berries. 

Biscuit Cake

If you enjoy a bit of crunch in your cake, give this one a try. In addition to dark chocolate, this sponge cake is filled with tea biscuits, which is where it gets its crunch. Enjoy it with a hot cup of tea for an afternoon treat.  

Baked Flourless Cake

Rich and decadent, flourless cakes are filled with intense flavor. This chocolate cake is topped with a chocolate ganache glaze that takes it to the next level! Serve it with raspberries for a pleasant take on sweet and tart. 

Molten Lava Cake

Chocolate lava cake is a decadent cake with a molten chocolate center. While it’s great anytime, you might try it for Valentine’s or a date night. The best part? Ready in 30 minutes!

Oreo Cake (Cookies And Cream Cake)

You can’t go wrong with this oreo layer cake. Each slice is adorned with chunks of oreo cookies that soften during baking. The cream cheese frosting is the finishing touch!

Types Of No-Bake / Frozen Cakes

Philadelphia No Bake Cheesecake

After making this no-bake cheesecake, you’ll add it to your list of no-fail desserts. It has all of the creamy goodness of classic cheesecake and easily sets in the fridge!

Top it with the fruit of your choice for a decadent treat.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

This cake isn’t just for kids! Filled with store-bought ice-cream sandwiches, frozen whipped topping, and instant vanilla pudding, it couldn’t be easier to assemble.

Get creative and use different flavored ice-cream sandwiches for even more fun!  

Strawberry Icebox Cake

This is the perfect cake for warm weather birthdays! Instant pudding mix makes it moist, and graham crackers add a delicate crunch.

Even better, it’s a no-bake cake that sets in the fridge.

Types Of Cake With Different Flavors

Zebra Cake

Striking to look at and delicious to eat, this special cake is sure to impress everyone at your next party!

Real cocoa is used in both the cake and the frosting, guaranteeing delicious chocolate in every bite.

Coconut Cake

If you love coconut, you’ve got to give this cake a try! Infused with coconut flavors, the batter uses canned coconut milk, and the cream cheese frosting has real shredded coconut.  

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Here’s a dessert that’s the best of two worlds, chewy chocolate chip cookies and tender cake.

It’s basically a giant cookie! Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and let the celebration begin!

Rainbow Cake

You’ll wow the partygoers with this vibrant cake! A stunning 6 layers, each with its own color, your children and guests will truly be amazed.

Devil’s Food Cake

A true treat for chocolate lovers, this cake features layers of light and moist chocolate cake with rich chocolate icing. Serve it with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream. 

Lemon Layer Cake

Lemon layer cake is a timeless cake that’s rich, sweet, and full of flavor. The homemade version tastes so much better than the store-bought ones. 

Why not make this moist cake with lemon buttercream icing? It always gets rave reviews!

Coffee Cake

This coffee cake is quick and easy thanks to Bisquick mix. It has rich flavors with a mouthwatering cinnamon streusel topping. Serve it for breakfast, brunch, lunch or afternoon tea!

Rum Cake

This rum cake is a real crowd-pleaser, perfect for dessert with a scoop of ice cream or served at tea time. It has honest-to-goodness buttery flavors with a just hint of rum, but you can also make it without. So easy and memorable!

Spice Cake

This moist spice cake has a wonderful crumb and cream cheese frosting. It’s easy to make and perfect for the fall and winter seasons.  

Strawberry Shortcake

Nothing says spring and summer like strawberry shortcake! With layers of cake, whipped cream and strawberries, each bite is heavenly! Plus, this recipe couldn’t be easier thanks to Bisquick mix. 

Pumpkin Cake

Another great fall dessert is this pumpkin cake. It’s moist and fluffy with a whipped cream cheese icing. Everyone will love the delicious pumpkin flavors!

Almond Cake (With Video)

Looking for an easy, 4-ingredient dessert? This single-layer almond cake comes out soft and moist with delicious flavors! Plus, it’s grain-free and gluten-free! 

Chocolate Mocha Cake

Coffee lovers will enjoy this gorgeous mocha layer cake. It features chocolate and coffee flavors with a Swiss buttercream frosting. Quite possibly the perfect indulgence! 

Pecan Pie Cake

Have you ever tried pecan pie cake? This stunning dessert features pecan pie flavors and a buttercream frosting. This extraordinary cake is fit for royalty!

S’mores Cake

S’mores fans will go wild for this cake with layers of graham crackers, chocolate cake, chocolate frosting and a marshmallow topping. Perfect for a birthday or special occasion!

Key Lime Pie Cake

For a burst of summer flavor, try making this key lime pie layer cake. It’s fluffy and moist with a graham cracker crumb and zesty lime curd buttercream. Yum!

Pistachio Cake

When you feel like a more rustic dessert, look at this pistachio layer cake. There are real pistachio and almond flavors with a smooth cream cheese icing and fresh berry garnish!

Lavender Cake

Here is a moist sheet cake with a buttery flavor and lavender imbibing syrup. It’s fragrant and delicious. The best part? It’s no-fuss and easy to make!

Types Of Frosting For Cakes

Here are my favorite types of frosting for cakes: 

• buttercream
• cream cheese
• royal icing
• fondant
• whipped cream
• ganache
• coconut pecan frosting
• meringue