birthday cakes

This stunning Southern belle and its dozen tiers—yup, 12—is astonishingly easy peasy to make thanks to a savvy cake-baking tactic.

• 1 H, 15 M
• 2 H
• 46

This caffeinated incarnation of a classic chocolate cake comprises cocoa-y layers that take their jolt from a cup of joe and ample fudgy ganache that make everything, even chocolate cake, better.

• 50 M
• 2 H, 30 M
• 36

We beg to differ with the name of this fetching creation, as it’s far too easy to mistake “classic” for “blah.” Far more fitting, we think, is “best white cake.” Ever.

• 25 M
• 45 M
• 81

These white cupcakes smothered with a rich ganache frosting are sorta the cake lovers’ version of the black and white cookie.

• 40 M
• 1 H, 30 M
• 4

Layers of vanilla cake take turns with oodles of coconut filling and the whole shebang is slathered with fluffy white icing. Uh, yes please!

• 45 M
• 1 H, 15 M
• 27

We don’t know Italian, but we’re pretty certain this tart, with its molten filling and brownie crust, translates to “Damn good!”

• 40 M
• 3 H, 20 M
• 17

Sometimes called a volcano cake, this much ballyhooed molten dessert is, quite literally, bursting–er, oozing–with chocolate.

• 30 M
• 40 M
• 48

Forever? Completely? Sounds like words used only in conjunction with things that inspire lasting love. Like this cake.

• 20 M
• 55 M
• 265

Dubbed Company’s Comin’ Coconut Cake, this beauty of a pound cake will have you dreaming up excuses to invite guests for dinner—and dessert.

• 45 M
• 1 H, 20 M
• 31

Fine-crumbed and sparely sweet, these sophisticated little cakes do wonders for white chocolate’s tarnished reputation. Confection perfection.

• 25 M
• 1 H
• 34

WHY DID NO ONE THINK OF PUTTING RED WINE IN RED VELVET CUPCAKES UNTIL NOW?! Okay. Got that out of our system. Whew.

• Quick Glance
• 15 M
• 1 H, 15 M
• 0

One of the best darned cakes we’ve ever tasted. (Seriously. Would we kid about something as dramatically life-altering as this?!)

• Quick Glance
• 20 M
• 50 M
• 6

These simple yet superlative little cakes are quite mind-blowing in their poundcake-like loveliness. Go on. See for yourself.

• 20 M
• 1 H, 15 M
• 10

What exactly does white chocolate cream cheese frosting taste like? You’re about to find out, you indescribably lucky thing, you.

• Quick Glance
• 10 M
• 15 M
• 2