Top Fall Cake Recipes for Cozy Seasonal Baking

Celebrate the best season with this collection of irresistible fall cakes that capture the cozy, spiced flavors of autumn.

Close up of a hand taking a slice out of a bundt cake on a white plate.

Leaves are turning, pumpkins are ripening, and cooler evenings invite you to bake. Fill your home with the warm aromas of fall with cakes that highlight seasonal ingredients and comforting spices.

From pumpkin and apple to unexpected favorites like sweet potato and plum, this curated list showcases dependable, crowd-pleasing recipes perfect for gatherings or a simple weeknight treat.

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Why these are our favorite fall cakes

These cakes are moist, tender, and packed with classic fall flavors. Each recipe has been tested to deliver reliably delicious results and includes practical tips to help you succeed on the first try.

You’ll find familiar favorites—apple, pumpkin, and warming spice—alongside less common but equally delightful options like sweet potato. The selection covers a variety of formats, from show-stopping layer cakes to simple snack cakes you can make any night of the week.

1. Apple Cider Donut Cake

Apple cider donut bundt cake on a white cake stand with a white bowl, plates, candles and a glass of apple cider in the background.

This cozy 6-cup apple cider donut cake tastes like a warm orchard treat. It’s moist and full of apple flavor from both apple cider and applesauce, and it’s finished with a cinnamon-sugar coating that evokes the classic cider-donut experience.

2. Pecan Upside Down Cake

slice being pulled from an pecan upside down cake with bits of caramel pulling between the slice and the rest of the cake with plates and a bowl of pecans in the background.

This single-layer pecan upside-down cake pairs a tender spice cake with a sticky, buttery pecan topping (made without corn syrup). The caramel-like sauce and toasted pecans create an indulgent dessert that’s long been a favorite at holiday tables.

3. Krydderkake (Norwegian Spice Cake)

Hand cutting into a plated slice of kyrdderkake with the larger cake, two lit taper candles and another slice slightly blurred in the background.

Inspired by Scandinavian baking, this Norwegian spice cake delivers a tender crumb and a warm blend of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg. A light cream cheese frosting complements the spices without overwhelming them.

4. Yogurt Plum Cake

Slices of yogurt plum cake arranged on white and blue dessert plates with a small pairing knife near by.

Plums shine in this late-summer to early-fall cake. A lemony Greek yogurt base keeps the texture tender and moist, while brown sugar–dusted plums add juicy sweetness and a pleasant almond crunch rounds out each bite.

5. Sweet Potato Layer Cake

sweet potato cake next to an empty bowl of caramel and a bowl of grapes

Think of your favorite sweet potato casserole transformed into a layer cake. Spiced sweet potato cake layers are paired with a quick marshmallow buttercream and a caramel drip for a richly flavored centerpiece that’s perfect for holiday entertaining.

6. Caramel Apple Snack Cake

overhead view of caramel apple cake on a cooling rack with plated slices of cake and a bowl of caramel around it.

This caramel apple snack cake captures fall in every bite: a moist spice cake studded with apples, nutty brown-butter frosting, and a generous swirl of caramel for a comforting, crowd-pleasing dessert.

7. Pumpkin Baked Alaska

This dramatic pumpkin baked Alaska layers pound cake with a no-churn pumpkin ice cream and finishes with a billowy, toasted meringue. It’s a stunning dessert that balances cool, creamy ice cream with warm, toasted meringue textures.

8. No-Bake Pecan Pie Cheesecake

This no-bake dessert combines the flavors of pecan pie and cheesecake: a crunchy gingersnap crust, a light whipped cheesecake filling, and a sticky caramel-pecan topping that delivers all the decadence of pecan pie without turning on the oven.