32 Graduation Cake Ideas Sweeter Than The Last Day Of School
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We need very little reason to celebrate with a cake and a party. But when someone special is graduating high school, college, technical school, heck, even pre-school, it's a big deal and should be commemorated. What better way than to throw a graduation party?! Whether you go for a picnic, throw a BBQ, or just have a few friends over in your living room, we think you can’t truly show how proud you are without a celebratory cake. Sure, you could order one from a local bakery, but nothing impresses more than homemade. We’ve got everything from super easy icebox cakes to more involved layer cakes, with cheesecakes, poke cakes, and more in between. There’s something for everyone (even if you’re a novice baker, we promise). Check out our list of 33 graduation cake recipes for ideas—they might just be better than that graduation cap toss feeling.
Believe us that you need a cake, but are worried your baking skills aren’t up to snuff? Did you leave the party planning to the last minute? Don’t worry, we’ve all been there—we got you. For the easiest cakes with the highest rewards, you gotta go icebox. Really all you need is some cookies, some whipped cream, and a few hours in the freezer and you’ll have a cake everyone will swoon over. Try our milk n’ cookies icebox cake to see what we mean. Upside-down cakes are also a good way to go, since once you get the fruit cut and the cake batter made, you’re most of the way there. They pretty much decorate themselves. Check out the way we placed the fruit in our raspberry peach upside-down cake for inspiration, but feel free to do what feels fun to you. Speaking of cheesecakes, they get a bad rap for being finicky, and admittedly it is difficult to avoid their tops cracking. Our solve? Cover the top with something delicious, like in our strawberry cheesecake (topped with jammy fruit) or our Bailey’s cheesecake (topped with a rich chocolate ganache), and no one will notice the cracks.
Have extra time and a bit more baking prowess, and want to really impress your grad? Layer cakes never cease to wow a crowd, and we’ve got all the classics, like Funfetti, coconut lime, German chocolate, and more. Into cake, but want to try something a little extra special? Try a new cake decorating or assembling technique. Cut a sheet cake into the shape of the graduation year numbers and deco with your grad's favorite cookies and candies, or bake their favorite cake from childhood (like a copycat Dairy Queen ice cream cake). Once you try these methods, you might never go back to simply stacking and frosting.
For more ideas for sweet summer celebrations, check out our favorite summer dessert recipes, no-bake desserts, and easy fruit desserts too.
No-Bake Creamsicle Cheesecake
If you're a fan of the nostalgic creamsicles, then let us introduce you to your new favorite cheesecake. We incorporated the sweet orange flavors of the classic treat into this ultra-creamy cheesecake with a buttery crust for the ultimate summer treat. One of our favorite things about this recipe? It's a no-bake dream.
Get the No-Bake Creamsicle Cheesecake recipe.
Tres Leches Cake
A tres leches (which means "three milks" in Spanish) cake is a sponge cake that contains three different types of milks to make it extra moist and tasty. It's basically the original poke cake, and you're going to be obsessed.
Get the Tres Leches Cake recipe.
Hostess Sheet Cake
If you can't get enough of the fudgy, cream-filled cupcakes, then this sheet cake will be your new favorite dessert. Taking inspiration from the classic Hostess dessert, this sheet cake delivers on all the same flavors in an easy, shareable form.
Get the Hostess Sheet Cake recipe.
Oreo Cookie Cake
Inspired by chocolate chip cookie cakes—the giant cookies sold in malls and grocery stores decorated with frosting piped around the edges and sometimes a big, cursive “Happy Birthday” or "Congrats Grad!" in the middle— this homemade version takes things to the next level by putting cookies in the cookie cake. It’s packed with chopped Oreos (in place of chocolate chips), decorated with a rich Oreo buttercream (in place of plain chocolate or vanilla), and crowned with even more Oreos. What’s not to love, right?
Get the Oreo Cookie Cake recipe.
Carrot Cake
Whether you think of it as the ideal vehicle for cream cheese frosting (we feel you!) or are in it for its moist, spiced flavor that makes it a standout against standards like vanilla and chocolate, having a quality carrot cake recipe is a must for any celebration—this is the one.
Get the Carrot Cake recipe.
Copycat Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake
Dairy Queen’s classic ice cream cake is king in the realm of frozen desserts, but our copycat recipe is coming for the crown. Starring that signature ribbon of fudge and chocolate cookie crunchies sandwiched between vanilla and chocolate ice cream, this homemade version of this iconic treat is equally easy to make and delicious to eat.
Get the Copycat Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake recipe.
Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake
If you liked strawberry shortcake ice cream bars growing up, then you’ll love this strawberry crunch poke cake.Here we start with a boxed cake mix, top it with fluffy cream cheese frosting, then finish it off with a strawberry-and-cookie topping. It’s the perfect start of summer dessert.
Get the Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake recipe.
Copycat Cheesecake Factory Mango Key Lime Cheesecake
This copycat has creamy mango and Key lime cheesecake, a layer of fluffy mango mousse, and a layer of mango glaze, all encased in a vanilla-coconut crust.
Get the Copycat Cheesecake Factory Mango Key Lime Cheesecake recipe.
Chantilly Cake
There are cakes, and then there’s Chantilly cake, a towering layer cake stuffed with fresh berries and blanketed in whipped cream frosting. The impressive dessert marries the delicious simplicity of a classic yellow cake with the berries and cream combo that makes shortcakes shine. What’s even sweeter? The all-American dessert has a charming origin story that started in a grocery store bakery. Make it as a spring dessert to enjoy all season long, or as a graduation day dessert to make the day extra special.
Get the Chantilly Cake recipe.
Strawberry Pound Cake
Classic pound cake gets an upgrade with swirls of strawberry jam throughout and iced with tangy strawberry glaze. This streamlined recipe relies on a few crucial ingredients to maximize the flavor while the method remains extremely simple.
Get the Strawberry Pound Cake recipe.
Millionaire's Cheesecake
If you’ve never heard of millionaire’s shortbread, the inspiration behind this cheesecake, allow us to give you a brief history lesson. Also known as a caramel slice or caramel shortbread, the dessert consists of three layers: buttery shortbread, rich and chewy caramel, and a thick coating of chocolate. The exact origin isn’t well-documented and is also associated with Australian, New Zealand, and British cuisines. The name is said to refer to the fact that the dessert is rich and decadent and an upgrade from regular shortbread. One bite of this cheesecake and you'll see why!
Get the Millionaire's Cheesecake recipe.
Lemon-Blueberry Mini Cheesecakes
Even though these cheesecakes might be miniature, they deliver maximum lemon-blueberry flavor. Plus, they're no-bake (meaning no water bath!).
Get the Lemon-Blueberry Mini Cheesecakes recipe.
Number Cake
For this cake, we traced our number on the back of an empty cereal box to used it as a stencil—trust us, it's very doable! Use this method (or a number-shaped cake pan, no shade) to write out the graduation year. As long as you top it with a fun assortment of candies and/or fruits, it'll look adorable no matter what.
Get the Number Cake recipe.
Spumoni Ice Cream Cake
Inspired by the trio of flavors common in Italian spumoni, or molded gelato, this ice cream cake demands attention. With 6 WHOLE pints of ice cream, it feeds a big, hungry crew.
Get the Spumoni Ice Cream Cake recipe.
Blueberry Mousse Cake
When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade—make this fruity, white chocolate mousse cake instead. It's rich and SO creamy, but thanks to tart lemon and blueberries won't weigh your palate down.
Get the Blueberry Mousse Cake recipe.
White Chocolate Cake
A classic chocolate cake is always a good idea, but if you are looking to take your graduation celebration over the top, give this white chocolate cake a try. It's soft and layered with a white chocolate mousse and then frosted with a simple cream cheese frosting. We recommend using good quality bars of white chocolate with this cake as it will really make a difference.
Get the White Chocolate Cake recipe.
Coconut-Lime Layer Cake
Put the lime in the coconut and bake this stunning layer cake! One of the reasons this cake is SO fun to eat is that it’s not about blasting every component with all the lime and all the coconut flavor, but instead letting each part of the cake bring a little something to the party.
Get the Coconut-Lime Layer Cake recipe.
Rum Cake
Popular in the Caribbean, rum cake is a vanilla cake that has rum in the batter. We put 1/2 cup of rum in the cake batter and another 1/3 cup in the glaze, so it likely will not get anyone drunk after the alcohol bakes off, but the flavor is still a great way to celebrate a grad who's recently turned 21!
Get the Rum Cake recipe.
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Cake
This cake has everything you love about the Good Humor strawberry shortcake bars, in a homemade ice cream cake that couldn't be easier. Pro tip: To get clean slices of the cake, run a chef's knife under hot water before cutting each piece.
Get the Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Cake recipe.
Lemon Blueberry Poke Cake
We LOVE doctoring a boring store-bought cake mix into something spectacular, and this lemon blueberry beauty is one of our favorites. This semi-homemade cake really shines thanks to a blueberry sauce—it takes a minute on the stove, but it's 100% worth the effort.
Get the Lemon Blueberry Poke Cake recipe.
Glazed Donut Cake
No one can deny the allure of a good glazed donut. Forget breaking out the heavy-bottomed pot and the fry oil—this easy cake checks all the same boxes. Thank us later.
Get the Glazed Donut Cake recipe.
Boston Cream Poke Cake
Baking a traditional layer cake can be intimidating, but poke cakes couldn't be easier. The secret ingredient to this twist on Boston cream pie: instant vanilla pudding mix.
Get the Boston Cream Poke Cake recipe.
Brown Sugar Peach Cake
This is really a peach cobbler in cake form. The cake is so soft and buttery, with little pockets of peach throughout, keeping the cake extremely moist. The frosting is a brown sugar boiled icing, much like you would find on a Texas sheet cake. Pour it on while the cake is still warm and let it soak in a little as it cools and slightly hardens on top. Some of the frosting will likely pool around the edges and sides, making the corner piece a highly coveted one.
Get the Brown Sugar Peach Cake recipe.
Chocolate Birthday Cake
Whether you're celebrating a birthday or just another Wednesday, this is the perfect chocolate cake. The batter is made in one bowl and comes together in minutes. The chocolate flavor is STRONG thanks to the addition of coffee, which brings out the chocolate flavor. The frosting is a whipped ganache for a less sweet frosting than a traditional chocolate buttercream.
Get the Chocolate Birthday Cake recipe.
Strawberry Cheesecake
Want to give classic cheesecake an elegant (and easy!) upgrade to celebrate your recent graduate? This strawberry topping is your answer. All you need to do is heat together strawberry preserves and lemon juice until smooth and thick then brush it over fresh strawberries on top of your cooled and beautiful cheesecake.
Get the Strawberry Cheesecake recipe.
Bailey's Cheesecake
Have a grad who recently turned 21? Make them this boozy cheesecake to celebrate. For even more Baileys flavor, trying replacing just a bit of the cream with Baileys in that ganache! You'll be so glad you did.
Get the Bailey's Cheesecake recipe.
Raspberry Peach Upside-Down Cake
This cake is a STUNNER, and the fresh, summery fruit will get you in the mood for celebration. The best thing about upside-down cakes? They practically decorate themselves, no frosting required!
Get the Raspberry Peach Upside Down Cake recipe.
Funfetti Cake
This adult Funfetti cake is the celebration cake of our dreams. Three layers of tender vanilla cake are covered with a not-too-sweet buttercream. The sour cream in the frosting adds a delicious, subtle tang that compliments the colorful cake really well. Top it off with colorful sprinkles you've got a classic party cake guaranteed to make your grad smile.
Get the Funfetti Cake recipe.
Chocolate Bundt Cake
Calling all chocolate dessert-lovers—this fudgy Bundt cake is really something special. We’re partial to covering it in a rich ganache and serving it after a nice graduation dinner, but keep it plain and it can be the perfect indulgent brunch or mid-celebration pick-me-up too.
Get the Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe.
Eclair Cake
Eclairs are a French pastry made of pate a choux filled with a pastry cream and then coated in chocolate. Pate a choux, a dough that’s also used to make profiteroles, can be a difficult pastry to make, so for this cheater version we used graham crackers. They aren’t really anything like an eclair, but they are still great for layering in this cake and become soft as the cake chills.
Get the Eclair Cake recipe.
Milk N' Cookies Icebox Cake
If you're feeling nostalgic for when your grad was just a kid, make them this easy milk n' cookies icebox cake to show them just how proud you are of how much they've grown. This no-bake showstopper only has 4 ingredients.
Get the Milk N' Cookies Icebox Cake recipe.
German Chocolate Cake
German Chocolate Cake is a sweet chocolate cake that is filled and frosted with a rich, sticky coconut and pecan filling. Despite its name, the cake isn't German at all. The cake was originally created using a specific type of chocolate that a chocolatier named Samuel German had created: "German" Chocolate. The more you know!
Get the German Chocolate Cake recipe.
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