39 Delicious Cakes Mom Will Love On Her Special Day
What better way to show your mom how much she means to you this Mother's Day than with a show-stopping cake? Whether you go pound cake or coffee cake for brunch, a layer cake or cheesecake for post-dinner dessert, or an anytime poke cake or icebox cake the kids can help decorate, our 40 Mother's Day cakes are sure to make your mom (or anyone who fills that role in your life) feel extra special.
If you’re looking for the perfect sweet treat to complement your brunch spread, look no further than our raspberry cream cheese coffee cake, our chocolate bundt, our honey cake, or our blueberry coffee cake. Hot tip: make them a day ahead of time so you can focus on cooking up some eggs just the way your mom likes them.
If you’re looking for something more definitively in the dessert category (rather than breakfast, though no judgment if you serve these in the morning, it’s a special day after all!), you’ve gotta go layer cake or cheesecake. Check out our tiramisu cake, our lemon layer cake (with lemon curd!), our German chocolate cake, or our espresso martini cheesecake, our raspberry cheesecake, or our lemon blueberry mousse cake for ideas. These do take a bit more time and energy, but are still totally do-able, and really, doesn’t your mom deserve the bit of extra effort?
Looking to get the kids involved in the baking process? Our banana pudding icebox cake, our blueberry lemon upside-down cake, our cookie cake, or our lemon icebox cake are for you. They’re pretty low-lift to make (though heads up, some of them need to chill for a few hours before serving), and are perfect for getting kids involved in the assembly and the decoration. Grab some sprinkles or your mom’s favorite candies, and have fun with it!
Looking for more ways to spoil mom? We've rounded up our favorite Mother's Day gifts (+ the best gifts for foodies), our top Mother's Day dinner ideas, and our best Mother's Day brunch recipes. Looking for even more sweet treats? Check out our favorite Mother's Day desserts too.
Blueberry Skillet Crumb Cake
Have you ever eaten a blueberry muffin and thought, If only this was 4 times the size? This breakfast cake is full of fresh blueberries, topped with an almond-flecked crumb, and served straight from a buttery skillet it's baked in. Your mom will love it.
Get the Blueberry Skillet Crumb Cake recipe.
Espresso Martini Cheesecake
Is your mom a fan of the espresso martini? Then this cheesecake is for you. The cheesecake filling is spiked with coffee liqueur and espresso to make it super-rich and creamy, and the top gets the iconic dusting of cocoa powder over an espresso-infused whipped cream.
Get the Espresso Martini Cheesecake recipe.
Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
When it comes to simple but reliable brunch crowd pleasers, coffee cakes are the undefeated champion. Developing new and creative variations on the breakfast staple is basically our jam, but this raspberry and cream cheese coffee cake just might be our favorite, and will be your mom's too.
Get the Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake recipe.
Mini Chocolate Raspberry Cake
This chocolate cake is rich and almost brownie-like and goes so well with the tart raspberry cream cheese frosting. Add raspberries between the layers for extra cuteness.
Get the Mini Chocolate Raspberry Cake recipe.
Snickers Cheesecake
Ever wished you could have a Snickers Bar... in cheesecake form? Well, today's your day! This outrageous cheesecake has a creamy milk chocolate center and is topped with plenty of caramel and roasted salted peanuts. Oh, and Snickers, obviously. Your mom's going to flip.
Get the Snickers Cheesecake recipe.
Raspberry Cheesecake
This creamy, decadent cheesecake is swirled with a raspberry sauce to create a show-stopping dessert for your mom. Our favorite part? Rather than a standard graham cracker crust, this cheesecake base is made from super buttery shortbread.
Get the Raspberry Cheesecake recipe.
Petit Fours
Hoping to make some homemade edible gifts that are sure to impress? Make petit fours. Featuring confetti cake layered with raspberry jam and buttercream and covered in a shiny white glaze, these stunning mini cakes will delight anyone who receives them.
Get the Petit Fours recipe.
Sponge Cake
Having this cake in your recipe arsenal will have you ready for anything Mother's Day throws at you: You can cube it a trifle, crumble it over ice cream, or—our favorite—stack it with whipped cream and berries. The best part? You can have this entire cake ready in just about an hour.
Get the Sponge Cake recipe.
Chocolate Polka Dot Cake
Straight from the author's mom's recipe book, this recipe combines a fudgy chocolate sheet cake with cheesecake polka dots and crunchy chocolate chips for texture. Obtained at a party well before her time, her mom said she tried it and just had to have the recipe (so you know it's good!).
Get the Chocolate Polka Dot Cake recipe.
Copycat Cheesecake Factory Mango-Key Lime Cheesecake
This dessert is great for when you want a fruity, sweet indulgence. It’s got 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. What's not to love?
Get the Copycat Cheesecake Factory Mango-Key Lime Cheesecake 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.
German Chocolate Cake
This is a sweet chocolate cake that is filled and frosted with rich, sticky coconut and a pecan filling. It's not super chocolatey on its own, so we couldn't resist adding chocolate ganache to go in between the layers. Not only does it add decadence, but it helps keep the layers from falling apart!
Get the German Chocolate Cake recipe.
Cookie Cake
Bigger is better, especially when we're talking cookies. The key to baking a cookie cake is pressing the dough into a round cake pan, rather than freehand it on a baking sheet, which ensures that it'll bake evenly. Get kids involved in decorating this for mom, she'll love it.
Get the Cookie Cake recipe.
Chocolate Cheesecake
Have you ever wondered what a gooey chocolate brownie paired with cheesecake would taste like? Look no further! This chocolate cheesecake is rich, silky smooth, moist, and almost fudge-like—everything your mom could want in a chocolate dessert.
Get the Chocolate Cheesecake recipe.
Banana Pudding Icebox Cake
If your mom just can't get enough of her favorite banana pudding, turn it into a sliceable cake perfect for celebrating. Instant banana pudding mix can be hard to come by, so we used vanilla instead. Since there are tons of bananas in the cake, it really doesn't matter, but feel free to sub for banana if you can find it!
Get the Banana Pudding Icebox Cake recipe.
Rhubarb Cake
Rhubarb is strikingly beautiful, and this cake shows it off well. The stalks bake right into the cake, becoming soft and jammy, and are surrounded by a crunchy sugary crust. It’s quick and simple–more like a snacking cake–meaning you and your mom can nibble on it all Sunday long.
Get the Rhubarb Cake recipe.
Copycat Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake
This simple lemon cream cake was a beloved favorite at Olive Garden, until they discontinued it! Don't worry, though—our copycat recipe featuring a vanilla cake with just a hint of lemon, a tart lemon cream filling, and a crunchy vanilla crumble means you can make it for your mom any time she likes.
Get the Copycat Olive Garden Lemon Cream 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 spring—this is the one.
Get the Carrot Cake recipe.
Strawberry Cheesecake
Moms LOVE cheesecake, and this is our favorite way to top one. This jammy topping looks impressive, but comes together easily with strawberry preserves and lemon juice. Bonus: the topping means you don't have to worry if the top cracks at all. 😎
Get the Strawberry Cheesecake recipe.
Cookie Dough Cheesecake
Does your mom love chocolate chip cookies? Of course she does! This cheesecake takes their flavor OTT, in the best way possible.
Get the Cookie Dough Cheesecake recipe.
Tiramisu Cake
Is your mom obsessed with a creamy, light slice of tiramisu? She'll love it even more in celebratory cake form, with light layers of vanilla sponge stepping in for lady fingers.
Get the Tiramisu Cake recipe.
Chocolate Pudding Cake
Chocolate cake meets chocolate pudding in this sliceable dessert. Warm up your knife to ensure clean slices. Serve it post-Mother's Day dinner (or for brunch, no judgement from us!)
Get the Chocolate Pudding Cake recipe.
Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
If you’re looking for a show-stopping dessert to impress your mom, look no further than this lemon meringue cheesecake recipe. The layers of graham cracker crust, creamy cheesecake, bright yellow lemon curd, and a big swoop of toasted meringue will get her in a frenzy even before her first bite.
Get the Lemon Meringue Cheesecake recipe.
White Chocolate Cake
A classic chocolate cake is always a good idea, but if you're looking to stun with something a little different, try this white chocolate cake. It's soft and layered with a white chocolate mousse and then topped with a simple cream cheese frosting.
Get the White Chocolate Cake recipe.
Homemade Strawberry Cake
Making the strawberry compote for this cake is easier than you'd think. Whipping the compote into the cake batter, frosting, and filling makes this a strawberry lover's dream.
Get the Homemade Strawberry Cake recipe.
Blueberry Lemon Upside-Down Cake
We love a good upside-down cake, and this our favorite one yet. The blueberries get super-juicy as they bake—it's the perfect representation of spring. Pro tip: flip this cake while it is still warm to guarantee it comes out easily.
Get the Blueberry Lemon Upside-Down 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. A few punchy additions and approachable techniques take this cake from basic to brilliant.
Get the Strawberry Pound Cake recipe.
Vanilla Bundt Cake
No matter what shape you bake it, this cake is delightfully moist and light. We love swapping in some lemon juice and zest for the glaze, or any fun extracts (instead of vanilla extract) we have on hand.
Get the Vanilla Bundt 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.
Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake
We gave the classic flourless chocolate cake an upgrade in the form of LOTS of peanut butter. It's the perfect cake if your mom's a Reese's lover. She'll be dreaming about this one for years to come.
Get the Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake recipe.
Basque Cheesecake
Unlike an American-style cheesecake, this Spanish-style one is baked without a crust and at a super-high temperature, which caramelizes the outer layer while the center stays light and creamy. Yum!
Get the Basque Cheesecake recipe.
Lemon 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 Lemon Blueberry Mousse 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 Mother's Day dinner, but keep it plain and it can be the perfect indulgent brunch or midday pick-me-up too.
Get the Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe.
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Coffee cake is so simple to make, and that's just one of the reasons it's so beloved and perfect for serving to guests. Sour cream and buttermilk make this one moist and tender (and it will stay that way for days, so you can make it ahead).
Get the Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe.
Honey Cake
The trick for this super simple cake is to use really good honey. Look for a nice wildflower or orange blossom variety to give the cake lots of sweet and floral flavor.
Get the Honey Cake recipe.
Key Lime Pound Cake
Rich and buttery pound cake, entirely perfect on its own, is a prime candidate for a Key lime glow-up. After all, what could be better than an easy, tender cake that’s inspired by key lime pie?
Get the Key Lime Pound Cake recipe.
Flourless Chocolate Coconut Cake
Don't be surprised when you see cracks in the top of this chocolate cake—this is normal with flourless cakes, since steam causes the batter to expand while baking. When the temperature cools, it'll collapse back down, creating the signature cracks. Topped with a layer of cocoa powder, the result is gorgeously artistic.
Get the Flourless Chocolate Coconut Cake recipe.
Lemon Icebox Cake
Icebox cake may be an old-school concept, but this recipe is truly spectacular. The combination of lemon curd and cream cheese frosting is intensely citrusy and refreshing, and the quick candied lemon peel makes it priceless.
Get the Lemon Icebox Cake recipe.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
It may be retro, but this classic cake is a staple easy dessert for a reason. Sweet pineapple gets an irresistible rich boost from melted butter, brown sugar, and eye-catching maraschino cherries—one slice, and you can transport your mom to the tropical vacay of her dreams.
Get the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake recipe.
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