Holidays & Occasions Mother's Day 55 Mother’s Day Cakes To Celebrate A Sweet Mama By Kimberly Holland Kimberly Holland Kimberly Holland is a writer and editor with 15 years of experience in food, lifestyle, health, and nutrition content. She has been published in Southern Living, Real Simple, Allrecipes, EatingWell, Cooking Light, and other publications. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on August 20, 2024 Close Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox There's no one quite like a Southern Mama. She gives the best (often quote-worthy) advice, harbors generations worth of beauty secrets, and can whip up an elaborate three-course meal at the drop of a hat. Most of the year, Mama's everyday efforts may go unnoticed. Come May, it's time to celebrate her. These cakes are worthy of the Mama who does it all; they're the perfect gift for the woman who taught you that the secret to stiff peaks is all in the wrist. Treat Mama to a sweet slice of one of these stunning springtime cakes this Mother's Day. 40 Mother's Day Dinner Ideas To Surprise Mom With This Year 01 of 55 Chocolate Bundt Cake Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Boxed cake mix and brownie mix are the secret to this beautiful cake. Drizzle with chocolate frosting and top with edible pansies for a simple but elegant touch. You can find them at specialty grocers. Get The Recipe 02 of 55 Chocolate Strawberry Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford A chocolate-covered strawberry in cake form? Sign us up. Finely chop the strawberries so they blend well with the creamy frosting. Place fresh strawberry halves on top, or add chocolate dipped strawberries for an extra special touch. Get The Recipe 03 of 55 German Chocolate Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Three chocolate cake layers and Coconut-Pecan Frosting come together to create one of the most classic and decadent Southern cakes. Though this cake hails from Dallas and not Germany, it's been popular since its creation in a 1957 recipe that called for German sweet baking chocolate. Strong brewed coffee enhances the chocolate flavor, and a rich coconut-pecan frosting takes it over the top. Get The Recipe 04 of 55 Strawberry-Rosé Snack Cake Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Light, fluffy, and pretty in pink, this rosé snack cake can be enjoyed all day long. Freeze-dried strawberries and rosé contribute to the color and flavor. This cake comes together with just 15 minutes of hands-on time, and you can mix the ingredients together in one bowl. Get The Recipe 05 of 55 Blueberry-Lemon Cake Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox As tasty as it is pretty, this bright cake doesn't require a lot of fuss to assemble. For an alternative, make cupcakes and skip the layers altogether. Get The Recipe 06 of 55 Glazed Buttermilk Donut Cake Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Dailey A cross between a glazed donut and a Bundt cake, this wow-worthy dessert will be the star of your Mother's Day brunch spread. The secret to the cracked surface is added leavening, making it resemble old-fashioned donuts. Extra layers of glaze provide a crackly finish. Get The Recipe 07 of 55 Strawberries-And-Cream Sheet Cake Hector Sanchez Sheet cakes are easy to bake, transport, and ice, yet still deliver plenty of flavor. This pretty pink version celebrates strawberry season and Mama, and it's great for a crowd. A little strawberry-flavored gelatin enhances the taste. Get The Recipe 08 of 55 Mint Chocolate Chip Cake Southern Living If Mama likes mint chocolate chip ice cream, she'll love this pretty pastel cake that takes on the same flavor. This recipe is a great way to use the mint overflowing in the garden. Both the devil's food cake and the buttercream frosting get subtle flavor from the mint. Get The Recipe 09 of 55 1234 Cake With Chocolate Frosting Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner This layer cake comes together with pantry staples you probably already have on hand, so it's even easier to pull together than running to the store for a boxed mix. Its name is an easy way to remember the main ingredients: 1 cup of butter, 2 cups of sugar, 3 cups of flour, and 4 eggs. Sprinkle with jimmies or leave it plain—either way it's good. Get The Recipe 10 of 55 White Chocolate Raspberry Loaf Cake Antonis Achilleos, Prop Styling: Kay Clarke, Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall If you're looking for a brunch dessert that's not too sweet, this loaf is the perfect recipe for serving with post-meal coffee or tea. Drizzle white chocolate glaze over the berry-studded pound cake. Add nuts for crunch. Get The Recipe 11 of 55 Chocolate-Zucchini Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Mama will never guess that this decadent chocolate cake is really packed full of veggies. Brown Butter-Pistachio Frosting is a perfect match for this sweet, rich chocolate cake. Get The Recipe 12 of 55 7UP Bundt Cake Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner This Bundt cake is oh-so-easy and absolutely delicious. It's based on a classic recipe that uses lemon-lime soft drink. Fresh lemon and lime zest ramp up the citrus flavor. Get The Recipe 13 of 55 Pecan Pie Cake With Browned Butter Frosting Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners We turned everyone's favorite pie recipe into a decadent layer cake that's sure to please Mama. Cake layers made tender by buttermilk, rich pecan pie filling, and browned butter frosting are a dream combination. This cake can be made up to 48 hours ahead of time. Get The Recipe 14 of 55 Lemon Loaf Cake Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Karen Rankin This easy loaf can be prepared in advance and shared with Mama on her special day. Line your pan with parchment paper to keep the cake from sticking and easy removal. This cake can be made up to three months ahead of time and frozen, unfrosted. Get The Recipe 15 of 55 Strawberry Vanilla Cake Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell If you can't decide between a vanilla and a strawberry cake, this recipe gives you the best flavors of both. You can make this cake ahead of time, but don't add the strawberry topper until just before serving. Get The Recipe 16 of 55 Classic Coconut Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Between our fluffy frosting and the mounds of toasted coconut, this cake is an absolute showstopper. And it has coconut in every layer—the cake, filling, frosting, and topping—so it will satisfy any coconut lover. Get The Recipe 17 of 55 Angel Food Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Angel food cake for the original angel in your life. Top this airy cake with anything Mom likes, from chocolate syrup to fresh fruit. Use a tube pan for this recipe. Don't use any cooking spray or a nonstick pan so the batter will climb the sides as it bakes. Get The Recipe 18 of 55 Lemon-Cheese Layer Cake Hector Manuel Sanchez Think of this masterpiece as a combination of the flavors of a layer cake and a cheesecake in one. The lemon curd that goes between the layers needs to chill for eight hours before using, so make it in advance. Lemon-Orange Buttercream Frosting elevates the decadence. Get The Recipe 19 of 55 Cookie Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox If mom prefers cookies to cake, this is the perfect solution. Milk powder adds a milk-and-cookies flavor reminiscent of childhood. Bake the cookie in a springform pan. Get The Recipe 20 of 55 Classic Chocolate Pound Cake Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck; Food Styling: Erin Merhar This one's for all the chocolate-loving mamas out there. The decadent chocolate pound cake is topped with a simple dusting of powdered sugar. Add a scoop of ice cream, fruit, or a drizzle of chocolate syrup to make it just right for Mom. Get The Recipe 21 of 55 Strawberry Dream Cake Strawberry Ice-Cream Sandwiches This cake is pretty on the outside but, just like Mom, what's on the inside is even more lovely. Cut into this cake to reveal neat rows of strawberries. Dreamy Whipped Frosting fills all the nooks and crannies. Get The Recipe 22 of 55 Key Lime Pound Cake Dotdash Meredith Bring a taste of the tropics to your Mother's Day celebration. Key lime juice and zest infuse the cake with zippy flavor, and a Key lime glaze adds tang. Brush the glaze over top of the cake while still warm. Get The Recipe 23 of 55 Mini Confetti Cakes Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clarke; Food Stylist: Torie Cox You'll be surprised how few ingredients you need for these mini cakes, and they're a snap to make. Start with a sheet cake and use a round cutter to create small cakes. Homemade whipped cream frosting spreads easily. Adorn with edible flowers. Get The Recipe 24 of 55 Wacky Cake Will Dickey; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee If you want to make a delectable baked good but you're short on time, this Wacky Cake is the perfect, extra-fudgy solution. The cake recipe was created when common kitchen ingredients were hard to come by or rationed. It doesn't use any eggs, milk, or butter. Get The Recipe 25 of 55 The Lane Cake Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen If you're really looking to impress, the Lane Cake is a timeless classic. The cake won first prize in a Columbus, Georgia, county fair and gained fame when it was featured in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee in 1960. This version is topped with Peach Schnapps-flavored frosting. Get The Recipe 26 of 55 Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton This cake is three layers of pure, chocolatey goodness. The secret ingredient? Mayonnaise. We know it's good on tomato sandwiches, but who knew it could make a cake so moist and dreamy? Get The Recipe 27 of 55 Dreamy Lemon Cheesecake Jennifer Causey The secret to a crack-free cheesecake is cooking it gently in a water bath. This cake has lemon in every layer. Make the crust with cream-filled lemon sandwich cookies and top the lemon-infused filling with lemon curd after baking. Get The Recipe 28 of 55 Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayliss Place cut strawberries in the center of this pound cake for a sweet surprise. Use store-bought strawberry glaze for the swirl. Garnish with more fresh strawberries and whipping cream. Get The Recipe 29 of 55 Luscious Lemon Cake Jennifer Davick Frosting just the top and between the layers saves you time and is perfect for a casual occasion. You can frost the whole cake for a more formal gathering. Get The Recipe 30 of 55 Mama's Rum Cake Peter Frank Edwards We took a page out of Mama's book with this classic Rum Cake. The recipe comes from Mildred "Mama Dip" Council of Mama Dip's Kitchen in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. There's rum in the cake and the glaze for double the flavor. Get The Recipe 31 of 55 Heavenly Angel Food Cake Southern Living For the sweetest Mama, nothing but this Heavenly Angel Food Cake will do. Make it as a sheet cake and frost with lemon cream cheese frosting, then cut the cake into single-serving petits fours. Sugar flowers make a sweet garnish. Get The Recipe 32 of 55 Cream Cheese Pound Cake Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke Cream cheese ensures that this pound cake stays fluffy and moist the whole way through. Top with fresh fruit and a spoonful of whipped cream. Get The Recipe 33 of 55 Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake With Caramel Buttercream Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Mama is worth the extra effort required to make this decadent cake. Spoon a thick layer of ganache over the cake layers and spread with the rich caramel buttercream frosting. Freezing between layering allows the ganache to set. Get The Recipe 34 of 55 Best Carrot Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox Celebrities and home bakers alike have sung the praises of our classic Carrot Cake—if it can impress Chrissy Teigen, it can certainly impress Mama. We'll tell you how to bake it and store it so it stays perfectly moist for Mother's Day brunch. Get The Recipe 35 of 55 Sea Salt-Caramel Cake Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall This layer cake masterfully balances salty and sweet. Mama will be coming back for a second slice. The caramel frosting takes a few extra minutes, but it's worth it. Get The Recipe 36 of 55 Blueberry Cornmeal Cake Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox This unique cake makes the most of fresh berries, resulting in a sweet treat that can be enjoyed at any time of day. Serve warm or at room temperature. Get The Recipe 37 of 55 Cinnamon Coffee Cake Antonis Achilleos A special day to celebrate Mama? That warrants cake for breakfast. You can shorten the baking time for a gooey center, or bake for the full time for a more traditional cake. Get The Recipe 38 of 55 Pineapple-Coconut Cake Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley This cake, bursting with the tropical flavors of pineapple and coconut, will be a new warm-weather staple. Mom will rave over the pineapple compote filling. Serve as is or top with a drizzle of honey, fresh fruit, or lime zest. Get The Recipe 39 of 55 Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake Johnny Autry; Food and Prop Styling: Charlotte L. Autry This sheet cake combines tender, buttery biscuits and fresh strawberries with a tangy mascarpone whipped cream for a dessert bound to impress mom. Skip the individual servings for a stunning cake that feeds a crowd. Get The Recipe 40 of 55 Million Dollar Cake Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Make Mom feel like a million bucks with this worthy dessert. Boxed cake mix and instant pudding help this cake come together easily, so you can spend time with the person who really matters. Get The Recipe 41 of 55 Reese's Cake Alison Miksch; Prop Stylist: Thom Driver; Food Stylist: Loren Wood No one will guess this cake starts with a chocolate cake mix. With a cream cheese-peanut butter filling, two different glazes, and chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, it will win Mom's heart. Get The Recipe 42 of 55 Strawberry Icebox Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford Turn just five ingredients into this simple and impressive cake. Layer chocolate wafer cookies with homemade whipped cream that's flavored and colored by strawberry jam. Since it needs to chill for a few hours, it's the perfect cake when you need to make it ahead. Get The Recipe 43 of 55 Hummingbird Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Moist layers packed with pineapple, pecans, cinnamon, and bananas make this our most popular cake of all time. This cake was first submitted to Southern Living by Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1978. Get The Recipe 44 of 55 Easy Chocolate Cake Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Mom doesn't need to know how easy this cake is to pull together. Whisk the batter in one bowl, and bake for 30 minutes. Three easy buttercream frosting variations are included, such as Salted Caramel, Tahini, and Spiced Chocolate. get the recipe 45 of 55 Eclair Cake Molly Bolton When it comes to choosing a dessert for Mom, you can't go wrong with this decadent cake that is easy to make. Top layers of graham crackers and thick pudding with rich chocolate ganache, and pop it in the fridge until it's time to serve Mom. get the recipe 46 of 55 Cookies And Cream Cake Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser This rich and fudgy cake has chocolate sandwich cookies throughout its layers. The Italian meringue buttercream takes some extra time, but it's worth the effort. get the recipe 47 of 55 Italian Cream Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox The exact origin of this cake isn't known, but it's been a Southern mainstay since it popped up in the mid-20th century. Top the coconut layer cake with pecans and a nutty cream cheese frosting. get the recipe 48 of 55 Peanut Butter Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Buttermilk is the key to a moist, tender cake. The cream cheese-peanut butter frosting levels up the peanut flavor and balances the dessert's sweetness. get the recipe 49 of 55 Mississippi Mud Cake Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke Reach for this favorite stand-by to show your mom some love. Bake the fudgy cake, then top it with marshmallows and a generous amount of chocolate frosting. Give yourself plenty of time because Mom won't wait to dig in. get the recipe 50 of 55 Swiss Roll Cake Molly Bolton Impress Mom with this cake roll made with a delicate sponge cake, fluffy cream filling, and rich chocolate ganache. It's a good and tasty way to thank her for all of those treats she put in your lunchbox. get the recipe 51 of 55 Banana Layer Cake With Caramel Icing Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Move over, banana bread. Use those overripe bananas to make a dreamy cake for Mom. This cake can be made as a layer cake, sheet cake, or cupcakes so you can easily pack it up to bring to the celebration. get the recipe 52 of 55 Confetti Cake With Vanilla-Sour Cream Frosting Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl A Mother's Day cake doesn't need sprinkles, but aren't they fun? This sweet, colorful cake adds a cheerful note to Mom's big day. get the recipe 53 of 55 Margarita Cake Southern Living No salt is needed for this margarita. A tequila-lime syrup infuses each cake layer with margarita flavor, and margarita mixer ramps up the flavor of the frosting. get the recipe 54 of 55 Lady Baltimore Cake Micah A. Leal This cake has been around for more than a century, believed to have inspired a 1906 novel by the same name. White cake is studded with raisins softened with rum extract and topped with billowy, marshmallowy frosting. get the recipe 55 of 55 Strawberry-Lemonade Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox The combination of two fresh flavors, lemonade and strawberry, make this pastel cake taste like spring. Homemade strawberry-lemonade jam is sandwiched between layers of lemon cake. Make the pink strawberry frosting with cream cheese and fresh strawberries. Bake the cake ahead of time and freeze the layers, or bake and assemble up to two days in advance. Get The Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit