When people come together, a good dessert can make the whole gathering feel complete. These 19 cakes and cupcakes are easy to make, simple to share, and always get people talking. They look nice on the table and taste like something you picked up from a bakery. Save these recipes for the next time you’re hosting and want dessert to do the work for you.
Ultra Moist Chocolate Cake. Photo credit: Honest and Truly.
Mini Chocolate Cupcakes
Grab a handful of these mini cupcakes when dessert needs to be quick, easy, and full of chocolate flavor. The soft cake has just the right amount of sweetness and holds up well without drying out. These are simple to bake and always disappear fast at any gathering.
Get the Recipe: Mini Chocolate Cupcakes
Chocolate Chip Applesauce Cake
Lean on a classic that always delivers with this soft, chocolate chip-studded cake made with applesauce. The flavor is sweet and warm, and it holds together beautifully with every slice. This is an easy cake recipe that feels comforting and never goes uneaten.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Chip Applesauce Cake
Red, White, and Blue Bundt Cake
Add some fun to dessert with a Bundt cake that swirls color and flavor into one simple slice. The soft crumb tastes like a bakery cake, and it cuts clean every time. Use this recipe when you want a dessert that looks great and feeds a crowd with no stress.
Get the Recipe: Red, White, and Blue Bundt Cake
Cherry Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting
Brighten up the table with cupcakes that mix cherry cake and smooth vanilla frosting in every bite. They’re light, soft, and full of flavor that holds up even after sitting out. Bake these when you need a simple cupcake that tastes like it came from a shop.
Get the Recipe: Cherry Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting
Ultra Moist Chocolate Cake
Treat the crowd to a rich chocolate cake that stays moist from the first slice to the last. The deep cocoa flavor feels bold but never too heavy, and it’s simple to bake from start to finish. Keep this one in your back pocket for times when dessert needs to shine with little effort.
Get the Recipe: Ultra Moist Chocolate Cake
Homemade Ice Cream Cake
Cool things down with a no-bake cake that layers ice cream and soft cake into one frozen treat. It looks polished, but comes together with just a few simple steps and no oven required. This is a great make-ahead dessert that always makes hosting feel easier.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Ice Cream Cake
Individual Blueberry Coffeecakes
Keep things neat with single-serve coffeecakes full of blueberries and topped with a light crumb. Each one is soft and sweet, with just enough crunch to keep it interesting. Bake a tray when you want a dessert that feels fresh but is still easy to pass around.
Get the Recipe: Individual Blueberry Coffeecakes
Molten Chocolate Cakes
Make dessert feel special without much work using cakes that stay soft on the outside and gooey in the middle. The warm chocolate center feels rich and smooth, like something you’d get at a fancy restaurant. These are surprisingly easy to bake and always get noticed first.
Get the Recipe: Molten Chocolate Cakes
Individual Pineapple Upside-down Cakes
Add some fun to dessert with little cakes topped with sticky caramelized pineapple and buttery cake underneath. Each one is easy to serve and holds its shape without falling apart. These are perfect for hosting when you want dessert to look polished without extra work.
Get the Recipe: Individual Pineapple Upside-down Cakes
Classic Yellow Cake
Keep things simple and reliable with a soft, buttery yellow cake that never goes out of style. Each bite melts in your mouth and feels like something you bought from the bakery. Bake this when you want a cake that’s easy, comforting, and always well-loved.
Get the Recipe: Classic Yellow Cake
Kit Kat Cake
Let dessert be the centerpiece with a chocolate cake wrapped in crisp Kit Kat bars and filled with soft layers inside. It has that mix of texture and flavor that makes every bite feel like a treat. This is the kind of cake that looks great on the table and tastes even better.
Get the Recipe: Kit Kat Cake
Blueberry Streusel Coffeecake
Balance soft cake with crumbly topping in this sweet coffeecake packed with juicy blueberries. The center stays tender while the top bakes golden and crisp. Bake it when you want an easy dessert that always gets cleaned off the tray.
Get the Recipe: Blueberry Streusel Coffeecake
S’mores Cake
Bring dessert to life with a cake that layers chocolate, marshmallow, and ganache with a bit of graham cracker crunch. It’s rich, gooey, and simple to put together, even if you don’t bake often. Use this recipe when you want something fun that feels like more than just a cake.
Get the Recipe: S’mores Cake
Carrot Cake
Make a soft and spiced carrot cake filled with raisins and topped with thick cream cheese frosting that pulls it all together. It has that classic homemade feel, but slices clean and keeps its flavor. This one’s a crowd-pleaser that always makes dessert feel a little easier.
Get the Recipe: Carrot Cake
Green Tea Cupcakes
Try a light twist on dessert with green tea cupcakes topped with smooth matcha frosting. The flavor is gentle but holds up, with just the right balance of sweet and earthy. Bake these when you want something simple that still feels different.
Get the Recipe: Green Tea Cupcakes
Kool-Aid Cupcakes
Add color and fruity flavor to dessert with cupcakes that use Kool-Aid to brighten the batter. They’re soft, sweet, and quick to bake when time is short. This is the kind of recipe that makes dessert fun without a lot of effort.
Get the Recipe: Kool-Aid Cupcakes
Blueberry Pudding Cake
Let pudding cake do the heavy lifting with a soft layer of cake, juicy blueberries, and a gooey center underneath. The texture is rich but never too heavy, and the flavor feels like something special. Use this one when you want a cake that looks and tastes like more than it took to make.
Get the Recipe: Blueberry Pudding Cake
Chocolate Cinnamon Cupcakes
Turn up the flavor with chocolate cupcakes that get a little heat from cinnamon and a smooth finish from ganache. They’re soft, bold, and easy to bake without a lot of extra steps. These cupcakes are great when dessert needs to feel new without trying too hard.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Cinnamon Cupcakes
Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting
Mix deep cocoa cake with strawberry frosting for a cupcake that’s sweet, rich, and full of contrast. The texture is soft, the color pops, and they’re easy to serve straight from the tray. Bake these when you want cupcakes that feel like they came from a bakery window.
Get the Recipe: Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting