37 Mother’s Day Cakes That’ll Make Mama Swoon
There’s only one correct response to a mother’s claim that she doesn’t want gifts: one of our best Mother’s Day cake recipes—and time with you. We’ve gathered a few of our favorite options to consider baking for the mom who means the most to you. Maybe she’s the type to crave something not too sweet to wrap up a brunch, or something with nuts or fruit to go with tea. Or maybe your Mom only wants cake if it’s chocolate cake. Below you’ll find all the Mother’s Day cake ideas you need, even if you’ve you’re only able to “share a slice” from afar while you chat on the phone.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart1/37Fresh Strawberry Cake
Mother’s Day cakes don’t have to be complicated to feel celebratory. This fuss-free vanilla cake puffs up around the fresh berries and gets a pretty gloss of strawberry jam.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou2/37
Tahini Chiffon Cake With Burnt Honey Cream and Poached Rhubarb
We’ve published many, many cake recipes over the years, but this small-group 6-inch number is still a favorite. The fluffiness factor on this cake is so-light-it-could-float, but you’ll add a touch of egg yolk for richness. The sesame seed coating adds a bonus level of crunch.
- Photo by Travis Rainey, Food styling by Micah Marie Morton3/37
Easy Coffee Cake
Invite the whole family over for a Mother’s Day brunch, cook some bacon in the oven, make your signature scrambled eggs, and slice up this simple, no-mixer-required crumb-topped cake. They’ll wonder how you made it look so easy.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Sean Dooley4/37
Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Carrot cake is the right way to eat your vegetables. Momma’s going to be proud.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson5/37
Baked Alaska Saint Pierre
Your mom has flair. She brings the drama. Make sure your Mother’s Day dessert does the same.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Kate Schmidt6/37
Angel Food Cake
This soft pillow of a cake gets its tender crumb from whipped egg whites, cream of tartar, and cake flour, which is finer and less prone to forming gluten than all-purpose flour. Decorate with whipped cream and fresh berries—or edible flowers if you prefer.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne7/37
Super-Moist Yellow Cake With Rich Chocolate Frosting
Really good yellow cake is worthy of a special day. Making it right means not creaming your butter and sugar together at the start.
- Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton8/37
Fluffy and Fabulous Coconut Cake
Say “Happy Mother’s Day” with this classic Southern cake, which wears a luscious robe of cream cheese and coconut milk frosting, plus a flurry of ruffled shredded sweetened coconut.
- Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich9/37
Anytime Lemon Cake
You could double this easy cake recipe to make a lemon layer cake, or swap the pan to turn it into fresh, springy cupcakes.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart10/37
Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
Dress up Mom’s favorite (cheesecake, duh) with a homemade raspberry swirl and a graham cracker crust enriched with a touch of nutty brown butter.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano11/37
Chinese Bakery–Style Whipped Cream Cake
This whipped cream cake will bring back happy memories of long-ago family celebrations. Garnish with your choice of raspberries, blueberries, melon balls, sliced strawberries, or kiwis.
- Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich12/37
Louisiana Crunch Cake
If Mama just loves coconut desserts, this Louisiana take on pound cake is perfect for her.
- Photo by Deb Perelman13/37
Marble Bundt Cake
Using melted white chocolate in the vanilla portion of this marble cake adds a complex toastiness to the flavor, and makes a luxurious textural match for the chocolate swirls.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell14/37
Black Forest Cake
This gorgeous chocolate-cherry cake uses kirsch two ways: in the cake-soaking syrup and to preserve the sour cherries that get sandwiched between each layer.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich15/37
Philly Fluff Cake
A beloved staple of local bakeries in Long Island and New Jersey, this cake gets remarkable balance of richness and lightness from cream cheese, butter, and shortening.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton16/37
Daffodil Cake
This cloud-like spring cake, a Depression-era riff on angel food, doesn’t need buttercream frosting, just a big dollop of whipped cream and some smashed macerated strawberries.
- Photo by Andrew Purcell, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell17/37
Coconut–Key Lime Sheet Cake
Need Mother’s Day cake recipes that can be easily transported after baking? The tangy Key lime topping on this refreshing cake will have everyone coming back for seconds.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele18/37
Pistachio Cake
Bought Mom a pretty new mug or a stylish teapot as a Mother’s Day gift? She’ll love lingering with a hot drink and a slice of this nutty cake.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova19/37
Flourless Chocolate Cake
When nothing but chocolate will do, nothing but this classic Gourmet dessert recipe will suffice.
- Photo and Food Styling by Joseph De Leo20/37
Backyard Citrus Upside-Down Cake
The natural pectin in the citrus, combined with the sugar, creates a pudding-like upside-down layer similar to a buttery marmalade. You can make this Mother’s Day recipe with lemons or any other citrus you have around.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele21/37
Classic Bundt Cake
Break out your fanciest bundt pan for this easy recipe, and serve with lemon curd or whipped cream.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton22/37
Cardamom Basque Cheesecake
It’s easy to overbake a Basque cheesecake because you’re trying to get it to brown properly. But adding a bit of honey will give you gorgeous caramelization without cooking the interior too much.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne23/37
Elvis Presley’s Favorite Pound Cake
“This is a fantastic cake that I will be making again and again,” writes one reviewer, but this hunk’o burnin’ love has many, many fans.
- Photo by Squire Fox24/37
Clementine Pound Cake
With its zesty aroma and chocolate-honey glaze, this cake is a favorite from legendary baker Cheryl Day.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton25/37
Tre Latte Olive Oil Cake
When tres leches meets olive oil cake, truly good things happen. This is a showstopper of a dessert the whole family will be talking about for days to come.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova26/37
Lane Cake
Boozy, nutty Lane Cake—a Southern specialty—brings in pecans and bourbon or brandy to great effect. Bake it the Saturday before Mother’s Day—it tastes even better after an overnight rest.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle27/37
Rhubarb-Pistachio Bundt Cake With Rose Glaze
Rosewater adds a subtle aroma to this rhubarb-pistachio bundt cake. Rose petals add a pretty garnish but read up on edible flowers before heading out to the garden.
- Erin Kunkel28/37
The Pink Cake
A stunning buttercream made with raspberry purée gives this rich chocolate cake its pretty-in-pink hue. Serve with scoops of vanilla or chocolate ice cream; rainbow sprinkles optional.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova29/37
7UP Cake
The carbonation of the soda acts as a leavener by adding bubbles to the batter of this nostalgic cake, while its flavor gives the cake a citrusy backbone.
- Photo by Peter Cassidy30/37
Prinsesstårta
How did the iconic Swedish princess cake become a signature dessert of San Francisco? Read the tale, then bake your own rendition for Mom.
- Photo by Linda Xiao31/37
One-Bowl Ricotta Olive Oil Pound Cake
You can’t beat the rich moisture that olive oil adds to this exceedingly easy cake. And with just one bowl required, no one will be left with a mountain of dishes on Sunday night.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson32/37
Classic Carrot-Coconut Cake
Ginger and cinnamon add warming spice to this crowd-pleasing mashup of spring’s two best cakes. “Fabulous! Moist, dense, flavorful,” notes one reviewer.
- Photo by Jocelyn Delk Adams33/37
Red Velvet Cake With Blackberry–Cream Cheese Whipped Frosting
Just one taste and you’ll declare this the best Mother's Day cake you’ve ever made. The cocoa layers are flavored with buttermilk and coffee, and the swirled mix of blackberry compote and tangy whipped cream frosting brings it all together.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Buckens34/37
East 62nd Street Lemon Cake
Does your mother collect old cookbooks and food magazines? Honor her hobby with this lemony cake from baking icon Maida Heatter.
- Photo by Massimo Pessina & Blandine Boyer, Food Styling by Eric Kayser35/37
Fraisier
Thinking about strawberry shortcakes but want to get a little more elaborate? Making this beautiful cake means you don’t need a floral centerpiece on the table. This strawberry dessert needs to be refrigerated overnight, so you’ll want to plan ahead.
- Photo by Peter Frank Edwards.36/37
Spiced Honey Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Need a cake for the gluten-free moms in your life? This single-layer beauty is flavored with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and vanilla and topped with a coconutty cream cheese frosting.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Summer Moore37/37
Raspberry Cake With Whipped Cream Filling
Some Mother’s Day cakes are just guaranteed to steal the show, and this raspberry-filled chiffon cake falls into that category. The whipped cream gets rich color and flavor from freeze-dried raspberries, ground in a spice mill or food processor.
Caroline Lange
Joe Sevier
Kendra Vaculin
Zoe Denenberg
