31 Traditional Southern Cake Recipes

Hummingbird cake is a classic Southern confection that prominently features banana and pineapple. These hummingbird cake recipes are all equally delicious. You will love how moist and flavorful they are, and the cream cheese frosting that accompanies these recipes is literally the icing on the cake.


"My Southern roots are deep, so of course I love Hummingbird Cake. The beauty of the Hummingbird Cake is that it is a perfect marriage of a spice cake and banana nut bread with pineapple thrown in for good measure! It's surprisingly light, it's packed with flavor and, really, what cake isn't better with cream cheese frosting?"

– Paula, The Saucy Southerner

If you're craving a particularly decadent type of cake, then you cannot go wrong with a Southern caramel cake. Usually featuring a dense yellow cake that is topped with homemade caramel frosting, these cakes are as impressive as they are delicious. This Southern cake is perfect for entertaining!

Everyone loves chocolate, and these chocolate cake recipes are sure to satisfy even the biggest chocolate cravings. From layer cakes to cupcakes, and from Mississippi mud to red velvet, you are bound to enjoy any of these chocolate cake recipes.

Layer cakes take a lot of effort and preparation, but they are so worth the effort. Each of these old-fashioned layer cake recipes is impressive enough to serve to even the finest company. The next time you are looking to spend an afternoon in the kitchen, break out your cake stand and make one of these lovely layer cake recipes.

"I've learned the hard way that the key to keeping a layer cake stable is to make sure all of the layers are even. I like to get eye level with each layer and cut off the dome with a large bread knife. Sometimes I'll use a ruler to measure each layer and mark my measurements with toothpicks before cutting. A revolving cake stand makes the whole process much easier."

– Elizabeth, Please Note Paper

Pound cake is one of the simplest, yet most delicious, types of cake. These cake recipes are known for their dense texture and buttery flavor. Below you will find classic recipes for pound cake as well as new twists with chocolate, peaches, sour cream, and more!


"I think baking is the pride of most Southern cooks, from elaborate multilayered cake creations to simple pound cakes. I love the simplicity of a pound cake, it's a recipe almost anyone can master with amazing results. And it has such a comfort factor that harms back to childhood memories."

– Perre, The Runaway Spoon

These Southern cake recipes don't fit into one category, but they are still worth mentioning. These homemade cakes are easy to prepare and are sure to be the perfect sweet complement to any occasion. Each of these recipes features delightful add-ins including pineapple, coconut, pecans, and more!