17 Cakes That Bake With Fruit, Spice, or Cream

These cakes lean straight into bold flavor without getting fussy about layers or decoration. Some go heavy on pumpkin, banana, apple, or spice while others bring in citrus, coconut, or swirl patterns that bake right into the batter. You’ll find upside-down bakes, bundt cakes, pound cakes, and a few hybrids that pull from pie, cobbler, or cheesecake for extra richness. They all cut clean, hold their flavor overnight, and serve just as well warm as they do chilled. A few are sweet and simple, others get baked with crumble or glaze, but none of them need more than a fork and a plate.

Pumpkin Crumb Cake Recipe

A square piece of crumb-topped coffee cake sits on a wooden cutting board, showing its layered, moist interior. — Pumpkin Crumb Cake Recipe. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

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Soft pumpkin cake topped with a thick brown sugar crumble that bakes golden and adds texture. The spice runs through the batter without overpowering it. Serve with powdered sugar or glaze. It holds well on the counter and slices clean.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Crumb Cake Recipe

Apple Cobbler Cake Recipe

A baked apple dessert topped with pecans in a rectangular dish, surrounded by whole apples and a colorful napkin. — Apple Cobbler Cake Recipe. Photo credit: Mama’s on a Budget.

Baked like a mix of cake and cobbler with soft apple chunks and a buttery topping. The cake stays fluffy underneath while the top gets golden and crisp. Serve warm with cream or ice cream. It’s simple but holds up strong.
Get the Recipe: Apple Cobbler Cake Recipe

Blueberry Swirl Pound Cake

Dense pound cake swirled with blueberry filling that holds color and flavor through the loaf. The outside bakes golden while the center cuts smooth. Chill before slicing for the best texture. Serve plain or with lemon glaze.
Get the Recipe: Blueberry Swirl Pound Cake

Apple Cinnamon Cake

A slice of apple cake with visible cinnamon swirl being lifted from a whole cake, with apples and a striped cloth in the background. — Apple Cinnamon Cake. Photo credit: Easy Homemade Life.

Apples and cinnamon swirl through a golden batter that bakes soft and even. The top firms slightly while the inside stays moist. Add glaze or powdered sugar. It’s a quiet cake that goes with everything.
Get the Recipe: Apple Cinnamon Cake

Caramel Apple Cake

Soft apple chunks fold into the batter and bake under a layer of caramel glaze. The cake holds its shape with a sweet top finish. Great warm or next-day. The flavor deepens as it sits.
Get the Recipe: Caramel Apple Cake

Banana Caramel Cake

Iced banana cake with pecans on top. — Banana Caramel Cake. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

Banana-rich cake topped with a sticky caramel glaze that soaks in slightly as it sets. The crumb stays soft and dense. It serves warm or chilled without losing structure. A fast build with a bold finish.
Get the Recipe: Banana Caramel Cake

Lemon Blackberry Pound Cake

Bright lemon and whole blackberries baked into a dense, smooth pound cake. The berries break up the texture while the lemon keeps it sharp. Serve with a citrus glaze or plain. It holds well at room temp.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Blackberry Pound Cake

Chocolate Chaffle Cake

A slice of layered chocolate and cream cake topped with blueberries and raspberries sits on a plate, with the rest of the cake in the background. — Chocolate Chaffle Cake. Photo credit: Low Carb – No Carb.

Low-carb chaffles stacked with whipped topping and chocolate sauce into a soft, layered dessert. The texture is crisp at the edge and soft inside. Serve fresh or chill briefly. Fast to build and slice.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Chaffle Cake

Cannoli Cake

A soft vanilla cake layered or filled with ricotta cream and mini chocolate chips. It stays light but rich enough for dessert. Chill before slicing. It brings the bakery vibe without the pastry shell.
Get the Recipe: Cannoli Cake

Lemon Crinkle Cake

A round pastry with flaky golden layers, drizzled with white icing, served on a white plate atop a marble surface. — Lemon Crinkle Cake. Photo credit: Maria’s Mixing Bowl.

This cake bakes soft with a crinkle top and light lemon flavor. The outside browns while the inside stays pillowy. Serve dusted or with glaze. It’s simple, fast, and bright.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Crinkle Cake

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Cake

A slice of pumpkin cake with white frosting topped with pecan halves, placed on a dark surface. — Homemade Pumpkin Spice Cake. Photo credit: Trop Rockin.

Pumpkin and spice blended into a soft batter that bakes smooth and cuts clean. The flavor holds with or without frosting. Add nuts or raisins or leave it straight. A fall staple that works year-round.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Pumpkin Spice Cake

Blueberry Upside Down Cake

Berries baked on the bottom flip to the top, glazed in their own juice and sugar. The cake beneath stays soft but firm enough to hold shape. Best turned out warm. A quick spin on a classic flip.
Get the Recipe: Blueberry Upside Down Cake

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

A sliced bundt cake dusted with powdered sugar, with an autumn leaf decoration in the background. — Pumpkin Bundt Cake. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

Pumpkin puree and spice baked into a bundt pan for a soft cake with deep color. The shape holds well for slicing or topping. Dust with powdered sugar or glaze. It works warm or room temp.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

A sliced marble bundt cake with chocolate and vanilla layers, dusted with cocoa powder, is displayed on a white surface with an orange flower garnish. — Chocolate Pumpkin Cake. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Cocoa and pumpkin blend into a dark, soft cake that bakes rich without being too heavy. The crumb cuts clean with or without frosting. Good warm, better after a day. It brings strong fall energy.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

Farmers Cheesecake Bundt Cake

A slice of bundt cake with visible berries sits on a plate, with the rest of the cake and purple flowers in the background, dusted with powdered sugar. — Farmers Cheesecake Bundt Cake. Photo credit: Low Carb – No Carb.

Soft bundt cake with a cheesecake-style filling baked inside. The outside sets golden while the center stays creamy. Slice after cooling fully. It’s two desserts in one bake.
Get the Recipe: Farmers Cheesecake Bundt Cake

Honey Bun Cake

A square piece of yellow cake with a cinnamon swirl inside, topped with cinnamon sticks, sits on a white plate. — Honey Bun Cake. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Cinnamon-sugar swirls through the batter while a glaze sets over the top after baking. It stays soft in the middle with crisp edges. Best warm but holds up for days. Tastes like a boxed classic but baked from scratch.
Get the Recipe: Honey Bun Cake

Marble Bundt Cake

Chocolate and vanilla batters swirled into a bundt pan and baked until golden. The outside crisps while the inside stays soft. Serve with glaze or plain. Each slice shows off the pattern.
Get the Recipe: Marble Bundt Cake