16 Festive Cakes Fit for Any Thanksgiving Feast

These showstopping desserts make the perfect centerpiece for your holiday dessert table.

September 08, 2022

By: Food Network Kitchen

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Photo By: Heather Baird SprinkleBakes.com

©Food Stylist: Stephana Bottom

Save Room for a Slice

Once you’ve had your fill of turkey and sides, it’s time for what some might consider the best part of the holiday meal: the dessert course! Apple and pumpkin pies, impressive cheesecakes, and even fun cupcakes have graced our tables. But why not try your hand at a crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving cake this year? We have recipes for all skill levels, and they’re perfect for every gathering, from small friendsgiving feasts to extended family get-togethers. Make an easy Bundt cake, serve a layered beauty, festively decorate this stunning turkey cake and more.

Get the Recipe: Sideways Turkey Cake

Apple Pie Cake

In addition to being a cute, seasonal garnish for this cake, the leaf-shaped pie crust cutouts also serve to drive home the apple pie theme. The leaves provide just the right amount of buttery, flakiness to the cake. There is no mistaking that this is cake is based on classic American apple pie.

Get the Recipe: Apple Pie Cake

Orange Cake

A shiny orange glaze plus orange zest is the secret to this elegant cake. Poke holes in the top of the cake, then pour a warm orange syrup all over so that it soaks through. Reduce the remaining syrup to a thick glaze and spread it over the top to create the hard shell before arranging orange strips and orange supremes on top.

Get the Recipe: Orange Cake

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Trisha's cake is all about presentation (and it tastes good too). It looks like a basic cake when you put it in the oven, but when you turn it out it's a beautiful dessert.

Get the Recipe: Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Naked Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream

This stunning cake tastes just like everyone’s favorite pumpkin bread, layered with fluffy swirls of cinnamon buttercream. It’s truly a masterpiece — but easy enough for bakers of any skill level.

Get the Recipe: Naked Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream

Easy Cranberry and Apple Cake

Sweet and tart fruit on the bottom and a simple batter on top is the perfect combination for Ina's cake that requires only 15 minutes' prep time. It turns out almost like a pudding when it's time to serve.

Get the Recipe: Easy Cranberry and Apple Cake

Pumpkin Pie Layer Cake

This recipe combines the familiar flavors of pumpkin pie and a classic layer cake. Buttery vanilla cake layers flavored with pumpkin spice sandwich a decadent pumpkin pudding, then the cake is enrobed in a luxurious sweet whipped cream frosting. A perfect marriage of cake and pie.

Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Layer Cake

Coconut Cake

If coconut cake isn't already a traditional Thanksgiving dessert in your family, it will be after you serve this beauty. With coconut in the batter and sprinkled on the sweet frosting, Ina's coconut cake is heaven on a plate!

Get the Recipe: Coconut Cake

Spiced Apple-Walnut Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Giada combines tart apples and sweet pure maple syrup to create a balanced batter for her cake. Don't cut the apples too fine, so you'll bite into nice chunks of fruit in each slice.

Get the Recipe: Spiced Apple-Walnut Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Apple Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Anne's two-layer cake is easy to make in a loaf pan. Simply slice baked cake in half and layer with a fluffy cream cheese frosting.

Get the Recipe: Apple Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

White Coconut Cake

A splash of coconut extract is the secret to mixing up Tyler's classic vanilla cake batter. You can also add the extract to his simple buttercream frosting. Dab rum syrup into each layer of cake before topping with the frosting.

Get the Recipe: White Coconut Cake

Meyer Lemon-Cranberry Bundt Cake

Plan ahead for this cake that needs to sit overnight for the flavors to fully develop. Make a lemon-juice simple syrup and pour it over the cranberry-filled Bundt cake, then let it sit overnight.

Get the Recipe: Meyer Lemon-Cranberry Bundt Cake

Southern Red Velvet Cake

This is a really wet cake, because it has both oil and buttermilk. Be sure to sift the dry ingredients twice to add extra air to keep the batter light.

Get the Recipe: Southern Red Velvet Cake

Caramel Apple Cake

This cake tastes just like another fall favorite: caramel-coated apples. Drizzle the apple-filled cake with homemade caramel, then slice and serve with even more caramel sauce.

Get the Recipe: Caramel Apple Cake

Pineapple Upside-Down Grit Cake

The Neelys remix classic pineapple upside-down cake by adding cornmeal to the batter to give it the texture of grits. Overlap pineapple rings in a round pan with brown sugar and place cherries in the middle of each ring so it'll turn out perfectly.

Get the Recipe: Pineapple Upside-Down Grit Cake

My Sister Maria's Easy Apple Cake and Ice Cream

Rachael's sister Maria is the baker in the family. Her recipe dresses up boxed cake mix with chunks of apples mixed with cinnamon and sugar. Once it's puffed up and golden around the edges, serve with butter pecan or rum raisin ice cream.

Get the Recipe: My Sister Maria's Easy Apple Cake and Ice Cream