The Best 9×13 Cake Recipes
Learn how to bake the best 9×13 cake recipes with this collection of 30+ tried-and-true favorites. From fruity poke cakes and chocolate classics to cozy spice cakes and easy dump cakes, there’s something here for every kind of cake lover.
As someone who collects and tests vintage and classic recipes, 9×13 cakes have always had a place in my kitchen. Some come from old church cookbooks, others from family recipe cards, and a few have become new favorites that still feel wonderfully old-fashioned.
My mom always kept a 9×13 cake on the counter during the holidays. Her mom did the same. These are the kinds of cakes that bring people together. They’re easy to slice, easy to share, and always a crowd-pleaser.
Made with simple ingredients and classic methods, these cakes are perfect for everyday baking or special occasions. Whether you’re making a cherry poke cake or a gooey butter cake, these recipes are easy to follow and hard to mess up.
- Great for Any Occasion: These cakes are perfect for birthdays, family dinners, holidays, or whenever you want something sweet without the fuss.
- No Layers, No Problem: A single pan means no stacking or complicated decorating—just bake, cool, and frost.
- Easy to Make and Share: Most of these come together with basic pantry ingredients and travel well for get-togethers.
- Plenty of Variety: From rich chocolate and cozy spice cakes to fruit-filled bakes and creamy cheesecake bars, there’s a flavor here for everyone.
Fruit Cakes
Lemon Lime Jello Poke Cake
This lemon-lime jello poke cake is one of my favorite refreshing desserts. The lemon cake, lime jello filling, and fluffy pudding-whip topping come together for a bright, citrusy treat that disappears fast.
Cherry Pie Filling Cake
When I need something easy and crowd-pleasing, I go straight for this cherry pie filling cake. It’s soft, tender, and full of sweet cherry flavor that tastes homemade with minimal effort.
Banana Split Cake
This banana split cake has all the flavors of the classic dessert layered into one easy, no-fuss cake. It feeds a crowd, takes hardly any oven time, and is perfect for parties since you can make it ahead.
Banana Cake
This banana cake tastes like banana bread dressed up for dessert. It’s moist, perfectly sweet, and the cream cheese frosting adds that smooth, tangy finish I can never resist.
Apple Coffee Cake Recipe
I love baking this apple coffee cake for breakfast or brunch. The sour cream makes it rich and tender, the tart apples keep it balanced, and the brown sugar crumble on top is pure perfection.
Rhubarb Cake
This rhubarb cake is buttery, tart, and just sweet enough. Every bite has soft cake, a crunchy oat-pecan topping, and little bursts of rhubarb. I serve it with whipped cream for the full effect.
Zucchini Cake
I make this zucchini cake when I want something classic and cozy. It’s moist, lightly spiced, and a great way to use up garden zucchini. Bonus: it tastes amazing with a hot cup of coffee.
Carrot Cake with Pineapple
This carrot cake is packed with shredded carrots, pineapple, and all the warm spices I love. It bakes up soft and fluffy, and the cream cheese frosting brings it all together beautifully.
Cherry Streusel Cake
This cherry streusel cake lands somewhere between a cake and a pie, and that’s exactly why I love it. It’s sweet, buttery, and finished with a golden crumble that gives every bite texture and flavor.
Cherry Cheesecake Recipe
This cherry cheesecake cake is a total time-saver. I start with a boxed mix and end up with a creamy, sweet, crowd-pleasing dessert that’s just as good as the from-scratch version.
Chocolate Cakes
The BEST Chocolate Cake With Cherry Pie Filling
This chocolate cherry cake is legendary for a reason. It’s rich and soft, made with cake mix, chocolate chips, and canned cherry pie filling. It’s also a Pillsbury million-dollar winner, and once you try it, you’ll see why.
Chocolate Cake From Scratch Recipe
This is my go-to chocolate cake when I’m baking from scratch. No butter or eggs needed, but it still turns out soft, rich, and deeply chocolatey thanks to cocoa and chocolate milk.
Upside Down German Chocolate Cake
This upside down German chocolate cake is one of my favorite ways to impress a crowd with minimal effort. The coconut-pecan layer turns gooey and caramelized in the oven, and the whole thing looks fancy without being fussy.
Old Fashioned Coca-Cola Cake
This vintage Coca-Cola cake is rich, moist, and topped with warm homemade chocolate icing that sinks right into the cake. The cola gives it that perfect Southern-style texture, and it tastes even better the next day.
Grandma’s Mississippi Mud Cake
When I want something ultra-rich and extra gooey, I make this Mississippi mud cake. It’s chocolatey, dense, and loaded with that classic fudge-like texture everyone loves.
Reeses Cake
This Reese’s cake is bold, dense, and full of chocolate-peanut butter flavor. I top it with a thick peanut butter layer and finish it off with a shiny chocolate glaze that cracks just right when you slice into it.
Old-Fashioned Chocolate Apple Cake
I love the way this old-fashioned chocolate apple cake brings together two unexpected flavors. The apples add moisture and a subtle sweetness, and the result is a rich, slightly dense cake that feels like a hidden gem.
Classic and Old Fashioned Cakes
Gooey Butter Cake Recipe
This gooey butter cake is one of the easiest crowd-pleasers I make. It starts with a box mix pound cake base and gets topped with the creamiest, richest layer. It’s soft, sweet, and always a hit.
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake
When fall rolls around, I bake this pumpkin gooey butter cake on repeat. The fluffy pumpkin layer on top of the soft cake base is perfect with a dollop of whipped cream.
Cinnamon Cake
This cinnamon cake is warm, soft, and packed with spice. I add chopped walnuts for a little crunch, and the bold cinnamon flavor makes it feel like the coziest cake ever.
Caramel Cake
I start this caramel cake with a yellow cake mix and layer it with homemade cream cheese frosting and buttery caramel sauce. It’s simple to make and tastes like something straight from a bakery.
Old Fashioned Carrot Cake
I love baking this carrot cake from scratch. It’s full of shredded carrots, warm spices, and topped with a pineapple cream cheese glaze that takes it to the next level.
Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake
This hummingbird cake is sweet, dense, and filled with banana and pineapple flavor. I finish it with cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of chopped pecans for that classic Southern finish.
Molasses Cake
This molasses cake is deep, spiced, and beautifully moist. The mix of pumpkin, molasses, and coffee gives it a rich flavor that’s perfect for cool-weather baking.
Gingerbread
I always bake this gingerbread when I want the house to smell amazing. It’s soft, spiced just right, and has that old-fashioned holiday charm I can’t get enough of.
Oatmeal Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting
This oatmeal cake is soft and just a little chewy from the oats, and that gooey coconut pecan topping is the best part. It’s rustic, rich, and always a favorite at gatherings.
Eggnog Rum Cake
This eggnog rum cake tastes like the holidays in every bite. It’s soft, spiced, and the splash of rum gives it just the right cozy kick.
7Up Cake
This old-school 7Up cake is light, bright, and totally nostalgic. The hint of citrus in the cake pairs perfectly with the sweet coconut glaze on top.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake
This peanut butter and jelly cake brings all the nostalgia in dessert form. The cake is soft and rich, layered with jelly and peanut butter frosting, and always makes people smile.
Easy Dump Cakes
Cherry Dump Cake
This cherry dump cake is one of the easiest desserts I make. Just three ingredients and a quick bake, and you get a rich, sweet treat that tastes way better than it should for how simple it is.
Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
When I want something quick and fruity, this cherry pineapple dump cake is my go-to. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and tart with a buttery, crunchy topping that always wins people over.
Peach Dump Cake
This peach dump cake couldn’t be easier. I toss in just four ingredients, and it bakes into a juicy, golden dessert that’s packed with peach flavor and crisp edges.
Pumpkin Dump Cake
I love baking this pumpkin dump cake when fall cravings hit. The creamy pumpkin layer, crunchy pecan topping, and warm spices make it one of my favorite no-fuss desserts.
Lynette’s Tips for the Best 9×13 Cakes
These easy, crowd-pleasing cakes are a staple for good reason. Here’s how to make sure your 9×13 cakes turn out moist, fluffy, and full of flavor every time.
- Use the right pan. Stick with a true 9×13-inch metal or glass baking dish. Dark metal pans may bake faster and brown more, so check for doneness a few minutes early.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can lead to dense, tough cakes.
- Grease the pan well. Even nonstick pans need a light coating of butter or cooking spray to prevent sticking. For extra insurance, add a dusting of flour too.
- Let it cool completely before frosting. This is key for sheet cakes. Warm cake can melt frosting and make it runny or greasy.
- Use a toothpick to test for doneness. Insert it into the center of the cake — if it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, it’s ready.
- Make it ahead. Most 9×13 cakes taste even better the next day. Store covered at room temperature or in the fridge, depending on the frosting.
