29 Father's Day Cakes That Will Make You The Favorite Child This Year
It often feels like all the big holiday focus gets put on mom for Mother’s Day—breakfast in bed, flowers, the whole shebang—but your dad deserves something extra sweet for Father's Day too. What better way than to bake him a homemade cake to show him how much you appreciate all he’s done for you? They’re WAY better than gifting him just another tie, we promise. Check out our list of 30 Father’s Day cakes for ideas—whether you’re an experienced baker or this will be your first go at it, we’ve got a recipe your dad will love.
If Father’s Day is a big to-do in your family, you’re going to want to bake your dad a cake that’s just as big as your celebration. For something fruity he’ll “flip" over, try our pineapple upside-down cheesecake or raspberry-peach upside-down cake. Best part about upside-down cakes? They look crazy impressive, but they practically decorate themselves. Is your dad not a big fruit fan? Try our marshmallow cake (great for s’mores lovers), our classic yellow cake with chocolate frosting, or our spumoni ice cream cake (particularly good for if you’re celebrating multiple generations of dads—everyone wins with 3 flavors of ice cream!).
If your dad is more of a laid-back guy who doesn’t like a lot of fanfare, don’t let that stop you from baking him a cake. You could go for one that’s a little more subdued, like our classy ricotta cheesecake (lighter and fluffier than your average cheesecake) or our vanilla bundt cake. Or bake one that’s less work for you (so he won’t feel too overwhelmed by your gesture), like our banana pudding poke cake or our cookie cake (always a favorite). Worried about your decorating skills (or have small children who want to get in on the action)? Try our peanut butter cup bliss sheet cake or our dirt cake—the more toppings, the merrier!
For more Father’s Day ideas, check out our Father’s Day brunch recipes, our Father’s Day dinner recipes, and the best gifts for dad (and gift baskets!) too.
Raspberry Peach Upside Down Cake
This cake is a STUNNER. Our favorite thing about upside-down cakes? They're impossible to mess up because you can place your fruits just so before pouring the batter on. It's always a joy to see how they turn out once you flip them—they ALWAYS impress.
Get the Raspberry Peach Upside-Down Cake recipe.
Dirt Cake
Reminisce with your Dad about all the times you and he played in the mud together when you were growing up. For this cake, an easy Oreo crust is topped with a cream cheese pudding mixture and then sprinkled with more Oreos for good measure. Take inspiration from our Dirt Pudding and add gummy worms too if you want!
Get the Dirt Cake recipe.
Lemon Blueberry Cake
The tart sweetness of the blueberries is amplified by the zing of the citrus. You can use frozen or fresh blueberries for this cake, just make sure to toss them with flour before incorporating them into your batter so they don't sink to the bottom of your cake while baking.
Get the Lemon Blueberry Cake recipe.
Skillet Texas Sheet Cake
For a traditional Texas sheet cake, the batter and the icing are prepared separately on the stovetop. Using a skillet eliminates a dish and makes things way more fun. Especially when everyone digs in while it's still warm...with tons of ice cream on top.
Get the Skillet Texas Sheet Cake recipe.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake
We are suckers for a good pineapple upside down cake and this just might be our favorite version yet. The creamy cheesecake layer makes the cake extra decadent and celebratory, perfect to show your Dad how much you care.
Get the Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake recipe.
Cookie Cake
Not sure you can manage a whole layer cake for Father's Day this year? We got you—make this super easy cookie cake instead! You can decorate it as simply or as elaborately as you want.
Get the Cookie Cake recipe.
Lemon Icebox Cake
Icebox cake is an old-school concept, but this recipe is truly spectacular. The combination of lemon curd and cream cheese frosting is intensely citrusy and refreshing, and the quick candied lemon peel makes it priceless.
Get the Lemon Icebox Cake recipe.
Cookie Dough Pound Cake
While pound cakes are often relegated to breakfast, this one is SO rich, putting it firmly in dessert territory. It's sliced, then stuffed with delicious almond flour-based cookie dough for the most epic of combos. Your Dad's gonna be asking you to make this one over and over again.
Get the Cookie Dough Pound Cake recipe.
White Chocolate Cake
A classic chocolate cake is always a good idea, but if you are looking to impress with something a little different give this white chocolate cake a try. It's soft and layered with a white chocolate mousse and then frosted with a simple cream cheese frosting. We recommend using good quality bars of white chocolate with this cake as it will really make a difference, and your Dad deserves the best!
Get the White Chocolate Cake recipe.
Marshmallow Cake
If your Dad is a s'mores fan, make him this extra special marshmallow cake this Father's Day. The chocolate cake is extra moist thanks to sour cream, and the Italian meringue buttercream isn't too sweet, making it the perfect celebratory cake even for someone who doesn't LOVE sweets.
Get the Marshmallow Cake recipe.
Banana Pudding Poke Cake
This poke cake is a breeze to make, thanks to yellow cake box mix and instant pudding. You will make your own whipped cream, but we won't judge if you use store-bought.
Get the Banana Pudding Poke Cake recipe.
Strawberry Cheesecake
Want to give classic cheesecake an elegant (and easy!) upgrade for your Dad? All you need to do is heat together strawberry preserves and lemon juice until smooth and thick then brush it over fresh strawberries on top of your cooled and beautiful cheesecake. You'll have a creamy, dense vanilla cheesecake with jammy topping you'll want to pour extra over each slice!
Get the Strawberry Cheesecake recipe.
Peanut Butter Explosion Cakes
These are the best molten chocolate cakes, hands-down. Why? Because your Instant Pot or air fryer are both able to gently cook them to pure decadence. The cake is so rich with a perfectly creamy center that's to die for. We're obsessed, and we bet your Dad will be too.
Get the Peanut Butter Explosion Cakes recipe.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake
It's Father's Day—you need a show-stopping dessert. Don't choose between chocolate chip cookies and cheesecake, just make both!
Get the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake recipe.
Creamsicle Cheesecake
The no-bake batter might feel kind of loose as you're adding it to the pan—don't worry! After a couple hours in the refrigerator the cheesecake mixture will be perfectly firm and creamy.
Get the Creamsicle Cheesecake recipe.
Vanilla Bundt Cake
Sure, there are lots of showy layer cake options out there. But there is truly something so special about a really well executed, moist vanilla cake. It technically doesn’t even require a bundt pan, so you can definitely nail making this for your Dad even if you're an amateur baker.
Get the Vanilla Bundt Cake recipe.
Perfect Yellow Cake
Can't go wrong with a classic, like your Dad and this cake. It's basically a vanilla cake made with extra egg yolks, which make the cake perfectly dense with a super-rich flavor. It's far better than your average cake and pairs perfectly with a thick and fudgy chocolate frosting. Don't forget the sprinkles!
Get the Perfect Yellow Cake recipe.
Strawberry Crunch Cake
Celebrate your Dad and the return of fresh strawberries with this strawberry shortcake-inspired layer cake!
Get the Strawberry Crunch Cake recipe.
Spumoni Ice Cream Cake
Six pints of ice cream and magic shell to top it off? This ice cream cake will DEFINITELY make your dad feel special.
Get the Spumoni Ice Cream Cake recipe.
Ricotta Cheesecake
Ricotta Cheesecake is much lighter and fluffier than a traditional cheesecake, but still nice and creamy! If your Dad isn't huge on sweets, this classy dessert will be perfect for him.
Get the Ricotta Cheesecake recipe.
Milk and Oreos Cake
Take your Dads love of Oreos to new heights with this insane chocolate cake that's layered with Oreo crumbs and marshmallow frosting. An easy balloon trick (like in our sprinkle ice cream bowls) creates a bowl of melted white chocolate that will look like a giant splash of milk on top of your cake too!
Get the Milk and Oreos Cake recipe.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
The best part about this flourless cake is that it doesn't require any flour alternatives. It's the perfect cake that just happens to have zero flour. Cocoa powder and eggs give it all the lift and structure it needs to be perfectly fudgy and rich.
Get the Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe.
Red Velvet Cake
Everyone should have a good red velvet cake recipe in their back pocket—and this is it. It has a decadent chocolate flavor and the creamiest cream cheese frosting. The combo of vinegar and buttermilk makes it extra tender, light, and fluffy, and the striking red color makes it unforgettable.
Get the Red Velvet Cake recipe.
Cherry Dump Cake
Dump cakes: horrible name (though maybe your Dad will find it funny!), but stupid easy and delicious. We love topping them off with slivered almonds and vanilla ice cream to make this semi-homemade dessert a stunner.
Get the Cherry Dump Cake recipe.
Giant Oreo Cake
If your dad loves sandwich cookies, make him a GIANT one this Father's Day. Bonus points if you write his name on the top in the Oreo font. 😋
Get the Giant Oreo Cake recipe.
Coconut Layer Cake
This cake gets its amazing flavor from vanilla and almond extracts and, of course, shredded coconut. Also in the batter: 5 eggs and buttermilk, which both contribute to an extremely rich and tender crumb. Adding coconut milk to cream cheese frosting is a GAME CHANGER.
Get the Coconut Layer Cake recipe.
Best Carrot Cake
This is your Dad's cake, so feel free to customize it to his liking. Not a fan of pecans? Sub in walnuts or pistachios, or leave the nuts out entirely. Want to skip the raisins? Feel free to, or switch them out for dried cranberries, cherries, or any other dried fruit you want. You could even add pineapple!
Get the Best Carrot Cake recipe.
Baileys Cheesecake
Even if you're using a water bath, this much liquid (extra thanks to the Baileys!) is likely to cause cracks. This certainly won't effect the flavor, and since you're covering the whole thing in ganache, it won't effect the presentation too much, either. So don't panic—keep calm and bake on!
Get the Baileys Cheesecake recipe.
Mocha Donut Cake
This cake is made up of TWENTY-FOUR old-fashioned donuts, espresso-and-chocolate hand-whipped cream, and a smooth and creamy chocolate ganache. What more could your Dad want?
Get the Mocha Donut Cake recipe.
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