A cake is a staple dessert for any cook’s repertoire. Whether you’re making it from a boxed mix or whipping one up from scratch, it’s an easy way to impress guests.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative with your flavor combinations. Here are some of the best cake flavors to try!
Chocolate
Chocolate is one of the most classic cake flavors. It’s a great base for all sorts of other flavors and can be made into everything from light and fluffy Funfetti to rich and dense devil’s food cake. It can be made with any type of frosting and can be decorated to suit the occasion or season.
If you want to take your chocolate cake to the next level, try adding a bit of coffee or espresso powder to the batter. This will not only add a deeper flavor, but it will also keep the cake moist for longer.
Another delicious way to boost the flavor of a chocolate cake is to use a variety of nuts. Nuts like hazelnut, almond, and peanut work well with chocolate and help to balance the sweetness of the cake. Nuts can be used in the batter, as a filling, or as a topping for the cake.
In the early days of chocolate, it wasn’t used as a solid dessert but was instead drunk in savory or even bitter form. This recipe, from Anne Willan’s Cooking with Wine, uses just enough wine in the cake to give it a subtle boozy taste.
Citrus
Citrus isn’t just for savory dishes, it can add zest to desserts as well. The combination of orange cake layers with cranberry compote and citrus buttercream is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season while adding some festive color to your dessert table.
This zesty cake has a hint of orange from the lemon zest in the batter, the sour notes are balanced out by the sweet and floral orange juice in the syrup, and the cake itself is topped with Campari-soaked tangelo slices. A simple dusting of powdered sugar is the only garnish this delicious cake needs.
Another way to highlight citrus in your cakes is by incorporating citrus sugar into the recipe. Simply combine equal parts sugar with some citrus zest and rub it together between your fingers until the mixture becomes fragrant. This is an easy, flavorful addition to any citrus cake that will make it taste extra special.
The olive oil used in this cake offers a subtle flavor to the cake but also helps keep it moist. Be sure to use a high-quality olive oil that hasn’t been opened too long so that the flavors are still fresh. You can also substitute vegetable or canola oil for the olive oil if you prefer.
Almond
The toasted almonds in this recipe create a light and airy cake that tastes like spring. The nutty almond flavor pairs well with a variety of fruit preserves and whipped cream. It’s a great cake to make for breakfast or brunch.
A light and sweet pound cake packed with almond flavor. It’s topped with crunchy slivered almonds and it’s the perfect cake to serve at a tea party or brunch. This cake freezes well, too.
An easy and delicious gluten free almond ricotta cake with a rich custard topping. It’s a great dessert to make for Easter. It can also be made for any special occasion or just because!
Another classic almond streusel cake, this one has a hint of cinnamon and an amazing crumb. It’s the perfect dessert for a lazy Sunday with coffee, a teatime treat or even to have on hand as an easy snack or dessert.
This is a simple and delicious white cake that has a taste of almond, along with vanilla. The batter is very quick and easy to put together, and it can be made with any fat level of milk. The final product is moist and incredibly tender. This is a great cake to make for a wedding, especially if you’re planning on having an outdoor ceremony. The icing is very simple, and it looks very elegant on a tiered cake.
Hazelnut
This decadent Hazelnut Cake is perfect for a special occasion. It has rich, buttery hazelnut sponge cakes and silky hazelnut mousseline cream infused with the popular chocolate-hazelnut spread, Nutella. This layered cake recipe is simple to follow and results in a gorgeous, moist dessert that will tantalize your taste buds!
This is a simple cake that can be made with many variations. For example, if you don’t like hazelnuts you can use almonds, pecans or macadamia nuts instead. You can also add spices, like nutmeg or cardamom, for an even more unique flavor.
You will need to toast and grind your own hazelnuts, or you can buy pre-toasted hazelnut meal. Toasting them is important because it gives the cake a nice crunch, and it helps the flavor stand out. You can find pre-toasted hazelnuts at most grocery stores in the baking aisle. If you do choose to toast them yourself, it is a very easy process. Place the hazelnuts on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes until they are fragrant and lightly darkened. Let the nuts cool before grinding them to a fine texture.
This is a flourless cake that contains a mix of brown sugar and eggs for richness, as well as buttermilk to keep it tender. It can be served on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce. It’s also great with a cup of coffee in the afternoon. This cake is super moist and flavorful, and it tastes best on the second or third day (if you can wait that long).