From fluffy angel food to charming butter pecan, vintage cakes are making a comeback. Bake your way through this collection of classic recipes and make your grandma proud. Make sure you have the right cake supplies to set your dessert up for sweet success!
30 Vintage Cakes Like Grandma Used To Make
Updated on Aug. 15, 2024
Old-Fashioned Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
A pleasingly moist cake, this treat is the one I requested that my mom make each year for my birthday. It’s dotted with sweet carrots and a hint of cinnamon. The fluffy buttery frosting is scrumptious with chopped walnuts stirred in. One piece of this carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is never enough—it’s better than all the other carrot cakes I’ve tried! —Kim Orr, West Grove, Pennsylvania
Psst! These are the secret ingredients Grandma used to make her cake taste so great.
1/30
2/30
Honey Berry Sheet Cake
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
15 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I adapted a traditional honey cake recipe for this dessert. I wanted something that would show off all our amazing local honey as well as tasty summer berries. This also works perfectly as a Fourth of July cake, with the blueberries in the top corner and the raspberries in stripes—you wouldn’t need as many blueberries, but you would need more raspberries. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
3/30
Pecan Pound Cake
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This pecan pound cake always turns out great. It’s wonderful with a steaming cup of coffee on a chilly winter day. —Fleta West, Hayes, Virginia
4/30
Icebox Cake
Total Time
15 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
You don’t have to bake to serve a wonderful dessert! This icebox cake is made from chocolate wafers and whipping cream. It is so delicious.—Cindy Hawkins, New York, New York. If you’re looking for more recipes, then you must try these vintage chocolate desserts.
5/30
6/30
Italian Cream Cheese Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Buttermilk makes every bite of this awesome Italian cream cheese cake recipe moist and flavorful. I rely on this recipe year-round. —Joyce Lutz, Centerview, Missouri
7/30
Classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Total Time
50 min
Servings
9 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This pineapple upside-down cake is a classic recipe that never goes out of style! It’s delicious with the traditional pineapple, but try it with peaches or a combination of cranberries and orange. —Bernardine Melton, Paola, Kansas. Love upside-down cakes? Be sure to check our favorite cranberry duff.
8/30
Hummingbird Cake
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
14 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This impressive hummingbird cake is my dad’s favorite, so I always make it for his birthday. It makes a memorable dessert for any celebration and is lovely with a summer meal. —Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, New Jersey
9/30
Spiced Devil's Food Cake
Total Time
55 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
One of my mom's friends gave her this recipe when I was a child, and it has been a family favorite ever since. When your chocolate sweet tooth acts up, this really hits the spot! —Linda Yeamans, Ashland, Oregon
10/30
Oklahoma Coconut Poke Cake
Total Time
35 min
Servings
20 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Coconut is the star of this cake. You get a double dose, once with the mixture that soaks into the cake and second with the coconut sprinkled on top. Don’t worry though, it’s a nice flavor treat—not too much coconut. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
11/30
7UP Pound Cake
Total Time
1 hour 30 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My grandmother gave me my first cake recipe—a pound cake using 7UP—which her grandmother had given to her. On top of being delicious, this cake represents family tradition, connection and love. —Marsha Davis, Desert Hot Springs, California
12/30
Moist Lazy Daisy Cake
Total Time
45 min
Servings
9 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
We always called this Mama's never-fail recipe. I guess the same holds true for me since I've won contests with this lazy daisy cake. The tasty dessert always brings back fond memories of Mama. —Carrie Bartlett, Gallatin, Tennessee
13/30
Lane Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I just love this southern-style dessert, and so do dinner guests. With pecans, cherries and raisins in the filling and topping, this version reminds me of a fruitcake—only so much better! —Mabel Parvi, Ridgefield, Washington
14/30
Lingonberry-Cardamom Cake
Total Time
1 hour 40 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Our family is Scandinavian, and we love using almonds, cardamom and lingonberries in desserts, as in this cardamom cake. If lingonberry jam is difficult to obtain, you can use pureed cranberry sauce with a little lemon juice to get a similar sweet-tart flavor. Whipped cream is a perfect topping for this Scandinavian-inspired dessert. —Barbara Kvale, Cologne, Minnesota
15/30
Gran's Apple Cake
Total Time
55 min
Servings
24 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My grandmother occasionally brought over this wonderful cake warm from the oven. The spicy apple flavor combined with the sweet cream cheese frosting made this recipe one that we treasured. Even though I've lightened it up, it's still a family favorite. —Lauris Conrad, Turlock, California
16/30
Gooey Butter Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A friend gave me a quick version of this gooey butter cake recipe using a cake mix, but I prefer baking from scratch, so I came up with my own. My family can’t get enough! The middle will sink a little; this is normal. This dessert is delicious served warm or cold. —Cheri Foster, Vail, Arizona
17/30
Red Velvet Cake
Total Time
50 min
Servings
14 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
It's just not Christmas at our house until this festive cake appears. This is different from other red velvets I’ve had; the icing is as light as snow. For quicker assembly, you can leave the layers untrimmed and simply frost the top and side of the cake with icing. —Kathryn Davison, Charlotte, North Carolina
18/30
Traditional Sponge Cake
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This light sponge cake makes a fitting finale to any meal.—Arlene Murphy, Beverly Hills, Florida
19/30
Grandma's Tandy Kake
Total Time
40 min
Servings
24 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My grandmother made this for all our family gatherings. Everyone loves it now I make it for every party we attend or host. —John Morgan III, Lebanon, Pennsylvania
20/30
Walnut Blitz Torte
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This pretty torte is very popular at family gatherings. The cake layers are baked with the frosting—crunchy, sweet meringue—already in place, and then assembled with a layer of luscious custard in the center. Whenever I make it, everyone always asks me for the recipe. —Suzan Stacey, Parsonsfield, ME
21/30
Banana Cake
Total Time
55 min
Servings
18 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
As a mother of three sons, I always have sweets in my kitchen! I buy lots of ripe bananas on sale and freeze them with this cake in mind. I’m often asked to bring it to family picnics and dinners.—Bonnie Krause, Irvona, Pennsylvania
22/30
German Apple Cake
Total Time
1 hour 35 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
During the long, cold winters we have here, this recipe has warmed many a kitchen. The cake is perfect for breakfast, dessert or an evening snack. I've often it for parties, and I've always received compliments on it. —Grace Reynolds, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
23/30
Tres Leches Cake
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Tres leches means "three milks." This cake gets its name because it uses three kinds of milk—evaporated, condensed and cream. This tres leches cake's light and airy texture has made it a classic in Mexican kitchens for generations. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
24/30
Layered Yellow Cake with Chocolate Buttercream
Total Time
40 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This yellow cake will become your go-to recipe for birthdays, but the tender cake with flavorful chocolate buttercream is truly perfect for any occasion. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
25/30
Apple Brandy Pecan Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
20 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My favorite apple cake is made with a shot of brandy and drizzled with caramel to set off the wonderful flavors. If alcohol is a no-go, use orange juice instead of apple brandy. If you’d rather follow a chocolate route, add mini chocolate chips to the cake and use chocolate ice cream topping for the drizzle. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada
26/30
Angel Food Cake
Total Time
50 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
For our daughter's wedding, a friend made this lovely, airy angel food cake from a recipe she's used for decades. It really is one of the best angel food cake recipes I've found. Serve slices plain or dress them up with fresh fruit. —Marilyn Niemeyer, Doon, Iowa
27/30
Coconut Chiffon Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Toasted coconut adds visual appeal to this tall and impressive cake. With an airy texture and heavenly coconut-ginger flavor,it's a lovely end to meals throughout the year.
28/30
Old-Fashioned Rhubarb Cake
Total Time
55 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My great-aunt gave me this rhubarb cake recipe. It’s especially delicious when rhubarb is in season, and tastes even better with the old-fashioned milk topping. But you’ll love it even with frozen rhubarb and “modern-day” whipped topping! —Marilyn Homola, Hazel, South Dakota
29/30
Chocolate Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Years ago, I drove 4-1/2 hours to a cake contest, holding my entry on my lap the whole way. But it paid off. One bite and you'll see why this velvety beauty was named the best chocolate cake recipe and won first prize. —Sandra Johnson, Tioga, Pennsylvania
Next: Learn about the king cake!
30/30
Glazed Spiced Rum Pound Cakes
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
2 loaves (16 pieces each)
From the Recipe Creator:
My recipe makes two loaf-sized treats, perfect for sharing. The spiced rum flavor really comes through in both the cake and the glaze. —Christine Russell, Littleton, New Hampshire
