News31 Thanksgiving Cakes to Wow the Table

31 Thanksgiving Cakes to Wow the Table

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Pies get all the Thanksgiving dessert fanfare (and we couldn’t be happier for them, truly), but Thanksgiving cakes are just as worthy of celebration. In case you’re wondering, the concept of a “Thanksgiving cake” is not prescriptive. Any cake you place on your Thanksgiving table, after all, shall become a “Thanksgiving cake.” Still, many of our top candidates call on the fall flavors we associate with quintessential Thanksgiving pies, with no fiddly pie crust to fuss over (no offense, crust!).

Love pecan pie? Try your hand at a delightfully chewy miso-and-maple-pecan butter mochi cake. If pumpkin pie’s your MO, redirect your pumpkin purée to a streusel-topped pumpkin crumb cake or a silky pumpkin cheesecake. We’ve got apple desserts of the cake variety aplenty: nutty upside-down cakes, an apple cider loaf inspired by doughnuts, and a dramatically tall number sandwiched with apple butter. Among this collection, we also have low-fuss sheet cake recipes for easy serving, fudgy chocolate cakes for those absolutely done with fall spice, and even an ice cream cake if you feel so inclined. Cupcakes too! Go forth and find the Thanksgiving cake recipe that feels right to you.

  • A square slice of carrot cake with white icing served on a plate next to a rectangular pan with the remaining cake.

    Photograph by Joe Lingeman, food styling by Shilpa Uskokovic, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua

    Carrot Sheet Cake With Cream Cheese Whip

    This Thanksgiving cake idea blends carrots directly into the batter instead of shredding them, resulting in a sunset orange treat, soft from the purée and remarkably easy to make. The whipped cream cheese frosting is light and airy—a mousse-like delicacy.

  • Photograph by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Marc Williams

    Southern-Style Caramel Cake

    This cloud-soft yellow cake—an icon of the American South—is encased in a golden frosting with the taste and texture of fudge. A few tricks keep the frosting warm, toasty, and spreadable.

  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Shuai Wang, Prop Styling by Megan Forbes and Christina Hussey

    Miso-and-Maple-Pecan Butter Mochi Cake

    This chewy treat combines the best qualities of Hawaiian butter mochi and classic Southern pecan pie. It has all the nutty richness you expect from pecan pie filling, and the miso tempers any cloying sweetness.

  • Photograph by Yudi Ela Echevarria, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Sean Dooley, Special thanks to Frank’s House

    Coconut and Cardamom Cake

    A sweet, buttery batter gets a kiss of coconut extract and floral ground cardamom. Toasted coconut flakes, meanwhile, lend tons of flavor and crunchy-chewy texture.

  • Photography by Scott Semler, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco

    Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake

    All the creamy tang and autumnal color of a pumpkin-flavored cheesecake, none of the usual cheesecake drama.

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