20 Classic Cake Recipes Straight From Grandma's Kitchen

Chocolate lovers won't be able to get enough of this decadent Texas sheet cake. A super sweet 5-ingredient icing is the perfect finishing touch. Add walnuts or pecans for a pleasant crunch. 

Grandma Ruby's moist, dense, and sweet buttermilk pound cake has a subtle hint of lemon. It's fantastic alone, but recipe creator James Buddy Clower suggests serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

This no-bake cheesecake, which recipe creator Jennifer Horrace says has been passed down through three generations, comes together quickly and easily with just six ingredients (including cream cheese, sour cream, and a container of whipped topping). 

Looking for something delicious to bake with a bunch of fresh apples? Your search ends with this cozy apple cake with raisins and walnuts.

If you think you don't like fruitcake, thing again. This grandma-approved cake starts with a secret ingredient that makes it fruity, flavorful, and moist: applesauce. "It was moist, not too sweet, and so aromatic," says reviewer Asma.

Nobody will believe it when you tell them the secret ingredient in this complex chocolate cake: puréed prune baby food! Top with your favorite chocolate frosting or a simple dusting of powdered sugar. 

Here's a vintage upside-down cake, with canned pineapples and jarred cherries, that has stood the test of time. Your trusty cast iron skillet is the key to its golden, pleasantly crunchy crust. 

Sour cream is the secret ingredient in this incredibly moist, dense, and tangy pound cake. "Oh Grandma, you sure do know your pound cake," says reviewer Karen McCleane Mullin. "This is one of the best pound cakes that I ever made."

This old-fashioned cake is easy to make with pantry staples, such as rolled oats and evaporated milk. "Excellent, decadently sweet cake," raves reviewer SWEETSPRING. "It's even better the next day, so make it the night before. Quick, easy and delicious!"

This traditional carrot cake — which is chock-full of pineapple chunks, coconut flakes, and walnuts — is topped with a rich buttermilk buttercream. 

This sweet coffee cake has an even sweeter history: "This was my Grandma Moyer's recipe," according to recipe creator BobbieRocks. "It has been missing since at least the mid 80s. I found it stuck the middle of an old book I got after my mom passed away. Everyone in the family has been trying to recreate this delicious coffee cake for years."

This 5-ingredient, tried-and-true pound cake recipe is the real deal: It has one pound each of butter, flour, eggs, and sugar. It makes three full loaves, so it's the perfect dessert to serve a crowd. 

A sturdy shortbread crust is the perfect base for this rich, creamy, and citrusy cheesecake filling. To finish it off, top with your favorite fresh fruit or a decadent chocolate sauce.  

Make this simple cake with just six ingredients you probably already have on hand: butter, white sugar, eggs, self-rising flour, milk, and vanilla extract. 

This deceptively simple cake starts with a package of store-bought yellow cake mix. Sour cream adds moisture and tanginess, while cinnamon and brown sugar lend cozy flavor. 

This poppyseed-speckled buttermilk pound cake features a sweet cinnamon-sugar filling. It's the perfect companion to a hot cup of coffee. 

In this tasty recipe, a yellow sheet cake is topped with a layer of raspberry jelly. "It is so moist, it will melt in your mouth," according to recipe creator JAYJOSE.

Brewed coffee adds depth to this rich chocolate layer cake topped with a coffee-infused chocolate buttercream frosting. "I just made this cake and it is amazing," says reviewer Kyliet23. "This is now one of my favorite cake recipes."

This autumnal pumpkin roll has a rich cream cheese filling that's impossible to resist. "My guests couldn't believe I made it," according to one satisfied Allrecipes community member. "It is also quite impressive to look at. Thanks to Granny Kat!"

Convenient store-bought ingredients, such as lemon cake mix and lemon pudding mix, make this cake as easy to make as it is to eat. A fruity glaze adds moisture and sweet flavor.