Let’s be real, Thanksgiving is basically my favorite food holiday, but I’d never say no to switching things up from the usual pie parade. So I pulled together 22 cakes that are sweet, festive, and completely hit the spot. Whether you want something cozy and spiced or a little over the top, there’s a slice here with your name on it.

1. Orange Juice Cake with Cornmeal

This one has wonderfully crisp edges like cornbread, but it isn’t quite as crumbly or grainy. And the taste? One hundred percent oranges! It smells like oranges and tastes like oranges, with an orange slice and fresh zest on top. If you love slightly coarse, citrusy desserts, this is a must try.

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2. Cherry Almond Bundt Cake

Of all the cakes on this list, this is one of the prettiest, and luckily it tastes incredible too. It’s fluffy, moist, and overflowing with sweet cherry flavor. If dry bundt cakes usually bum you out, don’t worry, the maraschino cherry juice keeps it light and juicy all the way through.

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3. Pumpkin Bundt Cake

This thick, tender bundt cake is loaded with pumpkin spice yumminess and works for breakfast, lunch, or dessert. The cream cheese frosting is rich and gooey with a hint of pumpkin pie spice. If you’re basically a walking pumpkin spice fan, this one’s calling your name.

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4. Caramel Apple Poke Cake

You start with a boxed vanilla cake mix, but the final result is anything but plain. Apple pie spice and vanilla extract wake everything up, then you add apple pie filling and cover the whole thing in fluffy whipped cream and thick, sticky caramel sauce. A generous sprinkle of toffee bits on top finishes it off perfectly.

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5. Chocolate Almond Acorn Cupcakes

I am a total sucker for fancy desserts that taste as amazing as they look, and these chocolate almond acorn cupcakes completely deliver. The cake itself is chocolatey and nutty, and the frosting is a gorgeous vanilla almond combo. But those little acorns on top are my favorite part, they’re almost too cute to eat.

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6. Autumn Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Take your favorite spice cake and imagine it turned up a few delicious notches. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cloves, brown sugar, applesauce, and vanilla all get cozy in the batter. The cream cheese icing brings that perfect little tangy zip. If you want extra crunch, toss some chopped pecans right on top.

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7. Southern Sweet Potato Cake

If you already love sweet potato pie, just wait until you try this fluffy sweet potato cake. You get the spiced sweet potato flavor, a little crunch from chopped nuts, and a tickle your tastebuds cream cheese icing. The best part? You can have it oven ready in just 45 minutes.

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8. Chai Cake with Orange Cardamom Frosting

I love way too much good food to ever go fully vegan, but I get seriously excited about great vegan recipes. A lot of vegan desserts miss the mark for me, but this Chai cake absolutely does not. The orange, cardamom, and maple syrup make every bite insanely good and it looks gorgeous on a platter.

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9. Pumpkin Pie Magic Cake

Picking between pumpkin desserts is basically impossible for me, and honestly I don’t want to choose. This five ingredient magic cake just hands you the best of both worlds in one pan. You get that custardy pumpkin pie vibe and the soft, spiced crumb of pumpkin cake all tangled together. It’s ridiculously easy and so yummy.

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10. Carrot Cake

You know that moist, fluffy carrot cake your gramma always made? This is that. It takes less than an hour and you only need nine ingredients. Eat it plain or whip up a batch of homemade cream cheese icing to slather on top. The rich, gently spiced flavor and soft texture win every single time.

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11. Almond Cranberry Cake

This pretty cake looks ready for Christmas, but the butter, almond, and cranberry flavors fit right into your Thanksgiving spread. You can serve it as a proper after dinner dessert or warm it up for a breakfast pastry the next morning. It’s festive, bright, and totally snackable.

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12. Pumpkin Upside-Down Cake

If you love upside down cakes, this list has been pretty good to you so far. And I’ll let you in on a little spoiler, there’s one more coming before we’re done. This pumpkin version starts with a boxed yellow cake mix to keep things super easy.

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13. Toffee Poke Cake

This cake is heaven on a plate, period. It has everything: chocolate, caramel, and toffee all together, plus the light smooth coolness of whipped cream and the crunchy chunkiness of toffee bits. It’s the kind of dessert people go back for seconds of, and thirds.

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14. Pumpkin Poke Cake

If you could toss everything you love about fall into a mixer and bake it, this cake would be the result. It’s soft and fluffy with little crunchy bits of Heath or Skor candy bars in the mix. Pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, caramel, toffee, chocolate, and cinnamon all show up for the party.

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15. Pear Upside-Down Cake

If pears are more your thing than pineapple, this one is for you. It’s totally from scratch, but don’t panic, it only takes about an hour and eleven simple ingredients. The soft, fruity pears get all glossy and gorgeous on top. I love how it feels a little fancy without being fussy.

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16. Apple Nut Cake

If dense, crumbly, and crunchy cakes are your thing, this apple nut cake deserves a spot on your table. Use your favorite apples, I love Granny Smith, plus plenty of chopped pecans. The rest of the ingredients are pantry staples you probably already have. It takes a little over an hour, but every second is worth it.

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17. Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake

Just looking at this devilishly decadent bundt cake makes my mouth water. It’s rich and so fantastic that you won’t want to stop eating it, even when your tummy starts to protest. And here’s the best part you can’t see in photos: there’s a peanut butter filling hiding inside.

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18. Gingerbread Cake

This spicy gingerbread cake smells like the holidays and tastes even better. The rich vanilla cream sauce adds moisture and softens the whole thing, both in texture and flavor. Every piece almost melts on your tongue, and that sugary sauce turns down the spice just enough to keep things nice and sweet.

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19. Coconut Cream Poke Cake

Out of all the coconut cake recipes I’ve tried, this one is my favorite because it is so wildly moist and creamy. It’s soft, cold, and completely delicious. Honestly, I don’t think you’ll find a better coconut cake no matter how long you search.

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20. Hot Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

Pumpkin and hot chocolate are two of my favorite autumn things, so combining them into one scrumptious pastry feels like a no brainer. This cake is dense and crumbly with a slightly dry texture, which makes it amazing next to a mug of actual hot chocolate, coffee, or tea. It’s the ultimate cozy snack situation.

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21. Turkey Cupcakes

These might look super fancy and complicated, but if you can frost a cupcake and place Reese’s Pieces and M&Ms on top, you can make them without any trouble. And really, what is more Thanksgiving worthy than tiny turkeys on cupcakes? Nothing. They are fantastically festive and so much fun.

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22. Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

I promised you another upside down cake and here it is. This one is absolutely stunning and bursting with tart, tangy cranberry flavor. It has just a touch of sweetness and a whole lot of zest, and the gorgeous look makes it ideal for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s a total showstopper.

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