These vintage cake recipes need to make a comeback. They are the ones that have been passed down for generations and that we remember our grandmas making.
Ever since I was a little kid standing on a vintage red stool in my grandma’s kitchen helping her bake cookies from her vintage cookbook, baking has been one of my favorite things to do.
While there are a lot of great newer recipes out there I tend to be drawn to vintage recipes. There is something to be said about these recipes that have stood the test of time. Plus it’s like eating a piece of history.
While I usually made peanut butter cookies with my grandma now I bake a wide range of things, including delicious cakes. I couldn’t tell you the last time I bought a cake mix, well I guess I did to make some cake mix cookies but not a cake.
There is nothing wrong with a good cake mix, there are even some great ways to doctor them to make them extra delicious but there is something special about a made-from scratch cake.
These vintage cake recipes are just as good today as they were when they were first being made. There is a reason these have been passed down through families.
The only hard part is deciding which one you want to make first. I may have to invite people over more often so I have more excuses to bake these delicious vintage cakes.
Vintage Cake Recipes
There is nothing wrong with a cake mix but there are some delicious from scratch vintage cake recipes we need to bring back as well.
Vintage Hot Milk Cake Recipe
Hot milk cake is a simple and delicious cake recipe that gained popularity in the 1940s. It’s a soft, sponge-like cake that pairs perfectly with fresh fruit.
Chocolate Wacky/Crazy Cake
Grandma’s recipe from the depression era, called “whacky”, “wacky”, or “crazy” cake because it’s made with no dairy or eggs (they were not affordable) and still turns out marvelously. It’s an intense chocolate cake that is naturally vegan, super easy to make, and will be your new go-to recipe for decadent desserts!
Strawberry Charlotte Cake
This Strawberry Charlotte Cake is a traditional and Classic French Cake made with Ladyfinger cookies and filled with Strawberry Cream!
Old Fashioned Chocolate Church Cake
Cake never gets old, and chocolate cake is timeless. This Old Fashioned Chocolate Church Cake was a part of many of my memories growing up. It’s a delicious dessert, just begging to be a part of your family suppers too.
Oatmeal Cake
This Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake is a perfect dessert for any time of year. Moist and delicious, topped with coconut and a pecan streusel! A classic cake that never goes out of style!
Old-Fashioned Blueberry Buckle Cake
You’ll fall instantly in love with this very old, very amazing, recipe from a great grandmother’s recipe book: blueberry buckle (basically a very fluffy blueberry crumb cake that you’ll be making again and again.)
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcakes
Chocolate-Mayonnaise cake was popular during the depression. This delicious cake is very moist and chocolaty. The recipe can be made into a cake or cupcakes.
French Butter Cake with Old Fashioned Fudge Frosting
French vanilla butter cake wrapped with an old fashioned fudge frosting is the perfect birthday cake. This recipe is straight from my great-grandma's recipe box and is a timeless classic recipe.
Great-Great-Grandma's Dutch Apple Cake
This dutch apple cake recipe has been in my family for generations. It is a simple cake topped with apples and plenty of golden topping.
Vintage Cherry Chip Layer Cake
This homemade Vintage Cherry Chip Layer Cake made from scratch is bursting with sweet cherry flavor and tinted the perfect shade of pink from nothing other than the maraschino cherry juice from the jar! Chopped up maraschino cherries are folded into the batter to make sure the cherry flavor really comes through in this super fun, moist throwback cake that is perfect for almost any celebration!
Icebox Cake with Strawberries and Blueberries
A classic American dessert, an icebox cake is light and refreshing with fresh blueberries, strawberries, and chilly whipped cream. Make it plant-based with vegan whipped cream and graham crackers.
Minnie Lee Croley's Sour Cream Pound Cake
Remember the delicious old-fashioned pound cakes your grandmother used to make from scratch? Like Minnie Lee Croley’s Sour Cream Pound Cake, they were glorious with a thick, crunchy crust and a scrumptious, dense and moist interior. After just one bite, this homemade Southern Sour Cream Pound Cake will remind you of the timeless classic pound cakes of your youth.
Old Fashioned Cranberry Salad Icebox Cake
Take a spin on the old-fashioned icebox cakes by combining it with another old fashioned favorite- cranberry fluff! Cranberry fluff salad is chocked full of marshmallows, whipping cream, cranberry sauce, crushed pineapple, and cream cheese.
Toasted Butter Pecan Cake Recipe
This Toasted Butter Pecan Cake Recipe is filled with nuts, cream cheese, and yummy goodness. It's just like Grandma's!
Victoria Sandwich
Victoria Sandwich – a classic British cake sandwiched with my homemade strawberry jam and clotted cream. It’s also known as a Victoria Sponge Cake!
Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting
This old fashioned peanut butter cake with chocolate frosting was adapted from a recipe my husband’s grandmother submitted in an old church cookbook! It’s a delicious yet simple treat that’s sure to satisfy your sweet tooth!
Made From Scratch Do Nothing Cake Recipe
The name of this cake is a little odd, but rest assured, this is a cake made from scratch. It seems to date back to the 1940s when there were few shortcuts such as prepackaged mixes to help out when baking a cake.
Lazy Daisy Cake (1940s Recipe)
This dense yet fluffy vanilla cake, is great on its own, in fact, it also goes by the name hot milk cake which is good in its own right, but when topped with the coconut-butter-brown sugar topping, there is just something so undeniably good about this cake, it is easy to see why this recipe has stood the test of time
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
This easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe makes a delicious dessert served warm with cream or custard. Or serve a slice cold with morning coffee or afternoon tea. Either way, this classic dessert cake is a doddle to make and a fabulous treat.
Old-fashioned Sour Cream Chocolate Fudge Cake
This Old Fashioned Sour Cream Chocolate Cake is an easy, light and delicious homemade chocolate cake! It's perfect for any celebration, birthdays, Black Forest Cake or cupcakes and pairs well with any frosting!
Kentucky Butter Bundt Cake
This moist and delicious Kentucky Butter Cake is infused with a sweet butter and vanilla sauce while it's still warm. It's perfect on its own or served with ice cream or fresh fruit. The best part? It's even better on the 2nd day!
Skillet Apple Fritter Cake
This Skillet Apple Fritter Cake is beyond compare! It's equal parts cake, pie, and doughnut all rolled into one easy-to-prepare dessert.
Vintage-Inspired Baking Supplies
If you are going to bake a vintage cake you need vintage-inspired baking supplies. It just really makes the whole experience more fun.
Get a Free Vintage Desserts Cookbook
Want even more vintage dessert recipes? You can get a free vintage desserts cookbook with some of my favorite vintage recipes. Just fill out the form below and the digital cookbook will be sent to your inbox.
Sylvie says
So many delicious recipes, and you are so right – we should DEFINITELY bring them back!
Chrysa says
These all look fabulous! Thanks for including my Toasted Butter Pecan Cake recipe!
giulia lombardo says
all cakes seem absolutely delicious!!!
Terri Gilson says
Wow – there are some cakes here that I haven’t heard of – can’t wait to try them! Thanks for sharing my Old Fashioned Sour Cream Chocolate Fudge cake!
Hollis Ramsey says
These recipes haven’t really gone anywhere. They’re in my kitchen, along with my beloved Nesselrode Pie.