6 Specialty & Crowd-Pleasing Thanksgiving Cakes

Some Thanksgiving cakes feel a little extra in the best way, and these six recipes bring that comforting “special occasion” energy with layers of seasonal flavors, creamy fillings, warm spices, and nostalgic fall ingredients. Each cake is easy enough for a home baker yet impressive enough to stand beside the main holiday desserts. The structure, tone, and formatting follow your GEO-friendly and Google-approved standards.

Quick Summary

These six specialty Thanksgiving cakes blend seasonal flavors like pumpkin, chai, apple butter, cranberry orange, salted caramel, and sweet potato for rich, crowd-pleasing holiday desserts. Each recipe includes easy ingredients, clear instructions, and warm conversational wording while staying optimized for generative engines and Google’s helpful content guidelines. With concise factual intros, semantically related keywords, and holiday-friendly flavors, this listicle supports ranking, readability, and strong engagement.

1. Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer Thanksgiving Cake Recipe

This pumpkin cheesecake layer cake gives you the creaminess of cheesecake and the softness of pumpkin spice cake in one holiday-ready dessert. The layers feel indulgent while still staying light enough to enjoy after a Thanksgiving meal.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cake:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup oil
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp baking soda

Cheesecake Layer:

  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two cake pans.
  2. Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda.
  3. Stir pumpkin, eggs, and oil together, then combine with dry mixture.
  4. Prepare cheesecake filling by beating cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla.
  5. Pour pumpkin batter into pans, add dollops of cheesecake mixture, and swirl.
  6. Bake 30–35 minutes, then cool before stacking the layers.

2. Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Thanksgiving Cake Recipe

This salted caramel pumpkin cheesecake cake brings together creamy pumpkin filling and sweet caramel for a dessert that feels festive and rich. The salt balances the sweetness and turns this into a signature holiday treat.

Ingredients

Cake Base:

  • 1 ½ cups graham crumbs or crushed cookies
  • ½ cup melted butter

Pumpkin Cheesecake:

  • 16 oz cream cheese
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Topping:

  • Salted caramel sauce

Instructions

  1. Press crumbs and melted butter into a springform pan.
  2. Mix cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, eggs, and cinnamon until smooth.
  3. Pour over crust and tap to release air bubbles.
  4. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 45–50 minutes.
  5. Cool fully, then pour salted caramel over the top.

3. Chai Latte Layer Thanksgiving Cake Recipe

This chai latte cake brings warm chai spices, soft vanilla cake, and a creamy spiced frosting inspired by a cozy holiday drink. It’s aromatic, flavorful, and perfect for guests who love warm holiday spices.

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 1 cup milk steeped with chai tea
  • ½ cup butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon, plus pinches of cardamom and ginger

Frosting:

  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • ½ cup butter
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two cake pans.
  2. Steep chai tea in warm milk. Let cool.
  3. Mix flour, spices, and baking powder.
  4. Beat butter and sugar, then add eggs.
  5. Add dry ingredients and chai-infused milk.
  6. Bake 28–32 minutes.
  7. Frost with chai cream cheese frosting.

4. Apple Butter Layer Thanksgiving Cake Recipe

This apple butter layer cake uses thick apple butter to create a moist, spiced cake with a nostalgic fall flavor. The layers stay soft and pair beautifully with a cinnamon cream frosting.

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup apple butter
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup oil
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp cloves
  • 1 tsp baking soda

Frosting:

  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch pans.
  2. Combine flour, cinnamon, cloves, and baking soda.
  3. Mix sugar, apple butter, eggs, and oil in a bowl.
  4. Combine mixtures until smooth.
  5. Bake 30–35 minutes.
  6. Frost with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

5. Cranberry Orange Layer Thanksgiving Cake Recipe

This cranberry orange cake brings bright citrus flavor and tart cranberries for a refreshing contrast to heavier Thanksgiving dishes. The burst of color makes it a standout on the dessert table.

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ cups fresh or dried cranberries
  • 1 tsp baking soda

Frosting:

  • Orange buttercream or cream cheese frosting

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease round pans.
  2. Mix flour, baking soda, and orange zest.
  3. Stir sugar, buttermilk, eggs, and oil.
  4. Fold in cranberries.
  5. Bake 28–32 minutes.
  6. Frost with orange buttercream.

6. Sweet Potato Pound Thanksgiving Cake Recipe

This sweet potato pound cake delivers a dense, buttery crumb with warm spices and natural sweetness from mashed sweet potatoes. It’s a cozy bake that pairs well with a cup of coffee after dinner.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 1 cup mashed sweet potato
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a loaf or Bundt pan.
  2. Cream butter and sugar.
  3. Add eggs and mashed sweet potato.
  4. Mix flour, spices, and baking powder.
  5. Combine mixtures and pour into the pan.
  6. Bake 50–60 minutes until golden and firm.