Food Recipe Collections & Favorites Desserts 15 Easy Cake Recipes That Require Minimal Prep You don't need to be a pastry chef to bake the perfect cake. By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. They have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in lifestyle journalism, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, POPSUGAR, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Vogue. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 5, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: José Picayo If you're anything like the participants of Worst Bakers in America, you know you can mess up a cake recipe in many ways, even if you thought you were precise with your measurements. Fortunately, a homemade cake doesn't have to be daunting. Try one of these quick and easy cake recipes if you're a beginner baker and want to boost your confidence. Each recipe was hand-selected to be simple and relatively painless. In one short afternoon, you'll be able to perfect a delicious crumb cake, cheesecake, chocolate cake, and more. 01 of 15 Easy Ice Cream Cake Marcus Nilsson The secret to this astonishingly simple four-ingredient dessert? Using ice cream sandwiches to build your cake.Get the recipe: Easy Ice Cream Cake 02 of 15 Strawberry Ice Cream Cake Anna Williams Ripe strawberries give vanilla ice cream a beautiful pink hue; top the dessert with fresh whipped cream before serving.Get the recipe: Strawberry Ice Cream Cake 03 of 15 Slow Cooker Apple Spice Cake Victor Protasio Cinnamon, cloves, and grated fresh ginger give this dessert a warm, comforting spiciness.Get the recipe: Apple Spice Cake 04 of 15 Glazed Lemon Pound Cake José Picayo This citrusy, buttery cake can be baked and glazed up to a day in advance.Get the recipe: Glazed Lemon Pound Cake 05 of 15 Chocolate-Earl Grey Cake Susie Cushner Add a cup of Earl Grey tea into the batter to infuse the cake with bergamot flavor and fragrance.Get the recipe: Chocolate-Earl Grey Cake 06 of 15 Gingersnap Cherry Cheesecake José Picayo The gingersnap crust is easy to make—just grind the cookies in a food processor, then combine with melted butter and press into a pan.Get the recipe: Gingersnap Cherry Cheesecake 07 of 15 Classic Cheesecake José Picayo This ultra creamy, fabulously rich cheesecake takes just 30 minutes to prep.Get the recipe: Classic Cheesecake 08 of 15 Berry Oat Crumble Cake Antonis Achilleos Sprinkle the berry filling with a tasty oat mixture before baking; the oats will become crumbly, complementing the sweet and juicy berry layer.Get the recipe: Berry Oat Crumble Cake 09 of 15 Plum Cake Heami Lee This gorgeous seven-ingredient cake boasts a delightfully sticky, juicy fruit topping.Get the recipe: Plum Cake 10 of 15 Strawberry Shortcake Frances Janisch You don't even need to prep anything for this easy strawberry shortcake recipe—simply pick up a tube of homestyle biscuits, strawberries, and whipped cream. Get the recipe: Strawberry Shortcake 11 of 15 Slow Cooker Angel Food Cake Victor Protasio Both strawberries and whipped cream provide a decadent topping for this light and easy angel food cake.Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Angel Food Cake 12 of 15 Nectarine Olive Oil Cake Greg DuPree Top this deceivingly easy cake with powdered sugar and serve with sliced nectarines.Get the recipe: Nectarine Olive Oil Cake 13 of 15 Marbled Pound Cake Pati Jinich Add a rich chocolate frosting to turn this baked treat into a decadent dessert.Get the recipe: Marbled Pound Cake 14 of 15 Toasted Coconut Refrigerator Cake Anna Williams With just four ingredients—sweetened coconut, heavy cream, vanilla pudding, and ready-made pound cakes—you can create this easy crowd-pleasing dessert.Get the recipe: Toasted Coconut Refrigerator Cake 15 of 15 Slow Cooker Chocolate Pudding Cake Victor Protasio This dump cake is incredibly straightforward. Simply drop in the ingredients, set the slow cooker, and forget about it for three hours.Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Chocolate Pudding Cake Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit