10 Too-Good-To-Be-True Brunch Cakes

A classic breakfast cake is one of the handiest things to have in your baking repertoire, and this sour cream coffee cake is one of the very best. What makes it truly special is the contrasting flavor and crunch of the cinnamon-nut swirl that runs throughout.

Pound cake is like the little black dress of dessert: it’s elegant in its simplicity; you can dress it up or down; and it’s wonderful anytime, anywhere. This is my all-time favorite recipe.

A variation of my lemon buttermilk pound cake, this lemon poppy seed cake is laced with fresh lemon zest, filled to the brim with nutty, crackly poppy seeds, and drizzled with a bright lemon glaze.

Cleverly named “Boy Bait” for its habit-forming effect on young men, this lemon-scented blueberry coffee cake is jam-packed with berries and topped with a crunchy cinnamon streusel.

Rich and tender from the addition of sour cream, and jam-packed with chocolate chips, this is the kind of old-fashioned, homey cake that appeals to just about everyone — and it’s super-simple to make.

This chocolate snack cake has cocoa powder, bittersweet chocolate and chocolate chips. The result is a luscious snack cake that tastes as rich and chocolaty as a brownie and needs absolutely no frosting.

I have no clue why this old-fashioned buttermilk cake is named for the state of Kentucky, but it’s a winner! It’s drenched in a luscious butter and sugar syrup which moistens the cake while creating a crisp coating on the surface, almost like a glazed donut.

Masala chai is a smooth and calming beverage made of black tea, milk and fragrant Indian spices. Its flavor goes beautifully with bananas, so this banana bread is infused with warm spices like cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and allspice.

If there were ever a cake for lemon lovers, this is it. Lemon zest and lemon juice are added to the batter. Then, the cake is doused with a lemon syrup. Finally, the cake is drizzled with a tart lemon glaze, which adds a pop of intense lemon flavor in every bite.

This marble cake may look fancy, but its flavor is pure old-fashioned goodness.