Beat the Heat With Our Best-Ever Summer Cakes and Pies

By Mary Shannon Wells
January 09, 2019
Southern Living
Cakes and pies for the summer should be made with all the fresh fruits that the season brings, so these recipes include strawberries, peaches, blueberries, plums and more summery fruits you’ll have on hand anyway. Of course, a summer dessert menu wouldn’t be complete without some lemon and key lime options, which you'll find here as well. But for those of you who aren't crazy about fruity or citrusy desserts, there are peanut butter, mocha, and chocolate options on this list, too. Cool down on a hot summer day with an ice cream cake the kids will love, or throw together an easy no-bake cake or pie for a last-minute party or picnic with our best summer cake and pie recipes.
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Key Lime Pound Cake

The classic, Southern-favorite pound cake gets an infusion of tropical flavor in this recipe for our best-ever Key Lime Pound Cake.

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Red Velvet-Berry Cobbler

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Red Velvet-Berry Cobbler

Pick out your favorite fresh summer berries for this dish (we used a combo of blackberries, raspberries and blueberries) and top or layer with homemade cream cheese ice cream — or the vanilla ice cream you have in the freezer, if the cobbler was enough cooking for one day.

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Lemon Meringue Ice-Cream Pie

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Lemon Meringue Ice-Cream Pie

A homemade vanilla wafer crust, homemade lemon curd filling and homemade meringue topping will make this pie the furthest thing from store-bought at the potluck.

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Strawberry-Pretzel Icebox Pie

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Strawberry-Pretzel Icebox Pie

Satisfy both your sweet tooth and salty cravings with this refreshing summer pie.

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Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Peach Pie

Photo: Jim Franco

Recipe: Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Peach Pie

This pie combines one of our favorite sweet summer fruits, the peach, with rich brown sugar and cinnamon for an array of flavors. Cool it off with a scoop of good ole vanilla ice cream.

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Easy Mocha Chip Ice-Cream Cake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Easy Mocha Chip Ice-Cream Cake

Even though this ice-cream cake is easy to put together, it's truly decadent. The homemade mocha ganache on top is too good to be so simple to make.

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Key Lime Icebox Cake

Photographer: Hector M Sanchez; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck; Food Stylist: Vanessa Rocchio

Recipe: Key Lime Icebox Cake

This cake is so pretty, no one will have any idea it was no-bake. A tip from our kitchen: Add the lime juice once you've fully cooked the custard to let the cornstarch thicken the mixture properly.

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Mint Chocolate Chip Ice-Cream Cake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Mint Chocolate Chip Ice-Cream Cake

If you’re craving minty chocolate chip ice cream, step it up to an ice-cream cake made with devil’s food cake and topped with rich chocolate ganache.

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Strawberry Semifreddo Shortcake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Strawberry Semifreddo Shortcake

Fresh strawberries with strawberry sorbet and marshmellow crème in layers surrounded by ladyfingers? This is the prettiest, pinkest, most delicious summer cake — perfect for a girl baby shower!

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Peach Upside-Down Cake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Peach Upside-Down Cake

This warm summer cake wouldn’t be quite finished without a dollop of whipped cream on top. A tip from our kitchen: Be sure to use cake flour — not self-rising — for this recipe.

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Blueberry-Cheesecake Ice-Cream Pie

PHOTO: HECTOR SANCHEZ

Recipe: Blueberry-Cheesecake Ice-Cream Pie

This no-bake pie made with homemade blueberry-cheesecake ice cream looks beautiful topped with fresh-from-the-market blackberries and blueberries.

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Berry Pies

Photo: Brown Cannon III

Recipe: Berry Pies

This mini berry pies are an easy pick-up dessert for large crowds at a buffet-style gathering.

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Key Lime Ice-Cream Pie

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Key Lime Ice-Cream Pie

We can’t get enough of tangy key lime in the summer, and this ice-cream pie is a cool twist on the classic key lime pie you know and love.

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Plum Shortbread Tart

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Plum Shortbread Tart

From the kitchen of Kelly Sterling, a reader and recipe developer from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this plum shortbread tart makes use of a sweet summer fruit that doesn't get enough attention.

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Mexican Chocolate Ice-Cream Pie

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Mexican Chocolate Ice-Cream Pie

This ice-cream pie is for the chocolate-lover in your family, and the graham cracker crust has a little kick from ground cinnamon and ground red pepper. Bonus: The whipped topping has coffee liqueur in it.

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Peanut Butter-Banana Icebox Pie

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Peanut Butter-Banana Icebox Pie

For the one who loves peanut butter-banana everything, this icebox pie is both rich and airy.

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Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake

This summer dessert looks like a classic Southern pound cake from the outside, but the real reason for its name is revealed when you cut into it.

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Whiskey Pie with Tipsy Berries

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Whiskey Pie with Tipsy Berries

This whiskey pie with summer tipsy berries is the boozy dessert you need at your summer party.

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Peanut-Cola Cake

Photo: Ian Bagwell; Prop Styling: Annette Joseph; Food Styling: Cynthia Groseclose

Recipe: Peanut-Cola Cake

This cola-infused cake is topped with our dreamy peanut butter frosting.

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By Mary Shannon Wells