40 Fun Summer Baking Ideas to Celebrate the Season

Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake
Photo: Johnny Autry; Food and Prop Styling: Charlotte L. Autry

Bake your way through summertime with these seasonal dessert recipes. While you may think baking peaks during the holiday season, we've rounded up a batch of fun summer baking ideas to convince you otherwise. Summer is a great time to experiment with fresh flavors from fruits that are in season like berries and citrus. Plus, there are so many fun gatherings and potlucks during the summer months that act as the perfect excuse to whip up a fresh, homemade dessert.

Choose a few recipes to make each week and you'll be on your way to mastering some new baking skills by the time Labor Day rolls around. These refreshing ideas are jam-packed with fresh flavors like strawberry, Key lime, pineapple, and more. Some are even inspired by classic Southern drinks, like our Sweet Tea-and-Lemonade Cake and our Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake. From Bundt cakes to cobblers to poke cakes and more, once you've made your way through this tasty list, you'll be able to take on any baking project that comes your way.

01 of 40

Buttery Pineapple Crumble Bars

Buttery Pineapple Crumble Bars
Antonis Achilleos

Recipe: Buttery Pineapple Crumble Bars

This summery take on lemon bars makes the most of fresh pineapple. You'll need to break out your stand mixer for this recipe because using a hand mixer may result in flour covering every surface of your kitchen.

02 of 40

Cakey Strawberry Cobbler

Cakey Strawberry Cobbler in a casserole dish and bowl
Photographer: Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely, Food Stylist: Ana Kelly

Recipe: Cakey Strawberry Cobbler

If you consider yourself a pro with the homemade peach cobbler, it's time to meet your next challenge: strawberry cobbler. Except it won't be a challenge at all because it's a cinch to pull together.

03 of 40

Key Lime Pound Cake

Key Lime Pound Cake
Jen Causey

Recipe: Key Lime Pound Cake

Upgrade your pound cake for the summer with the addition of Key limes. One bite will instantly transport you to the Florida Keys.

04 of 40

Watermelon Cake

Watermelon Cake
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Recipe: Watermelon Cake

While watermelon may not necessarily be the best cake ingredient, this decorative treat gives it a spot on the dessert table.

05 of 40

Peach Cobbler Pound Cake

Peach Cobbler Pound Cake
Photographer and props: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Peach Cobbler Pound Cake

Upgrade pound cake for the season with the taste of one of summer's favorite fruits.

06 of 40

Spiced Rum-Peach Dumplings

Spiced Rum-Peach Dumplings
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Recipe: Spiced Rum-Peach Dumplings

The name sounds fancy, but this peach dessert is anything but. It's made with fresh peaches, refrigerated crescent dough, and Mountain Dew. Serve up at your next barbecue, and prepare for your guests to be wowed.

07 of 40

Lemon-Lime Poke Cake

Lemon-Lime Poke Cake
Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Recipe: Lemon-Lime Poke Cake

Learn the (easy) art of the poke cake with this citrus-packed dessert.

08 of 40

Old-Fashioned Apple Pie

Old-Fashioned Apple Pie
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Old-Fashioned Apple Pie

If you've never made an apple pie from scratch, you should start with this old-fashioned recipe. The homemade crust and filling create a classic pie just like Grandma used to make.

09 of 40

Peach Cake

Peach Cake
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Recipe: Peach Cake

This cake makes a great dessert, but we wouldn't blame you if you sneak a piece for breakfast as well.

10 of 40

Easy Peach Pie

easy peach pie on a table with a bowl of ice cream and pie
Ann Taylor Pittman/Southern Living

Recipe: Easy Peach Pie

Nothing says summer like a juicy, luscious peach pie. This peach pie is made easier with store-bought crust, but we've gussied it up with beautiful, sparkly turbinado sugar and a milk wash.

11 of 40

Blueberry-Lemon Cake

Blueberry-Lemon Cake
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Recipe: Blueberry-Lemon Cake

Bring together the flavors of blueberry and lemon, which are a match made in dessert heaven, in this pretty layer cake.

12 of 40

Berry Chantilly Cake

Berry Chantilly Cake
Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Melissa Gray Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Recipe: Berry Chantilly Cake

Raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries are mixed with cream cheese and mascarpone cheese for the dreamiest of fillings.

13 of 40

Florida Orange Grove Pie

Florida Orange Grove Pie
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Ana Kelly

Recipe: Florida Orange Grove Pie

The crust on this citrus pie is made from baked meringue instead of traditional pastry crust.

14 of 40

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
Photographer: Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars

These handheld bars taste just like the iconic ice cream truck treat from your childhood.

15 of 40

Chocolate Cobbler

Chocolate Cobbler
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Chocolate Cobbler

Chocolate lovers, this decadent dessert is for you. After adding the batter into the buttered baking dish and pouring in the boiling water resist the urge to stir.

16 of 40

Peach-Bourbon Upside-Down Bundt Cake

Peach-Bourbon Upside-Down Bundt Cake
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Peach-Bourbon Upside-Down Bundt Cake

Placing fresh summer peaches in the bottom of your Bundt pan will yield an impressive finish when you remove it from the pan.

17 of 40

Red Velvet Ice-Cream Cake

Red Velvet Ice-Cream Cake
Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Red Velvet Ice-Cream Cake

This ice-cream cake is summer's version of holiday favorite red velvet. It's a true labor of love that's the perfect dessert to cool everyone down on a hot summer day.

18 of 40

Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake

Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake
Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake

Poke cakes are known for being infused with extra flavor because of their creamy filling and this recipe takes it to another level. It has two flavored fillings as well as a mascarpone frosting.

19 of 40

McLeod Farms' Fresh Peach Pound Cake

McLeod Farms Fresh Peach Pound Cake
Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist Chistina Daley

Recipe: McLeod Farms' Fresh Peach Pound Cake

A peach pound cake recipe from a Southern Carolina peach farmer? You know this summer dessert has to be divine.

20 of 40

Homemade Strawberry Shortcake

Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Homemade Strawberry Shortcake

It's amazing what a homemade biscuit and dollop of whipped cream can do. Add in strawberries and you have a blue-ribbon-worthy dessert.

21 of 40

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Greg DuPree

Recipe: Banana Pudding Poke Cake

If you're a fan of banana pudding, this sweet summer recipe will be a hit. This recipe relies on oil rather than butter so the cake stays nice and moist even after sitting in the refrigerator.

22 of 40

Nehi Orange Poke Cake

Nehi Orange Poke Cake
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: Nehi Orange Poke Cake

This bright cake is filled with a tangy citrus curd made with Nehi orange-flavored soda.

23 of 40

Key Lime Sheet Cake

Key Lime Sheet Cake
Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Margaret Dickey, Prop Styling: Kay E Clarke

Recipe: Key Lime Sheet Cake

There are few things we love more during the hot days of summer than a Key lime treat. This sheet cake is easy as can be to assemble and feeds a crowd.

24 of 40

Brown Sugar Layer Cake with Peach Buttercream

Brown Sugar Layer Cake with Peach Buttercream
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Brown Sugar Layer Cake with Peach Buttercream

Take advantage of in-season peaches and make this delicious cake.

25 of 40

Cherry-Nectarine Pandowdy

Cherry-Nectarine Pandowdy
Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones

Recipe: Cherry-Nectarine Pandowdy

This berry dessert is full of fruity flavor and has just the right amount of crunch thanks to the double crust placed on top.

26 of 40

Grand Marnier Cakes

Grand Marnier Cakes
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Ana Kelly

Recipe: Grand Marnier Cakes

Orange liqueur glaze makes the flavor of these mini pound cakes shine bright.

27 of 40

Easy Peach Cobbler

Easy Peach Cobbler
Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Easy Peach Cobbler

Fruit cobblers might just be one of our summer favorites, especially when we throw in ripe peaches.

28 of 40

Ginger-Plum Slump

Ginger-Plum Slump
Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones

Recipe: Ginger-Plum Slump

This stovetop dessert is the perfect solution to a hot summer day when you don't want to turn your oven on.

29 of 40

Blueberry-Cornmeal Cake

Blueberry-Cornmeal Cake
Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Blueberry-Cornmeal Cake

If you're looking for a way to use all the berries you picked at the farm, this cornmeal cake is the answer you've been waiting for.

30 of 40

Peach Cream Kuchen

Peach Cream Kuchen
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Recipe: Peach Cream Kuchen

This make-ahead summer dessert is tender and rich. But it's best served warm, so be prepared to heat it up right before the crowd digs in.

31 of 40

Peach Fried Pies

Peach Fried Pies
Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Peach Fried Pies

It doesn't get any more summery than a piping hot peach hand pie dusted with a generous coating of powdered sugar.

32 of 40

Coca Cola Chocolate Cake

Coca Cola Chocolate Cake
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: Coca Cola Chocolate Cake

A coca-cola on a hot summer day is a Southern must. We mixed some in with chocolate cake to create the ultimate summer treat.

33 of 40

Hummingbird Cupcakes with Candied Pineapple Wedges

Hummingbird Cupcakes with Candied Pineapple Wedges
Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Hummingbird Cupcakes with Candied Pineapple Wedges

Consider these handheld hummingbird cake treats for your next summer get together. The candied pineapple wedges on top make these cupcakes that much sweeter.

34 of 40

Strawberry Cream Pie

Strawberry Cream Pie
Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Strawberry Cream Pie

Bright and juicy strawberries pair perfectly with the chocolate cookie-crumb crust in this berry and cream pie.

35 of 40

Lemon Raspberry Cake

Lemon Raspberry Cake
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Recipe: Lemon Raspberry Cake

One of our favorite flavor combinations, raspberries and lemon balance each other out in sweetness and tartness to create a delightful treat.

36 of 40

Dreamy Lemon Cheesecake

Dreamy Lemon Cheesecake
Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Dreamy Lemon Cheesecake

The lemon curd that tops this silky smooth cheesecake adds the perfect amount of fresh summer flavor.

37 of 40

Margarita Cake

Margarita Cake
Southern Living

Recipe: Margarita Cake

Add a few tablespoons of lime-flavored gelatin to the dry ingredients in this recipe to add a pop of color and zesty flavor.

38 of 40

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
Micah Leal

Recipe: Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

Fluffy cream cheese frosting made with freeze-dried strawberries adds a richness to these airy cupcakes.

39 of 40

Sweet Tea-and-Lemonade Cake

Sweet Tea-and-Lemonade Cake
Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Sweet Tea-and-Lemonade Cake

Inspired by one of summer's classic drinks, this cake is garnished with lemon slices for extra-sweet flair.

40 of 40

Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake

Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake
Johnny Autry; Food and Prop Styling: Charlotte L. Autry

Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake

We're giving you a double dose of strawberries by baking them into the biscuit base as well as using a generous amount on top.

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