Dessert Recipes Everyone Should Bake This Summer
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 summer recipes 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's so many fun gatherings and potlucks during the summer months that will be the perfect reason 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.
Cakey Strawberry Cobbler
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.
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Buttery Pineapple Crumble Bars
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.
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Key Lime Pound Cake
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.
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Watermelon Cake
Recipe: Watermelon Cake
While watermelon may not necessarily be the best cake ingredient, this decorative treat gives it a spot on the dessert table.
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Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake
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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Peach Cobbler Pound Cake
Recipe: Peach Cobbler Pound Cake
Upgrade pound cake for the season with the taste of one of summer's favorite fruits.
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Lemon-Lime Poke Cake
Recipe: Lemon-Lime Poke Cake
Learn the (easy) art of the poke cake with this citrus-packed dessert.
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Old-Fashioned Apple Pie
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.
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Peach Cake
Recipe: Peach Cake
This cake makes a great dessert, but we wouldn't blame you if you sneak a piece for breakfast as well.
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Blueberry-Lemon Cake
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.
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Berry Chantilly Cake
Recipe: Berry Chantilly Cake
Raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries are mixed with cream cheese and mascarpone cheese for the dreamiest of fillings.
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Florida Orange Grove Pie
Recipe: Florida Orange Grove Pie
The crust on this citrus pie is made from baked meringue instead of traditional pastry crust.
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Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
These handheld bars taste just like the iconic ice cream truck treat from your childhood.
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Chocolate Cobbler
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.
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Peach-Bourbon Upside-Down Bundt Cake
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.
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Red Velvet Ice-Cream Cake
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.
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Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake
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.
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Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
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.
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Banana Pudding Poke Cake
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.
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Nehi Orange Poke Cake
Recipe: Nehi Orange Poke Cake
This bright cake is filled with a tangy citrus curd made with Nehi orange-flavored soda.
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Key Lime Sheet Cake
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.
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Brown Sugar Layer Cake with Peach Buttercream
Recipe: Brown Sugar Layer Cake with Peach Buttercream
Take advantage of in-season peaches and make this delicious cake.
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Cherry-Nectarine Pandowdy
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.
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Grand Marnier Cakes
Recipe: Grand Marnier Cakes
Orange liqueur glaze makes the flavor of these mini pound cakes shine bright.
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Easy Peach Cobbler
Recipe: Easy Peach Cobbler
Fruit cobblers might just be one of our summer favorites, especially when we throw in ripe peaches.
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Ginger-Plum Slump
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.
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Blueberry-Cornmeal Cake
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.
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Peach Fried Pies
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.
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Coca Cola Chocolate Cake
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.
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Hummingbird Cupcakes with Candied Pineapple Wedges
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.
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Strawberry Cream Pie
Recipe: Strawberry Cream Pie
Bright and juicy strawberries pair perfectly with the chocolate cookie-crumb crust in this berry and cream pie.
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Lemon Raspberry Cake
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.
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Dreamy Lemon Cheesecake
Recipe: Dreamy Lemon Cheesecake
The lemon curd that tops this silky smooth cheesecake adds the perfect amount of fresh summer flavor.
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Margarita Cake
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.
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Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
Recipe: Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
Fluffy cream cheese frosting made with freeze-dried strawberries adds a richness to these airy cupcakes.
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Sweet Tea-and-Lemonade Cake
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.