29 Summer Cakes for Sweeter Picnics, Barbecues, and Brunches
We love our annual Spring Bake, but some desserts need to wait for warmer weather. These summer cakes capture the sweet, lush flavors of berries and stone fruit—or just the joy of a barbecue or outdoor brunch. Below, you’ll find ideas for summer birthday cakes (hard to go wrong with an ice cream cake, if you ask us), plus ways to highlight ripe nectarines, tangy apricots, and the strawberries you picked at a nearby farm. You’ll find simple ideas to tote to a picnic and show-offy desserts to decorate with flowers for your upcoming special occasions.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton1/29Raspberry and Pistachio Ice Cream Icebox Cake
If turning on an oven is just not an option, you don’t have to give up on finding great-tasting summer cakes. Enter the icebox cake, transformed here into an ice cream icebox cake. Try all three variations before summer runs out.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne3/29Super-Moist Yellow Cake With Rich Chocolate Frosting
Need a classic birthday cake that doesn’t disappoint? This one is truly special, thanks to a technique that guarantees better texture.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Bill Clark7/29Berry Cream Cheese Cake
This easy cake recipe gives off cheesecake vibes, but requires much less fuss. Add your favorite summer berries.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne8/29Marguerite Cassis
Crème de cassis adds deep berry flavor to this French dessert. Ripe blackberries on top gild the lily.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle10/29Almond-Apricot Food Processor Cake
This wonderfully moist dessert comes together quickly in the food processor, with some apricots puréed and some folded into the batter, infusing their summery flavor throughout.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks12/29Vanilla-Buttermilk Layer Cake With Orange Frosting and Raspberries
Need a layer cake for a party? This fluffy option gets tangy raspberries and citrusy cream cheese frosting.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova16/29Joconde Cake
Joconde has a rich, nutty flavor, which deepens as the cake bakes. Roll it up with whipped cream and summer berries to impress a crowd. (And read more about it on our cake recipes guide!)
Photo by Andrew Purcell, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell17/29Coconut–Key Lime Sheet Cake
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks18/29Lemon-Blueberry Poke Cake
You don’t need a mixer for this cake, and when you slice into it, you’ll be greeted with a surprise: bold stripes of bright blueberry filling. This is a nice one to make for a summer brunch gathering.
Photo & Food Styling by Joe Sevier23/29Chocolate Zucchini Cake
For the most luscious chocolate cake imaginable, enrich the batter with summer's bounty of zucchini.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart25/29Mascarpone-Filled Cake With Sherried Berries
Sherried berries are just the thing to top your Memorial Day dessert or 4th of July cake.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca26/29Blueberry Muffin Cake
Francesco Tonelli27/29Plum and Polenta Cake
Stanley Tucci says this cake is a family favorite. Maybe it’ll become your family favorite too. Use plums, or figs, or cherries in the batter.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Summer Moore29/29Raspberry Cake With Whipped Cream Filling
