A good summer cake should be easy. No one wants to mess around with fancy layers and butter when it’s hot outside and people are demanding dessert after a barbecue.
The cakes I made all summer are simple. A one-pan cake, a snack cake you slice right out of the pan, an icebox no-bake cake that bakes while you’re in the pool.
So here are my easiest summer cakes, ranked by how much time they need in the oven. Preheat if needed and let’s get into it.
Easy summer cakes at a glance
Sheet cakes and snack cakes
One pan, one bowl, enough to feed everyone. These are my summer workhorses.
My favorite super easy strawberry sheet cake
This is my goal to feed the crowd without losing my mind. It starts with a box of white cake mix and a box of strawberry Jell-O, and no, I won’t apologize, it’s pink, it’s easy, and it tastes like celebration. Poke holes in the hot cake to let the flavor soak in.
Strawberry Southern Style Cake
A tender, pink, berry-packed cake straight out of classic Southern tradition. Sweet, soft and ready for the summer table. Bring your ingredients to room temperature first to make fine, even crumbs.
Strawberry coffee cake
It’s technically a coffee cake, which just means you’re allowed to eat it for breakfast too (I do, no notes). A strawberry-covered butter crumb cake, best warmed up a little with your coffee.
Fried Strawberry Buttermilk Cake
Here is the step. first fry the strawberries. It condenses all that jam flavor and keeps the cake from being soggy, then they get folded into the buttermilk batter. Calm is one of the best cakes on this list.
Head and fried cakes
Bake the fruit right at the bottom and turn it into something beautiful.
Strawberry upside down cake with cardamom
Caramelized strawberries and warm cardamom on a soft, sour cream cake. One pan, one confident finger, one showcase. Let it sit for five minutes before turning so the fruit comes out clean, then hold your breath and go for it.
Fried strawberry and dumpling cake
Rustic and cozy in the best way. Roasted berries puff under soft, dumpling-like cake tops, all in one pan. Serve it piping hot straight from the pan with a spoon and zero fuss.
No-Bake and Icebox Cakes
For those days when the oven is absolutely not invited.
Strawberry Malt Icebox Cake
I’m a malt sucker. This layers malted whipped cream with fresh strawberries and vanilla wafers, then freezes until the wafers are caked. Zero oven and it needs to sit overnight, so make it the night before and let the fridge do the magic.
Cherry and lemon ice box cake
Bright lemon cream is layered with summer cherries and refrigerated overnight. Another stunning no-bake recipe for a hot day, it relies on store-bought lemon curd to come together quickly.
Bright fruit and citrus cakes
When you want the cake to taste seasonal.
Gooey Lemon Blueberry Cake
Jammy blueberries and bright lemon in a soft, brown-centered single-layer cake. It’s easy with one scoop, and it really, really wants a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.
Lemon cake filled with lemon
A delicate lemon pound cake drenched in lemon syrup to keep it soft and gooey for days. Double the lemon, double the joy, and it travels perfectly to a gathering.
Angel Food Cake with Raspberry Cream
Light, airy and filled with raspberry cream, as breezy as a summer cake. Cool it upside down in the pan so it stays high and cloud-like.
General questions
What is the easiest summer cake to make?
A cookie or ice box cake. The strawberry sheet cake comes together right out of the box in one pan, and ice box cakes don’t require an oven at all, just a little patience while they cool.
Which cake travels best for a summer party?
Sheet cakes and snack cakes are the easiest to transport because you serve them right in the pan. Just keep cold with whipped cream or an ice pack until it’s time to serve.
Can I make these cakes ahead of time?
Yes! Snacks and sheet cakes keep at room temperature for a day, and icebox cakes actually get better overnight in the fridge. Add frosting or whipped cream near serving time.
How to keep the cake from drying out from the heat?
Keep the cakes covered and frost with any cream or fruit filling. The lemon-soaked cake stays especially moist thanks to all that syrup.
More summer sweetness. My Best Strawberry Dessert Recipes!
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