Grilled Angel Food Cake with Nectarines & Blueberries

Grilling angel food cake transforms it from soft and spongy into something with a toasty, slightly crisp exterior and warm, pillowy center. Pair it with skewered nectarines caramelized over high heat and a handful of fresh blueberries, and you’ve got a summer dessert that belongs at every cookout.

The nectarines get threaded onto skewers and grilled with a simple glaze of powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. As the fruit heats, the sugar melts into a sticky, citrusy lacquer and the nectarine edges char slightly, concentrating their sweetness.

Toast the cake slices on a cooler part of the grill while the nectarines finish. Angel food cake goes from toasted to burned in seconds on a hot grill, so use indirect heat and flip once. You want grill marks and a light crunch, not charcoal.

The blueberries go on fresh, no cooking. Their cool, tart burst against the warm grilled fruit and toasted cake is the contrast that makes this dessert sing.

Pro Tips

• Use a store-bought angel food cake. This recipe is about the grilling technique, not baking a cake from scratch.
• Oil the grill grates well before adding the nectarines. The sugar glaze is sticky and will cement to an ungreased grate.
• Choose ripe but firm nectarines. Overripe ones fall apart on the skewer and through the grill grates.

Variations

• Swap nectarines for ripe peaches or plums when they’re in season.
• Drizzle the finished plate with honey or a splash of amaretto for extra sweetness.
• Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a grilled sundae presentation.