84 summer cake recipes

Lemon loaf cake with a sticky lemon glaze and homemade lemon ice on the side. A two-part dessert with a tender citrus pound cake and a tart granita-style ice for the perfect summer-afternoon plating.

Grilled angel food cake with skewered nectarines basted in a lemon-sugar glaze, served alongside fresh blueberries for a light summer dessert straight off the grill.

Peach dessert cake with fresh peaches baked into a lemon-scented batter, topped with cinnamon sugar and chopped nuts. Serve warm with whipped cream for a summer treat.

Tender zucchini bundt cake spiced with cinnamon and studded with nuts, crowned with tangy lemon cream cheese frosting. Elegant from-scratch dessert for summer gatherings.

Fat-free strawberry shortcake built on a cloud-light angel food cake, layered with fresh sliced strawberries and whipped topping. A guilt-free summer dessert with classic flavors.

Pennsylvania Dutch peach cake from Lebanon County with fresh peach halves baked into a tender biscuit-style base, dusted with cinnamon sugar. A summer harvest classic.

Light lemon bundt cake with fresh lemon zest and juice gets soaked in citrus glaze while warm, then served with fresh berries for summer picnics or potlucks.

Old fashioned shortcake with tender buttermilk biscuits split, buttered, and layered with sweetened fruit and whipped cream. A classic summer dessert that beats any sponge cake bakery version.

Strawberry angel food parfait layers torn angel food cake with juicy strawberries, creamy pudding, and whipped topping in a glass bowl. A no-bake, light-as-air trifle that's easy to assemble and made for summer gatherings.

A bundt cake made with real cubed watermelon and fruity gelatin for a pink-hued summer dessert. Topped with luscious cream cheese watermelon icing that tastes like a backyard party.

Peach ice cream crown cake stacks vanilla ice cream and ladyfingers in a springform mold, finished with sliced peaches and a glossy white wine sauce. A no-bake summer showstopper.

No-bake frozen blueberry ice cream cake with a cookies-and-cream crumb base, layered vanilla ice cream, and blueberry pie filling. A summer dessert that freezes firm in 2 hours.

Blueberry drop cookies fold fresh blueberries and bright lemon zest into a soft cake-style dough, then bake into pillowy, fruit-studded rounds. A summer cookie that's halfway to a muffin top.

A classic Baltimore sheet cake with a soft, simple batter topped with rows of fresh peach slices, cinnamon sugar, and melted butter. This old-school Mid-Atlantic bakery favorite is summer in every bite.

Ultra-moist chocolate zucchini cake with shredded zucchini hidden in a cocoa batter loaded with chocolate chips and walnuts. The sneakiest way to use up summer zucchini, and nobody will guess the secret ingredient.

Peach cake with sliced summer peaches dredged in flour and folded into a thick, oil-based cinnamon batter. Bakes up moist with a tender crumb, finished with a powdered sugar glaze or a dollop of whipped cream.