Beat the Heat With Our Summer Cakes (P.1)

Is a picnic really a picnic without dessert? Absolutely not!

Cakes and pies for the summer should be made with all the fresh fruits that the season brings, so these recipes include strawberries, peaches, blueberries, plum-sand more summery fruits you’ll have on hand anyway. Of course, a summer dessert menu wouldn’t be complete without some lemon and key lime options, which you'll find here as well. But for those of you who are not crazy about fruity or Cake too. Cool down on a hot summer day with an ice cream cake the kids will love, or throw together an easy no-bake cake or pie for a last-minute party or picnic with our best summer cake and pie recipes.

#1: Red Velvet-Berry Cobbler

Pick out your favorite fresh summer berries for this dish (we used a combo of black berries, raspberries and blueberries) and top or layer with homemade cream cheese ice cream — or the vanilla ice cream you have in the freezer, if the cobbler was enough cooking for one day.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon corn starch

• 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided

• 6 cups assorted fresh berries (We used 2 cups each black berries, raspberries, and blueberries.)

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 2 large eggs

• 2 tablespoons red liquid food coloring

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 tablespoons un-sweetened cocoa

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup buttermilk

• 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

How to Make It

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together corn starch and 1/2 cup sugar. Toss berries with cornstarch mixture, and spoon into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish.

Step 2

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in red food coloring and vanilla until blended.

Step 3

Combine flour, cocoa, and salt. Stir together buttermilk, vinegar, and baking soda in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. (Mixture will bubble.) Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Spoon batter over berry mixture.

Step 4

Bake at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake topping comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes.

Step 5

Switch It Up Chocolate-Cherry Cobbler: Omit red food coloring. Substitute 6 cups pitted fresh cherries (about 2 1/2 to 3 lb.) for berries. Decrease flour to 1 cup, and increase un-sweetened cocoa to 1/4 cup. Proceed with recipe as directed. For a Chocolate-Cherry Cobbler sundae, top scoops of Chocolate-Cherry Cobbler with vanilla ice cream, Hot Fudge Sauce, sweetened whipped cream, and fresh cherries (with stems).