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Go Beyond Cobbler with These Mouthwatering Fruit Dessert Recipes

Blueberry cupcakes; a slice of strawberry layer cake; berry crumb bars
Baker by Nature/Two Cups Flour/Tutti Dolci

Ah, summer! The season of fresh, fruity delights. If you’re tired of just tossing together a basic cobbler or pie, these recipes are for you.

With so many fresh fruits in season, summer is the perfect time to experiment with new recipes. Whether you’re in the mood for a creamy layer cake packed with complementary flavors, a fruit twist on a classic treat, or the perfect dessert for a summer potluck, we’ve got you covered!

So, next time you bring home a box of your favorite fruits, try one of these creative (and tasty) recipes.

Raspberry Lemon Sweet Rolls

A pan of raspberry rolls sitting on a countertop with a towel and bowls of ingredients
Blue Bowl Recipes

This recipe offers a fruity twist on a classic sweet roll recipe. Instead of a sticky cinnamon/brown sugar filling, though, the soft, easy-to-make brioche dough is filled with a sweet and tart mixture of raspberries, lemon zest, and vanilla.

After baking, it’s topped off with deliciously sweet, but slightly tangy, cream cheese frosting.

Get the Recipe: Blue Bowl Recipes

Strawberry Lemonade Cake

A naked cake layered with strawberries and more on top; a slice of the same cake
Two Cups Flour

This recipe features the same fruity pairings of the refreshing classic summer drink in an easy “naked” cake. The basics are pretty simple: light lemon cake layers, a beautiful pink strawberry buttercream frosting, and sliced fresh strawberries layered in-between and on top.

The sides of each layer remains exposed for a simple, trendy look.

Get the Recipe: Two Cups Flour

Classic Raspberry Pavlova

A whole raspberry pavlova next to one that has been cut open to reveal the inside
Tutti Dolci

The pavlova is a classic meringue dessert that’s a lot less intimidating than it looks, especially with the addition of fresh raspberries to lighten up the flavor.

A light and airy meringue forms the base of the dessert, which is then topped with fresh raspberry sauce and whipped cream for a light dessert perfect for hot summer nights.

Get the Recipe: Tutti Dolci

Strawberry Lemon Muffins

A tray of lemon strawberry muffins surrounded by more muffins and fruit
Barley and Sage

These light and delicious muffins are the perfect way of combining sweet berries with tangy citrus for a summer dessert (or even a breakfast or brunch treat).

Fresh strawberries are the stars of this recipe. You mix them into a light, lemony batter for a delicious muffin. You can also top them with a bit of turbinado sugar for a little extra texture and sweetness.

Get the Recipe: Barley and Sage

Blackberry Orange Vanilla Pound Cake

Two views of a bundt cake with a slice taken out, revealing a berry ripple inside
Tutti Dolci

One part decadent pound cake, one part fruity summer treat, this dish is everything you could ever ask for in a sweet, tangy berry dessert.

The classic pound cake gets a twist with a swirl of delicious blackberries running through the middle. They’re perfectly complemented by the citrus tang of orange and light vanilla glaze on top.

Get the Recipe: Tutti Dolci

Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake

A strawberries and cream naked cake on a cake plate; closeup of the same cake with a slice cut out
Barley and Sage

For a not-too-difficult and totally delicious dessert, try this hybrid of a naked layer cake and classic strawberry shortcake.

Layers of easy shortcake sandwich a creamy mascarpone cheese filling and macerated strawberries. Then, more of each is piled on top for a sky-high shortcake that’s delicious and easy to make.

Get the Recipe: Barley and Sage

Bursting Blueberry Lemon Layer Cake

A frosted blueberry cake on a cake plate; the same cake cut open with a slice missing.
Half-Baked Harvest

With this perfectly paired sweet layer cake, you can get all the creamy goodness of a classic layer cake with a summery fruit blend.

Three layers of a light, airy lemon cake (with a blueberry swirl rippled throughout) are also layered with a whipped blueberry mascarpone cream frosting for a beautiful cake that tastes just as good as it looks!

Get the Recipe: Half-Baked Harvest

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert Tart

A strawberries and cream tart with a pretzel crust, cut into slices on parchment
Butternut Bakery

Remember that strawberry-and-pretzel Jell-O “salad” you probably had at potlucks growing up? Well, this is it in tart form!

A crunchy and unusual hybrid of pretzel-/pie-dough crust forms a buttery, just-salty-enough foundation layer. A sweet cream cheese filling comes next, and finally, a top layer made of macerated, sliced strawberries.

It’s the perfect creamy, fruity goodness you need for any summer celebration.

Get the Recipe: Butternut Bakery

White Chocolate Blueberry Cupcakes

A tray of blueberry cupcakes; closeup of a cupcake with a bite taken out of it
Baker by Nature

There’s just the right blend of lemon and blueberries in this light, moist cake batter. Sour cream is the secret ingredient that makes it extra-moist and fluffy, but not overly sweet.

It’s perfectly paired with a delicate and creamy white chocolate frosting. Finish it all off with just the right amount of blueberry drizzle.

Get the Recipe: Baker by Nature

Peach Cobbler Cake

A peach layer cake on a wood cake stand; a view of the cake sliced open
Stephanie’s Sweet Treats

Upgrade the classic peach cobbler with this sweet, yet perfectly spiced, layer cake. A chunky peach “salsa” goes right into the cake layers, which sandwich layers of fresh peach pie filling.

It’s finished off with a cinnamon crumb topping and a cinnamon, peach cream cheese frosting covering the outside.

Get the Recipe: Stephanie’s Sweets Treats

Raspberry Surprise Coconut Snowball Cake

A raspberry coconut cake with a slice taken out; a closeup of that slice on a plate
Baker by Nature

Raspberries and coconut are an unexpected, yet amazing, flavor combination. Once you taste them together, you’ll understand!

A moist, delicious coconut cake forms the base of this dessert, with layers of tart raspberry filling and sweet coconut cream cheese frosting in-between. Finish it all off with frosting and a layer of shredded coconut for that classic “snowball” look!

Get the Recipe: Baker by Nature

Triple Berry Crumb Bars

Overhead view of several berry crumb squares; a side view of a stack of the same bars
Tutti Dolci

This easy dessert is exactly what it sounds like: a mix of berry pies or basic berry cobblers in a bar! This recipe pairs a sweet, crumbly crust with a blend of raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries.

It’s all topped off with a crumb topping, producing a bar that’s perfect for pairing with a scoop of ice cream.

Get the Recipe: Tutti Dolci


Armed with these delicious fruit dessert recipes, you’ll be serving up delights all summer! Of course, you can still mix in some fruit pies whenever you’re in the mood. After all, they’re classics for a reason.

Amanda Prahl Amanda Prahl
Amanda Prahl is a freelance contributor to LifeSavvy. She has an MFA in dramatic writing, a BA in literature, and is a former faculty associate focusing on writing craft and history. Her articles have appeared on HowlRound, Slate, Bustle, BroadwayWorld, and ThoughtCo, among others. Read Full Bio »
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