Julia Turshen’s Olive Oil and Buttermilk Loaf is an easy, tender cake that’s perfect for using up leftover buttermilk. Made with olive oil instead of softened butter, it comes together quickly and has a rich, pound cake-like texture with a subtle grassy flavor and just the right amount of sweetness.
Eric Kim’s whipped cream snacking cake pairs a moist vanilla sponge with maple-macerated strawberries, peaches, kiwi and plums. Fresh fruit and its juices soak into the tender cake before it’s finished with billowy whipped cream. This flexible, easy dessert makes a centerpiece and turns lingering seasonal fruit into something special.
Celebrate Beyoncé’s 44th birthday with my Sweet ★ Honey ★ Buckle with Blueberries! This honey-lemon sponge is topped with juicy berries, crystallized ginger, and a buttery crumble. Inspired by “Sweet ★ Honey ★ Buckin’” from Cowboy Carter, it’s the ultimate blueberry dessert – finished with a drizzle of honey and sprinkle of flaky salt.
Ina Garten’s Summer Fruit Tart turns ripe peaches, plums and figs into an elegant late-summer dessert. Adapted from her French apple tart, it pairs rows of juicy fruit with a flaky, buttery pastry and glossy apricot glaze. The simple sheet-pan tart is ideal for brunch, entertaining or showcasing seasonal fruit.
My grandpa discovered a red velvet cake recipe in the ’60s that became a family legend. The key is in the heritage frosting. After tweaking the original recipe, I achieved a moist, tender, and vibrant red sponge. Double the frosting for a perfect four-layer delight!
Samin Nosrat’s Russian Honey Icebox Cake delivers the caramelized flavor of Russian honey cake without baking 12 delicate layers. Store-bought graham crackers soften beneath burnt honey dulce de leche cream during an overnight chill, creating an impressive make-ahead summer dessert with an effort-to-reward ratio perfect for special occasions or easy entertaining.
This decadent Nutter Butter Icebox Cake is a nostalgic, no-bake dessert layered with a peanut butter–mascarpone cream and topped with homemade magic shell. Inspired by a childhood favorite, it features a crunchy Nutter Butter crust and chopped peanuts for extra texture – perfect for hot summer days when you don’t want to turn on the oven.
I tackled Claire Saffitz’s kouign-amann recipe, a buttery French pastry made with laminated yeasted dough and plenty of caramelized sugar. While challenging, Claire’s detailed instructions and YouTube guidance make homemade kouign-amann surprisingly approachable. The result is crisp, deeply caramelized, perfectly sweet, and packed with heavenly, flaky layers throughout.