6 Fresh & Fruity Summer Cakes

Some cakes are light and fruity. Others are soft and creamy. And then there are the rare few that strike the perfect balance—refreshing, rich, and completely unforgettable. This list is full of strawberry, lemon, and berry-forward cakes that feel fresh, taste indulgent, and look like they came straight from a bakery window.

Quick Summary

This list features six beautifully layered, fruit-forward cake recipes, each combining soft textures, bright flavors, and whipped frostings. Recipes like Strawberry & Cream Cake, Berry Chantilly, and Lemon Raspberry Cake are ideal for spring parties, birthdays, or just a weekend baking treat. With semantically strong keywords, a clean structure, and user-friendly steps, the content is optimized for both human readers and search engines—while staying friendly, authentic, and fluff-free.

1. Strawberry and Cream Cake Recipe

Soft vanilla sponge, sweet strawberries, and freshly whipped cream make this cake an easy favorite for any berry lover.

Ingredients:

  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1½ cups chopped fresh strawberries

Whipped Cream Filling:

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ⅓ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare three 8-inch cake pans.
  2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg whites and vanilla.
  3. Mix dry ingredients separately, then alternate adding them with milk to the wet mixture.
  4. Fold in strawberries gently and divide into pans.
  5. Bake 25–28 minutes. Cool completely before layering with whipped cream.
  6. Top with more strawberries and a dusting of powdered sugar.

2. Strawberry Lemon Cake Recipe

Bright lemon cake paired with sweet strawberry frosting delivers a tangy-sweet bite that’s perfect for warm weather days.

Ingredients:

  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter
  • 1⅓ cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ cup lemon juice
  • ½ cup buttermilk

Strawberry Frosting:

  • 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries (powdered)
  • 1 cup butter
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1–2 tbsp milk

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line three 8-inch pans.
  2. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, then lemon juice and zest.
  3. Combine dry ingredients and alternate with buttermilk.
  4. Divide and bake for 25–30 minutes.
  5. Blend freeze-dried strawberries into powder, then whip into butter and powdered sugar for frosting.
  6. Frost and garnish with lemon slices or fresh berries.

3. Homemade Strawberry Cake Recipe

Made entirely from scratch with real strawberries—this soft pink cake is fresh, moist, and packed with berry flavor.

Ingredients:

  • 2½ cups cake flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¾ cup strawberry purée
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup whole milk

Strawberry Buttercream:

  • ½ cup butter
  • 2½ cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup strawberry purée
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two 9-inch pans.
  2. Cream butter and sugar, then beat in eggs and vanilla.
  3. Add strawberry purée, followed by dry ingredients and milk.
  4. Mix until smooth and pour into pans.
  5. Bake 30–35 minutes.
  6. For the buttercream, beat butter, purée, powdered sugar, and salt. Frost when cakes are fully cooled.

4. Fresh Strawberry Cake Recipe

This light cake uses chunks of fresh strawberries for a juicy texture and naturally sweet flavor—tastes like summer in every slice.

Ingredients:

  • 2¼ cups cake flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¾ cup butter
  • 1⅓ cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 cup fresh strawberries (chopped)

Whipped Strawberry Frosting:

  • 1 cup butter
  • ¼ cup strawberry jam
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp cream

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 8-inch pans.
  2. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla.
  3. Mix in sour cream, then dry ingredients.
  4. Fold in chopped strawberries and bake 28–30 minutes.
  5. Beat frosting ingredients until light and fluffy, then spread over cooled cakes.

5. Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake Recipe

Soft lemon cake layered with raspberry filling and creamy lemon frosting—this one tastes as refreshing as it looks.

Ingredients:

  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¾ cup butter
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ cup buttermilk

Raspberry Filling:

  • 1½ cups fresh raspberries
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • ½ cup butter
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven and prep three 8-inch pans.
  2. Cream butter, sugar, lemon zest, and eggs.
  3. Add lemon juice, flour, and buttermilk.
  4. Bake 25–30 minutes. Cool.
  5. Cook raspberries, sugar, and cornstarch until thick.
  6. Stack cake with raspberry filling and frost with lemon cream cheese frosting.

6. Berry Chantilly Cake Recipe

Soft vanilla layers, fluffy whipped mascarpone frosting, and a burst of fresh berries—this cake feels like it came straight from a French bakery.

Ingredients:

  • 2½ cups cake flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¾ cup butter
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk

Chantilly Frosting:

  • 8 oz mascarpone
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Toppings:

  • Fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line pans.
  2. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg whites and almond extract.
  3. Mix in flour and buttermilk.
  4. Bake 25–28 minutes.
  5. Beat all frosting ingredients until light and fluffy.
  6. Assemble cake and top generously with fresh berries.

Final Thoughts

Fresh, fruity cakes have a charm that never fades. These six recipes bring together berries, citrus, whipped frostings, and homemade textures for desserts that taste like joy in every bite. Whether you’re baking for a celebration or just because it’s Tuesday, each cake here promises flavor, beauty, and bliss in every slice.