3 Easy Summer Fruit Desserts

In many countries, a bowl of fresh, ripe summer fruit passed among dinner guests is a simple, yet welcome, finish to a meal. Indeed, the full flavor of seasonal fruit really needs little embellishment. Still, it’s hard to not want to add a light cake, a splash of cream, or a bit of cheese to the overall mix—especially when every recipe that’s paired with peak-of-season fruit tastes so delicious. Its often best to keep these partnerships simple, focusing on uncomplicated recipes that allow the fruit to be the star attraction. Each of the fruit-adorned recipes below can be prepared in under 30 minutes—giving you more time away from the kitchen to enjoy the lazy days of summer. And, better yet, they’re entirely versatile. Feel free to swap in any of your own favorite fruits for those called for in the recipes.

Apricot Clafoutis

When apricots are in season, there is simply no better way to incorporate them into a special post-meal sweet than in this simple one-pan, oven-baked pancake. Select the ripest apricots you can find as they will easily plump in the oven heat. This hassle-free dessert would also work well with berries, pitted cherries, plums, peaches or nectarines. Ice cream is a nice touch, but the custardy-pancake is quite moist on its own.

Honey Nectarine Cheesecake

A creamy, honey-sweetened no-bake cream cheese filling topped with ripe nectarines is the winning combo in this easy favorite. If early harvest nectarines haven’t quite reached your market, trade them for halved and pitted cherries or plums, blueberries or sliced strawberries and this summery rendition of classic cheesecake will be equally delicious.

Olive Oil Cake with Summer Fruit

This easy vanilla-scented cake is one of our most highly-rated recipes and it’s no wonder why. Thanks to the olive oil in the batter, the cake is especially moist. It is wonderfully accepting of fresh summer berries, which add a burst of juicy flavor when baked into the cake. Better yet, you don’t have to miss one second of summer fun by wasting time indoors since this cake is a snap to prepare—just whisk the ingredients together, fold in the fruit and then bake. A dusting of confectioners’ sugar and a fresh-fruit garnish add the finishing touches.