Summer is in full swing which means lots of backyard barbecues, family get-togethers, and more than a few parties. We’ve given you a few tips on how to master your grill game but here are two dessert recipes we’ve been keeping on rotation. They’re quick and easy to make (not to mention delicious!); the perfect dishes to add to your summer meals.

Summer Strawberry Cake – serves 8-10
The best part about this cake (besides how good it is, of course) is that while it’s super easy to make, the final product is a beautiful cake that looks like it took ages to put together.

Ingredients
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Preheat oven to 350°F Butter a 10-inch pie pan.

Whisk flour or flours, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.

Pour into prepared pie plate. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes. (Gooey strawberries on the tester are a given.) Let cool in pan on a rack.

Cut into wedges. Serve with lightly whipped cream.

– Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen

Summer Cobbler – serves 8-10
Every time I make this cobbler, I’m shocked by how ridiculously easy it is to make yet how unbelievably good it is to eat. It’s also a great way to use up any fruit you have lying around that is on the verge of going bad. A win/win!

Ingredients
5-6 cups fruit (Any combo you prefer: peeled, sliced peaches or nectarines, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, etc.) enough to fill a 13×9 inch baking dish.
juice from half a lemon
1 cup flour, whisked
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 beaten egg
5 tablespoons butter, melted

Place fruit in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle on lemon juice and toss. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Add egg, tossing with fork until mixture is crumbly. (It should not be mushy.) Sprinkle flour-egg mixture over fruit then drizzle as evenly as possible with melted butter.

Bake at 375°F for 35-40 minutes. Serve warm (with vanilla ice cream!).

— From Dinner: A Love Story

Better Housekeeping Shop is your destination for the perfect oven to bake these sweet treats in! Give us a call at 732-741-4310 or stop into our store and talk to one of our Sales Associates about ovens, or any of your kitchen appliance needs.