Summer is here and it is time to celebrate with a roundup of the BEST summer cakes, tutorials, recipes, and ideas!
When I think of summertime entertaining, I think of bright colors, beach and luau themes, fruity or even boozy cakes and frostings, and desserts that are as delicious as they are fun!
We hope that you keep these cake recipes, tutorials, and design ideas in mind for your summer birthday cakes and celebrations!
*Updated May 2022
The BEST Cake and Cupcake Ideas for Summer Parties!
Whether you are planning a birthday party or a cookout with friends, you are sure to find something new to try from this collection of summertime cakes and ideas!
We've made so many summer cakes and recipes over the years, and we're happy to have an ever-growing collection of ideas to share with you! We hope that you find something in this list that you would love to try!
You can find our full collection of hundreds of free cake decorating tutorials and recipes in our free cake recipes and tutorial section!
Thanks for scrolling through this roundup of summer fun! We hope you found something that you'd like to try out!
60+ Summer Cakes, Tutorials, and Ideas!
Sharing a roundup of the best cakes, design ideas, and tutorial for summer celebrations!
Buttercream Hydrangeas- A Cake Video Tutorial
Learn how to make beautiful buttercream hydrangeas in this free cake decorating video tutorial!
Banana Pudding Cupcakes (Doctored Cake Mix Recipe)
These easy Banana Pudding Cupcakes have amazing flavor! Banana cupcakes are filled with vanilla (pudding) cream filling, frosted with cream cheese frosting, and a dollop of whipped cream.
Watermelon Fault Line Cake- Free Cake Decorating Video Tutorial
Learn how to make a CUTE and trendy fault line cake with a watermelon theme in this free cake decorating video tutorial! Fault line cakes aren't nearly as difficult as they look, and this video will show you how to easily make one of your own! This watermelon cake design is perfect for summer entertaining, and you can easily take this technique and apply it to color schemes and designs for all sorts of occasions!
Peach Pound Cake
This Peach Pound Cake is ultra moist with diced peaches folded into the batter! It is the perfect fruity cake for spring and summer!
Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes!-Free Step by Step Cupcake Tutorial
Learn how to make cute and easy Ice Cream Cone Pull Apart Cupcakes in our free step by step tutorial and cake video!
Orange Pineapple Cake
This fruity, flavorful Orange Pineapple Cake is super moist and perfect for spring and summer gatherings!
Flamingo Ruffle Cake- A Cake Decorating Video Tutorial
OH how we love this ruffle flamingo cake! This is such a fun design- learn how to make it in this fun, free cake tutorial!
Strawberry Pound Cake
This moist Strawberry Pound Cake is heavenly! We love the strawberry flavor- it's the perfect cake recipe for spring and summer, or for the strawberry lovers in your life!
Easy Cheeseburger Cake Tutorial
This fun and easy Triple Cheeseburger Cake design is perfect for cookouts, summer birthdays, Father's Day, and your burger-loving friends and family! - From our free cake video tutorial!
Banana Split Layer Cake Recipe
This Banana Split Layer Cake recipe is the best! Moist banana cake layers are filled with whipped cream cheese frosting ,sliced strawberries, pineapple, and a chocolate drip! This is such a beautiful dessert and it tastes fantastic too. It's fun to change things up now and then from the usual go-to recipes, and this delicious combination of flavors is sure to please a crowd!
Flamingo Cake- A Cake Video Tutorial
We just love flamingos! Learn how to make this cute flamingo cake in our free cake video tutorial! This cake would be perfect for summer birthdays, beach themed parties, and more!
Lemon Buttermilk Cake {A Scratch Recipe}
This moist and delicious Lemon Buttermilk Cake with Whipped Lemon Mascarpone frosting is so light, moist, and flavorful!
Octopus Cake Tutorial! My Cake School
This Octopus Cake is one of our oldest tutorials, but it's still one of my favorites for summer! Learn how to make this SWEET octopus cake in our free step by step tutorial!
Key Lime Cake (A Doctored Cake Mix Recipe)
We love this moist, refreshing Key Lime Layer Cake and it is so easy to make using a cake mix!
Ice Cream Cone Cake- A Free Cake Decorating Video Tutorial
Learn how to make a cute and simple ice cream cone decoration onto your cakes in this free video tutorial!
Strawberry Champagne Cake- A Doctored Cake Mix
This Strawberry Champagne Cake is SO delicious and it all starts with a cake mix! The cake is moist and fluffy, and has the perfect balance of strawberries and champagne! Strawberry champagne cake layers are filled with sliced strawberries and whipped cream, and frosted with champagne buttercream! Keep this recipe in mind for special occasions like anniversaries, bridal showers, Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve, or just because!
Flip Flop Cupcakes!~ Free Tutorial
These bright and cheerful flip flop cupcake toppers are really easy to make with simple candy coating! I'll show you how to make them in our free step by step cake tutorial! Perfect for beach themed parties, birthdays, or just because!
Strawberry Sour Cream Cake with White Chocolate Frosting
Delicious Strawberry Sour Cream Cake with White Chocolate Frosting! I just love this homemade strawberry cake recipe, and the combination with white chocolate frosting is heavenly. Whether you pair it with white chocolate frosting, or any number of other frostings from classic buttercream to cream cheese, keep this strawberry sour cream layer cake recipe in mind when you are craving a strawberry dessert!
Fish Cupcake Cake!~A Blog Tutorial
One of our most popular pull-apart cupcake cakes over the years has been this cute and easy Fish Cupcake Cake! I love it for beach themed birthday parties, pool parties, and more! - A free step by step cupcake tutorial!
Beach Cake Video Tutorial
The perfect Beach Cake Design with flip flop cake topper! Learn how to make this lovely summertime cake in this free cake decorating tutorial-- perfect for summer birthdays, beach themed parties, and more!
Lemon Cake from Scratch- So delicious!
This light and lemony scratch lemon cake is so moist and flavorful! I love it year-round, but especially in the spring and summer months! This has been one of our most popular recipes over the years!
Mermaid Splash Cake- Video Tutorial
I love this Mermaid Splash Cake design! Whether you have a summer celebration, beach party, or want the perfect cake for someone who loves mermaids, this tutorial is for you! Free cake video!
Strawberry Cake~ (Doctored Cake Mix Recipe)
This fantastic Strawberry Cake starts with a simple cake mix! It's SO flavorful and perfect for summer gatherings!
Tie Dye Fun!- Cake Decorating Blog Tutorial
Tie dye cakes are so cheerful and fun for summer birthday parties, 70s themed birthdays, kids parties, and more!
Piña Colada Cake Recipe
This delicious Piña Colada Cake recipe is the perfect party cake! You'll love the flavor of pineapple, coconut, and a hint of rum!
Buttercream Irises Tutorial
I love irises! Learn how to create them in buttercream in this cake tutorial in our free cake decorating video tutorial!
Pineapple Coconut Cake
This moist and flavorful Pineapple Coconut Cake consists of homemade pineapple cake layers with a delicious pineapple filling and coconut cream cheese frosting!
Pansy Garden Cake- A Cake Decorating Video
We loved creating this buttercream pansy cake with watering can cake topper! It's a great birthday cake idea for spring and summer, or for the gardeners in your life!
Lemon Blueberry Cake
This homemade Lemon Blueberry Cake is the perfect balance of lemon and blueberry flavor! So moist and perfect for spring and summer gatherings!
Ice cream Sundae Cupcake Cake!-Free Cupcake Tutorial
We had the best time making this easy GIANT Ice Cream Sundae pull-apart cupcake cake! Kids will love this ice-cream themed dessert!
Sweet Mermaid Cake Topper with Buttercream Waves
We LOVED making this sweet Mermaid Cake! So adorable for kids birthdays- learn how to make it in our free cake video tutorial!
Lime Cake from Scratch
Delicious Lime Layer Cake from Scratch with Lime Curd Filling- This fruity lime cake with lime curd filling has lots of flavor and is perfect for summer!
Champagne and Strawberries Cake Recipe
This sophisticated Champagne and Strawberries Cake is amazingly moist and flavorful!
Watermelon Cake ~Blog Tutorial
I love this sweet watermelon cake design which can be created with a simple sheet cake!
Flamingo Bridal Shower Cake- A Cake Decorating Video Tutorial
Another favorite flamingo cake- this design would be perfect for bridal showers, engagement parties, and even beach weddings!
Coconut Lemon Cake from Scratch
Yum! Nothing says summertime like coconut and lemon! What a delicious flavor combination!
Coconut "Drink" Cakes~A Blog Tutorial
These cute Coconut Drink cakes are so much fun! Learn how to make them in our free step by step cake tutorial!
Cheeseburger Cake
This buttercream cheeseburger cake is perfect for cookouts and summer gatherings and is always a crowd pleaser! Learn how to make it in our free cake tutorial section!
Sandcastle Cake Video
This sandcastle cake is an old summertime favorite from our Member Cake Video Tutorial section!
Beach Cupcake Tutorial~ A Free Blog Tutorial
In this beach cupcake tutorial, learn to make buttercream crab cake designs as well as a school of "lollipop fish"! From our free step by step cupcake tutorial!
Swimsuit Cake Blog Tutorial~ (with simple beach cupcakes!)
Turn an ordinary sheet cake into an adorable swimsuit cake! This step by step free tutorial is perfect for young birthdays!
Popsicle Cake Tutorial!- Free Cake Tutorial!
Learn how to make a giant Popsicle Cake using a simple sheet cake! We used this for a July 4th themed party but you can easily change the design to any color or flavor!
Cookout Cupcakes!~ Free Blog Tutorial
These cute and easy cookout cupcakes are so much fun to make! Learn how to make these mini hamburger and hot dog cupcake toppers in our free step by step tutorial!
Orange Dreamsicle Cake- Delicious Homemade Recipe
This moist and delicious cake tastes just like an Orange Dreamsicle! Moist orange cake layers with orange cream filling and orange cream cheese frosting!
Pineapple Cake Recipe
This Pineapple Cake Recipe is the best! Moist yellow cake layers with a luscious Pineapple & Cream Filling!
Cheerful Lilly Pulitzer Inspired Cupcake Decorating Tutorial {Blog}
Lilly Pulizer-inspired cupcakes are perfect for summer celebrations! We'll show you so many fun designs in our free step by step cupcake tutorial!
Pink Lemonade Cake from Scratch
SO good! This Pink Lemonade Cake is the perfect summer layer cake!
Peaches and Cream Layer Cake
This flavorful Peaches and Cream cake from scratch is so moist and delicious! I love it for summer gatherings!
Quilling with Fondant & Gum Paste
I just love quilling and cake decorating! This technique is easier than it looks- learn how to do fondant quilling in this free step by step cake tutorial!
Rainbow Cake in Buttercream~ Video
We love rainbow cakes! This technique can be worked for striped cakes or ombre cakes as well. Learn how in our free cake decorating video tutorial!
Puffed Rainbow Cake- {free} Cake Decorating Video!
Here's another colorful, cheerful rainbow buttercream cake design with rainbow cake topper!
Margarita Cake with Tequila Lime Buttercream
This Margarita Cake with Tequila Lime Buttercream is the perfect party cake! Moist, wonderful lemon-lime-flavor, and an added kick from the tequila buttercream!
Margarita Cake - A Cake Mix Recipe
This fantastic Margarita Cake all starts with a simple cake mix!
Let's Hoo Hoo Hula!~ Owl Cake Topper Tutorial
How cute is this Luau Owl Cake?! I love this sweet design for summer birthday parties and more! From our free cake tutorial section!
Cherry Chocolate Chip Cake
Moist and Delicious Cherry Chocolate Chip Cake- this moist layer cake has so much flavor!
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake
This flavorful Chocolate Cherry Cake is sure to be a crowd pleaser! Moist, cherry flavored chocolate cake layers are filled and frosted with cherry cream cheese frosting!
Lemon Sour Cream Cake
This moist Lemon Sour Cream Cake is amazing! It pairs well with so many fillings and frostings, but in this recipe we've chosen a delightful Lemon Seven Minute Frosting. Enjoy!
Shark Cake Tutorial
Learn how to make this adorable shark cake in this free cake decorating video tutorial! This would make such a cute summertime birthday cake!
Lemon Raspberry Swirl Pound Cake
This Moist and flavorful Lemon Raspberry Swirl Pound Cake is the perfect dessert for summer!
Lemon Orange Layer Cake
This Lemon Orange Cake recipe is so moist and bursting with citrus flavor!
Lemon Cake: A Doctored Cake Mix Recipe
Nobody would guess that this amazing lemon cake recipe all starts with a simple cake mix! So moist and lemony!
Strawberry Lemon Cake
Strawberry and Lemon are perfect together! Try this fantastic summertime dessert with lemon cake layers and a strawberry buttercream frosting!
Sweet Girl on a Swing- Free Cake Video
Learn how to make a sweet Girl on a Swing cake design, which would be perfect for young birthdays!
Buttercream Camellias and Elegant Piping- A Free Cake Video
Learn how to pipe buttercream camellias as well as an elegant piped floral design around the sides in this free cake video tutorial!
A Bouquet of Billy Balls!~A Cake Decorating Blog Tutorial
Learn how to make these cheerful billy ball flowers for your cakes in our free step by step tutorial!
White Chocolate Raspberry Cake
Delicious scratch White Chocolate Raspberry Cake Recipe- this layer cake is so moist and has wonderful flavor!
Banana Pudding Cake Recipe
All the wonderful flavor of banana pudding in cake form! We love this amazing recipe!
Fabulous Round Up! So many ideas! :-)