Imagine the juiciest summer fruits, a hint of your favorite sangria, and a cloud of whipped cream frosting all packed into a light, spongy cake. Sounds dreamy, right? That’s exactly what this Summer Fruit Sangria Cake Recipe delivers. It’s not just a dessert, it’s a whole summer vibe—perfect for backyard barbecues, patio brunches, or that one friend who always brings the wine.
The cake is made from a fluffy, egg-based sponge, soaked in sangria wine (or grape juice, if you’re keeping it dry), layered with berries, peaches, and cherries, and frosted with a silky mix of mascarpone, cream, and a tangy raspberry sauce. You get bold fruit flavors, hints of wine, and that light-as-air texture that just melts in your mouth.
Trust me, this isn’t just any fruit cake. This is your new go-to for summer birthdays, cookouts, and “just because it’s hot and I want cake” days.
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Key Ingredients Breakdown
Here’s what makes this Summer Sangria Cake such a knockout:
Sponge Cake Base
- 6 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
Pro Tip: Whip those eggs and sugar until they’re super pale and fluffy. That’s your magic ticket to that airy, soft texture.
Sangria Soak
- ½ cup sangria wine (or use grape juice for a non-alcoholic version)
Fruit Filling
- Strawberries, sliced
- Peaches, thinly sliced
- Raspberries and cherries, halved if large
Use what’s ripe and in season! Frozen fruit works in a pinch, but fresh is best.
Frosting
- ½ cup raspberry sauce (homemade or store-bought, seeds strained)
- 8 oz mascarpone or cream cheese
- 4 oz melted white chocolate (cooled)
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Optional: 1 tsp gelatin bloomed in 1 tbsp water for extra stability in hot weather
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
You don’t need a bakery to make this work, but a few trusty tools help:
- Stand mixer or hand mixer (a KitchenAid is your BFF here)
- 2 x 8-inch round cake pans
- Parchment paper rounds (they’ll save your life)
- Offset spatula
- Cake turntable (if you’re feeling fancy)
- Jumbo piping tips (optional, for decorating)
Let’s Bake: How to Make the Cake
1. Make the Sponge Cake (20 minutes prep + 20 minutes bake)
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line your pans with parchment rounds and lightly grease the sides.
- In a stand mixer, whip eggs and sugar on high for about 8 minutes until the mixture is pale, thick, and triples in volume.
- Sift together flour and baking powder. Fold gently into the egg mixture in 2 batches. Don’t overmix!
- Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 19–21 minutes, or until lightly golden and springy.
- Cool completely, then slice each cake horizontally to create four layers total.
No oil or butter here—the eggs do all the heavy lifting for a sponge that’s light and airy.
2. Make the Berry Whipped Cream Frosting (15 minutes)
- Heat raspberries and sugar in a small saucepan until bubbly. Mash and simmer until thickened. Strain to remove seeds.
- In a large bowl, beat mascarpone (or cream cheese) with the cooled raspberry sauce and melted white chocolate.
- In another bowl, whip heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. If using gelatin, mix it in once the peaks begin to form.
- Fold whipped cream into berry-cheese mixture until fully combined and fluffy.
This frosting is rich, creamy, and just sweet enough. Plus, that berry sauce gives it the prettiest pink hue.
3. Assemble the Sangria Cake (30 minutes + chill time)
- Place one cake layer on your serving plate. Brush generously with sangria or grape juice.
- Add a layer of frosting and a mix of fresh fruit. Repeat with the remaining layers.
- Frost the outside with the remaining whipped cream. Smooth or swirl—your call.
- Decorate the top with extra fruit. Optional: tint leftover frosting for piping.
- Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Overnight is even better!
Tip: Pre-slice your fruit and have everything ready before you start stacking. It makes life easier.
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Summer Fruit Sangria Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 slices 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A fluffy, sponge-based cake soaked in sangria, layered with summer fruits like strawberries, peaches, raspberries, and cherries, and frosted with a silky raspberry-mascarpone whipped cream.
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup sangria wine or grape juice
- 1 cup sliced strawberries
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup sliced peaches
- ½ cup cherries
- ½ cup raspberry sauce
- 8 oz mascarpone
- 4 oz white chocolate, melted
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- Optional: 1 tsp gelatin bloomed in 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 8-inch pans with parchment and lightly grease.
- Whip eggs and sugar on high for 8 minutes until pale and thick.
- Sift flour and baking powder, fold into egg mixture in batches.
- Divide into pans and bake for 19–21 minutes until golden and springy. Cool and slice into four layers.
- Heat raspberries and sugar, mash and simmer until thickened. Strain seeds.
- Beat mascarpone with raspberry sauce and melted chocolate.
- Whip cream with powdered sugar to stiff peaks. Fold into mascarpone mix. Add gelatin if using.
- Brush cake layers with sangria or juice. Add frosting and fruits between layers.
- Frost the outside, decorate with fruits, chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Use fresh, ripe fruit for best flavor. Chill the cake well for easier slicing and serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
More Recipes to Try
Need more fruity summer dessert inspiration? Check these out:
- Strawberry-packed summer dessert
- Peach and cream cheese treats for summer
- Classic strawberry shortcake inspiration
- Berry and peach dessert ideas
- Fresh strawberry salad with champagne notes
- Decorative fruit-based desserts
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