Celebrate Summer with These Seasonal Desserts (and Drinks)

This celebratory cake uses mochiko rice flour instead of wheat, so it’s naturally gluten-free. “You normally eat bibingka during the holidays, but we serve it year-round,” says Musang’s Melissa Miranda. 

Baking pancakes in a sheet pan instead of on the griddle means the cook gets to sit down at the table, too. The creamy ricotta cheese and whipped egg whites in the batter ensure that the pancakes stay fluffy and moist.

Nova Brewing Co.’s James Jin and Emiko Tanabe are crafting a true California sake at their outpost and brewery in Covina. The team created a special cocktail recipe with watermelon cubes to “complement the delicate flavor,” says Shinobu Adams, director of sales and marketing.

Mangos and strawberries taste and look good together, especially when united in a tender, lime-scented dessert. The recipe is from Isabel Cruz, chef and owner of Isabel Pearl in Portland, as well as Coffee Cup Café and Isabel’s Cantina, both in the San Diego area.

When plums are at their juiciest, they’re great in a quick dessert. If you don’t already have the grill going, just broil or toast the pound cake until golden.

We love the contrast of crunchy cornmeal, tart berries, and smooth lavender cream in these waffles, a version of the ones on the ever-changing brunch menu at the Lark Creek Inn in Larkspur, California. You can prep and cook these in under an hour.

You know those sweet, dripping peaches you dream about all year? When you’ve had your fill standing over the sink, bake up the rest with dark brown sugar, booze, and a tender topping.

Lychee liqueur anchors this drink, from Seattle’s Musang, in the tropics, while tequila and Peychaud’s bitters add a pan-American vibe. Feel free to substitute passionfruit liqueur, which works just as well.

Neither oily nor dry, but perfectly moist. Use up your zucchini in this baked good that serves as a breakfast and a dessert.

This recipe was shared with us by the team at U-Street Pizza in Pasadena, California. The pizza joint nestled next door to the popular Italian eatery, Union, recently expanded to add a cocktail and wine program. The Free Parking cocktail caught our eye for its usage of orange wine as a base, making it a great option to serve at a party and enjoy in rounds. 

This crisp tastes best warm, but you can also serve it at room temperature. Use nectarines and boysenberries, both June fruits, in this dish.