Grilled Angel Food Cake with Nectarines & Blueberries

Grilling dessert might sound unconventional, but angel food cake takes to a hot grate like a dream. The outside toasts into a crisp, caramelized shell while the inside stays pillowy soft. Pair it with charred nectarines that have gone jammy on the grill and you’ve got a summer dessert that needs no oven time.

The lemon-sugar glaze basted onto the nectarine skewers does double duty. The powdered sugar caramelizes on contact with the heat, and the lemon zest and juice cut through that sweetness so the fruit doesn’t taste like candy.

Toast the cake on a cooler part of the grill. Direct high heat chars angel food cake in seconds because it’s mostly air and sugar. You want golden gridmarks, not a burnt sponge. Keep it moving and flip just once.

Chef Tips

• Use ripe but firm nectarines. Overripe fruit falls apart on the skewers and drops through the grates.
• Soak wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes before grilling to prevent them from catching fire.
• Scatter the blueberries on at the very end so they stay fresh and burst with cool juice against the warm cake and fruit.
• A drizzle of honey or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream turns this into a showstopper.

Variations

• Swap nectarines for ripe peaches or thick pineapple rings for a tropical spin.
• Add a sprinkle of cinnamon to the glaze and serve with a dollop of mascarpone.
• Use pound cake instead of angel food for a denser, butterier grilled base.