I’m taking part in a blog series to help you plan and throw the best BBQ this summer. Follow the below links for the all the tips, tricks, and recipes!

Step 1: Planning {Dawn of Joyful Scribblings}

Step 2: Decor / Tablescapes {Cathy of Creations by Cathy}

Step 3: Appetizers {Chelsea of Whatcha Makin’ Now?}

Step 4: Main Dishes and Sides {Nicole of Daily Dish Recipes}

Step 5: Desserts!!! {Katie of What Katie’s Baking}

Step 6: What to wear {Ginny of My New Favorite Outfit}

Dessert #1:  Funfetti Ice Cream Cake Bars

Everyone loves a BBQ on a hot summer day, but summer days are just that…hot!  Which is why it’s nice to have a cold dessert to accompany the weather.

Notes about the recipe:  These cake bars are most delicious when served immediately.  I will warn you that the bottom of the cake will dry up a bit once they are frozen for more than 2 or 3 hours.  This can be avoided by, like previously mentioned, serving immediately or solved by letting thaw a bit before serving.  Luckily, there is not much ice cream on the top layer and letting this dessert sit out won’t hurt it.  The ice cream on top is more for flavor and not about being frozen.

How to display: As you can see, I served this immediately and left it in it’s clear 9×13 inch serving dish.  It isn’t necessary, but if you want to keep this cake cool, it can be served on a tray of ice.  I suggest this be made in a clear serving dish if you really want the layers to be seen to impress your guests!  Sometimes, when I make bars, I cut them up and serve them stacked on a plate, but this is best left in it’s dish due to the many (and messy) layers.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 2 egg whites (4 tablespoons)
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 cup vegetable oil
• 1 ¼ cups flour
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup (1/2 a stick) butter, softened
• 1/8 cup sprinkles

Topping:

• 15 crushed Oreos
• 1/2 cup chocolate frosting, softened
• 3 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
• Sprinkles

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with oil, butter, or cooking spray.
3. Combine egg whites, vanilla, vegetable oil, and whole milk.  Whisk together and set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, sift the dry ingredients.
5. Blend the dry ingredients with butter and half of the milk and egg white mixture.  Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl, and slowly add the remaining mixture just until incorporated. (Do not overmix).
6. Fold in the sprinkles and pour mix into pan.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Watch the cake carefully so you don’t over bake it.  You want it to be especially moist since you will be freezing it and freezing will dry it out.
7. Take out of the oven and let cool.
8. While cooling, soften the ice cream.  In a small bowl, mix together the crushed Oreo’s and chocolate frosting.
9. Once the cake is cool, spread the Oreo/frosting mixture over the cake and put the softened ice cream on top of the Oreos.
10. Freeze until the ice cream is hard (about 1-2 hours).
11. Serve and enjoy!  This is best eaten right away, but can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 days.  To serve after storing, let thaw first.

Dessert #2: Creamy Brown Butter Yogurt Apple Pie

I am a huge sucker for great apple pie, and this apple pie is more than great.  If you’re into overflowing, creamy, sweet apples in a flaky crust, then I probably don’t have to do too much convincing to get you to make this pie.  Plus, a BBQ wouldn’t be quite right without a good ol’ fashioned apple pie, right?

Ingredients:

Pie:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ cup plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 5 cups apples (5-7 medium), thinly sliced
• 1 unbaked pie shell

Streusel:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup firm butter

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F. In 1-quart saucepan, cook 1/4 cup butter over medium heat, stirring constantly, until melted and lightly browned. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
2. In a mixer, beat 1/2 cup granulated sugar and the egg until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 tablespoons flour, vanilla, and cinnamon. Beat in cooled butter and yogurt. Gently stir in apples. Pour into crust-lined pan.
3. In medium bowl, stir together all streusel ingredients except butter. With pastry blender or fork, cut in 1/4 cup butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over apples. Place pie on cookie sheet in oven.
4. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and cover edge of crust with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning. Bake 40 to 50 minutes longer or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown.
5. Let cool and eat!  To store, place in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

This fruit pizza is a serious hit with the taste buds.  If I have an event to go to and I want to impress the guests, this is my go-to recipe.  This is the perfect BBQ dessert.  Seriously, how much more Americanized can this dessert get when banana split and pizza are both in the title?  P.S. The crust for this recipe is an adaptation of a family favorite shortbread crust recipe and it’s absolutely amazing. I’ve seriously never tasted a dessert pizza crust this good before and I’ve had a lot of fruit pizzas in my time.

Notes about the recipe: You want to make sure you don’t overwork the crust or it will not turn out as flaky.  Also, do not forget to prick the dough or you’ll end up with unsightly bubbles all over the finished product.  This can be made with any variation of fruits you’d like, but I kept with the banana split theme with mine.  Helpful tip: Make a well, or dip, around the edge of the dough by pressing your fingers around the edges before you bake it so that when you pour the filling on the pizza, it doesn’t go spilling over the pizza.

How to display: Make sure your fruit slices are all about the same size when you slice them.  Then, place the fruit in circles, following the edge of the crust, arranging them however you’d like until you reach the center.  I kept mine on the pizza stone because I didn’t have a plate big enough to display it on.  I suggest that you freeze the pizza about 30 minutes before placing outside so the filling doesn’t start to run over the edges.  You can either cut this pizza in triangle wedges or in squares.

Dessert #3: Banana Split Fruit Pizza

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 14 oz. can condensed milk
• 8 oz. cream cheese (1 block)
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1/8 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Crust:

• 1 ½ sticks (3/4 cup) butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup quick oats
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Toppings:

• 2 bananas, sliced
• 1 cup strawberries, sliced
• ½ cup pineapple pieces
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped *Optional
• ¼ cup chocolate syrup
• Maraschino cherries
• Whipped cream

Directions:

Filling:

1. In a mixer, mix together all of the filling ingredients.  Chill in the refrigerator while you make the dough for the crust.

Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and cream together the butter and brown sugar in your mixer (or by hand).  Once fluffy, add flour, oats, and chopped nuts and mix until the dough comes together.  It will be flaky!  (If you don’t like crumbly crust, add a little bit more butter or oil, but not too much because you don’t want your dough to be greasy.)
2. Take the dough and form into a circle on a pizza stone (can also be made on a greased cookie sheet or in a 9×13 inch pan).  Work it until it is even and flat.  Prick the dough with a fork all over and bake 10 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees.
3. Allow the crust to cool, then spread filling on the cooled pizza crust. 
4. Chop your fruit and nuts and place on fruit pizza.  Sprinkle on the chopped walnuts, drizzle on the syrup, and spray on as much whipped cream as you like!
5. Cut and enjoy!  To store, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.