What Are Stone Fruits & A Stone Fruit Naked Cake Recipe
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Updated August 2026 The summer’s selection of stone fruits are begging for a naked cake. June through September is prime stone fruit season in the U.S. Below: > Recipe: naked cake with stone fruits. > Recipe: berry fruit purée (a sauce for the cake). > The year’s 14 stone fruit holidays. Elsewhere on The Nibble: > The year’s 80 fruit holidays. Stone fruits are members of the Prunus genus. Most stone fruits are native to warmer climates. That’s why in the U.S., much of the local supply comes in July and August. They include: The stone (pit) is often thought of as the the seed, but the seed is actually inside the stone. Not all drupes are stone fruits. Here are more members of the family: |
 [1] It’s pretty easy to slice a pound cake, fill the layers with stabilized whipped cream, and add sliced fruits and more whipped cream or fruit purée are a light, luscious summer dessert (photo Wife Mama Foodie | Facebook).
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 [6] Hack: Buy a pound cake (photo © The Baker Chick). 2. RECIPE: NAKED CAKE WITH MIXED STONE FRUITS Naked Cake is just the thing for summer. It requires no frosting on the sides, although some bakers like to use a thin swath of it. Here’s more about naked cake, with plenty of photos of different presentations. You can make any layer cake, but we prefer our homemade pound cake recipe (it’s more buttery). And guess what: box mixes don’t save time. The Kitchn did side-by-side tests; here are the results. What you do save is a wee bit of clean-up, although we just stick the measuring spoons and cups in the dishwasher. It’s different with whipped cream. Home-beaten cream is so luxurious, but does take 10 minutes. If you’re time-strapped, grab a couple of cans of Reddi-Wip. Round cake layers are more elegant to present, but loaf cakes are easier to slice. To use a loaf cake, cut two slices and put the filling and fruit on the bottom; add the top layer and the sauce. This recipe is especially good with blackberries, boysenberries and raspberries. You can use fresh or frozen berries. Frozen is less expensive, and once you mix the purée with sugar and lemon juice, you can’t tell the difference. 1. SORT and wash the berries (or thaw if frozen). Drain, cap and de-stem unsweetened berries. 2. COMBINE the berries, sugar, and lemon juice in a food processor fitted with the metal blade; process to a smooth purée, about 30 seconds. NOTE: Puréeing may be done in a blender or a food processor. If using a blender, make sure that any seeds are not ground so finely that they will pass through the sieve. 3. POUR the mixture into a fine sieve set over a bowl. Use a rubber spatula to stir and press the purée through the sieve. Discard the solids. Taste and add more sugar if necessary. (Editor’s note: Less is more when it comes to sugar.) 4. REFRIGERATE in a non-reactive container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. ________________ *While photo #1 uses chocolate sauce, we think summer is too heavy for the cream-based dessert sauces (chocolate, butterscotch, caramel). A berry purée is just right. †When making purée from frozen fruit, let the berries thaw in a colander over a bowl. Once the berries have thawed, pat them dry before blending. By draining the berries first, you get a thicker purée. CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM. |
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