15 Pool Party Cake Ideas Your Guests Will Dive Into

Updated February 9, 2022
Girl dishing up cake on a birthday party outdoors

Whether you are throwing a summer bash to celebrate a special birthday or just to socialize with friends during the summer break, these pool party cake ideas are not only delicious but you can also customize them to fit your pool party theme.

Tropical Birthday Cake

Tropical themed cake

Summer means pool parties on repeat. If you are planning a Luau party by the pool to celebrate someone's special day, this eye-catching tropical cake is easier to recreate than you think. Simply decorate a tall buttercream cake with faux Monstera leaves, half coconut, and colorful drink umbrellas.

Watermelon Ice Cream Cake

Watermelon Ice Cream Cake

In three easy steps, this ultimate frozen treat can be done with no baking involved. Layering lime sherbet, vanilla ice cream, then watermelon sherbet mixed with chocolate chips in a springform pan, you can create a refreshing watermelon ice cream cake for a summer birthday party or just to enjoy it outdoors while soaking up the sun with family and friends.

Key Lime Cheesecake With Chocolate Crust

Lime tart ice cream with chocolate glaze

Key lime cheesecake is a delicious option for all your summer entertaining. It's both tart and sweet, perfectly made with a chocolate graham crust, a layer of homemade Key lime topped with a chocolate glaze. For a fun presentation, add colorful sprinkles and slice cheesecake as you would slice a pizza, insert popsicle sticks into each slice for easy serving.

Pool Party Cake

Children's pool cake

If you are hosting a pool party, opt for a creative cake, such as a pool cake design. Keep it simple with a buttercream cake and spruce it up with candies and fondant cake decorations. If baking and decorating a cake is not your strength, hiring a cake designer to bring the pool cake design to life can be the option.

Fresh Fruit Cake

Fruitcake made of watermelon garnished with various fruits sprinkled with coconut flakes

Summer entertaining just got easier with this delightful fresh fruit cake inspiration. Decorate watermelon round slices with your favorite fresh fruit - raspberries, blueberries, banana slices, pomegranate. Drizzle with fresh squeezed lemon juice before serving. You can set up a bar with watermelon slices and bowls filled with fresh fruit to allow your guests to create their own fresh fruit cake.

Fresh Watermelon Cake

Watermelon cake with fresh summer berries

Impress your guest at your next summer party by serving a healthy refreshing cake alternative. This idea is perfect for those who would like to keep their baking and decorating to a minimum when entertaining a crowd. Simply cut a large watermelon and cut off all of the rind and peel. Place it on a dessert cake stand and decorate it with fresh fruit of your choice.

Sponge Cake With Mascarpone Cream, Strawberries and Kiwi

Sponge cake with strawberries and kiwi in shape of watermelon

This sponge cake topped with mascarpone cream and fresh strawberries and kiwi slices is a summer dream. After baking a round sponge cake, spread cream evenly over the cake, arrange kiwi slices around the edge, then strawberry slices in the center covering all the mascarpone cream. You can keep the cake in the fridge until it's time to serve.

Piña Colada Coconut Cake

Coconut Cake on table

This Hawaiian piña colada coconut cake is bursting with flavors. It's a delicious combination of the pinapple and coconut flavors of the popular piña colada drink in a moist cake. Frosted with a delicious cream cheese icing and coconut flakes makes this cake a must-have on your next summer party. It's simply perfect for a tropical Luau by the pool or when you are craving sweet and refreshing flavors from the tropics.

Flamingo Cake

Flamingo cake at the Hawaiian party

Decorating a cake to fit your party event is not as difficult as it looks, and this colorful flamingo cake is a perfect example of how you can use your creativity to bring a cake design idea to life. Bake and ice a cake using buttercream frosting in the color of your choice, then decorate it with a flamingo topper, small candies, lollipops, and edible stickers you can easily order online.

Neapolitan Italian Spumoni Cake

Spumoni Cake

If you are looking for a delicious and eye-pleasing cake idea, spumoni is the answer. It is a frozen Italian-American dessert you can whip up in no time by layering pistachio, cherry and chocolate gelati. For a Neapolitan-style cake, you can swap strawberry ice cream for the cherry and vanilla for the pistachio.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Pineapple upside down cake garnished with maraschino cherries

Pineapple upside down cake has been an all-time classic favorite for summer entertaining for its fruity, gooey, caramelized goodness. It's such an easy cake to make it even the kids can help. To save yourself time, you can opt for using a yellow cake box mix. By layering brown sugar, canned pineapple slices, and cherries before pouring the cake batter, you can get a pineapple upside down cake in the oven in no time.

Limoncello Cake With Mascarpone Frosting

Limoncello Cake

If you have Italian roots or are close to someone who does, you are familiar with limoncello cake. It is a delightful fluffy sponge cake infused with lemony limoncello liqueur, brushed with a limoncello syrup, filled with a thin layer of lemon curd and frosted with a decadent mascarpone frosting. It's safe to say limoncello cake screams summer. It makes the perfect choice for a celebration by the pool to be enjoyed with special friends.

Rainbow Layer Cake

Rainbow Birthday Cake Topped with Berries

Rainbow cakes are always a great idea no matter the season. For a summer twist, make a citrus flavored cake batter, such as lemon and opt for a raspberry lemonade, for example. You can adorn your cake with fresh fruit or other edible decorations to match your party theme. A rainbow layer cake makes the perfect choice for a kid-friendly pool party where the kids can enjoy a slice or two in the company of their friends.

Citrus Fruit Cake With Fresh Cream

Citrus fruit cake

For a quick dessert idea, you can bake a simple cake using seasonal flavors, top it with fresh cream and neatly adorned it with citrus fruit slices for a colorful and vibrant sweet treat that's perfect for any summer celebration. If you are running out of time, opt for a cake box mix to speed up prep time.

Birthday Cake With Melted Ice Cream Cone

Ice cream cone birthday layer cake

Summer means ice cream parties on repeat. And if you are hosting a birthday party to celebrate someone special, this unique birthday cake topped with a melted ice cone is a showstopper and will surely wow your guests. The cake can be your favorite buttercream cake decorated with sprinkles to match your party. The ice cream cone topper is just a giant cake pop covered in chocolate ganache. Place the ice cream cone upside on top of your cake, pour chocolate ganache to create a drip cake, then add more sprinkles.

Strawberry Lemonade Torte

Raspberry and Lemon Torte

If you opt for a box of lemon cake mix and store bought raspberry jam and frosting, making and assembling this lovely strawberry lemonade torte will be a breeze. Top it with white chocolate shavings, a dollop of fresh cream and fresh raspberries for the ultimate summer dessert.

Tangerine Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Fresh tangerine cake with cream cheese frosting

This sunny fresh tangerine cake is guaranteed to take your summer party to the next level. Bake a moist and buttery cake with a delicious icing that bursts with fresh tangerine flavor. For an exciting presentation, adorn your cake with fresh tangerines cut in half and some greenery for an extra pop of color.

Perfect Pool Party Cake Ideas

For the ultimate pool party, some planning in advance is required. Decide on your pool party decorations, food, and drink to cater to adults and kids. Then, use these fun pool quotes to share your party on social media.

15 Pool Party Cake Ideas Your Guests Will Dive Into