Contemplate the deeply polarizing, ’90s-inspired shoe that, despite all odds and logic, continues to have a chokehold on every stylish person in NYC.
Purchase “summer’s must-have item”: These easy, breezy, pajama-adjacent pants (I fear they’re the only way to survive the heat and humidity, while still looking cool and chic).
— Melissa Goldberg / Senior Editor / Washington, DC
We’re Calling It: This Strawberry Sheet Cake Is the Dessert of the Summer
theSkimm
Apologies to strawberry shortcake, but there is a time and place for a baking project — and, if we’re being honest, rarely is it the case. Perhaps that explains why we’re evangelists of Bake With Zoha’s Easy Fresh Strawberry Sheet Cake. Perfect for peak strawberry season, the fixation-worthy recipe is exceptionally simple to make (there’s no roasting, layering, or fancy stand mixer required), and the delightfully light and fluffy cake tastes like actual strawberries (a surprisingly tricky feat). Top it with tangy cream-cheese frosting and fresh strawberry slices, then eat it barefoot on a porch — or anywhere, really — for maximum enjoyment.
The Time Commitment: One hour, start to finish — including cooling. You’re welcome.
Key Tips: While fresh strawberries are ideal, you can use frozen ones — just thaw them for 30 minutes beforehand. Also, for the prettiest presentation (yes, looks matter), you’ll want strawberry specks throughout, so Zoha Malik (aka Bake With Zoha) says to pulse the fruit in the food processor until it’s 90% pureed. And don’t hesitate to add a few drops of food coloring to get that perfect pink hue.
Other Takes: For more of our favorite strawberry recipes (it was not easy to whittle them down), try…
Mini Strawberry Cream Cake, in which a part-sponge, part-pound cake base is topped with fluffy whipped cream and fresh berries — and is technically big enough to share with one or two people. But we wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t.
Gloriously ooey, gooey Upside-Down Strawberry Skillet Cake, featuring a buttery vanilla-cornmeal base and a topping of jammy, spiced strawberries that’s impossible not to pick at (speaking from experience).
These supremely soft and chewy Strawberries & Cream Cookies, which take less than 30 minutes to make and are described as “another great reason to eat cookies for breakfast.” Not that you needed one.
