20 Tropical Dessert Recipes You Can Sell This Summer
From refreshing mango to chewy mochi, this list of easy tropical dessert recipes can help your restaurant or cafe skyrocket this summer. Plus, they give your customers a taste of a breezy, sunny tropical vacation.
So prepare your kitchen tools & equipment, print or bookmark this guide, and stick around to whip up these amazing tropical desserts.
Best Tropical Desserts
- Mango Sago Jelly
- Mango Graham
- Mango Ice Cream
- Buko Salad
- Buko Pandan
- Cassava Cake
- Fruit Salad
- Fruit Gelatin
- Fruit Cake
- Fruity Mochi
- Mais Con Yelo
- Coconut Macaroons
- Mangosteen Pie
- Durian Butter Cake
- Calamansi Muffin
- Ube Cake
- Banana Cake
- Banana Muffin
- Turon With Langka
- Banana Cue
20 Tropical Dessert Recipes to Sell This Summer
Tropical fruits like mango, banana, and coconut take center stage in these recipes. Plus, the sweet, tart flavors and nice textures will make your customers come back for more. Trust us, we sure did.
1. Mango Sago Jelly
This refreshing, decadent, and creamy mango sago jelly might look complicated to make, but thankfully, it’s not. This mouthwatering tropical dessert is just as easy to make as it is delicious.
Made of sweet mango cubes, mango jelly, small tapioca pearls, cream, and condensed milk, your customers will love this treat all summer. Plus, it’s creamy and tangy, so it’ll be a crowd favorite.
But the best part? It’s so easy to make. Simply mix all the ingredients, chill, and voila― summer in a cup. To top it all off, mangoes are in season during summer, so you can enjoy them fresh!
Check out our mango sago jelly recipe here.
2. Mango Graham Cake
Let’s face it: prepping and baking a cake in this summer heat isn’t that pleasant. Thankfully, we have an alternative that’s just as delicious: mango graham cake. And you don’t need an oven to bake this tropical dessert.
As its name suggests, this cake’s main ingredients are mango and graham. Also called mango float, this cold, sweet, and easy-to-make cake will delight your customers. Just imagine graham layers with sweetened cream and fresh mangoes in the middle.
Check out our mango graham cake recipe here.
3. Mango Ice Cream
Yes, we’re not done with the mango palooza, and of course, we had to add mango ice cream to this list of easy tropical dessert recipes.
But we’re not talking about store-bought mango ice cream. We’re talking about homemade, made-from-scratch deliciousness that can send your sales through the roof.
The best part? You don’t need an ice cream maker to create this tropical dessert. This rich, silky, and soft mango ice cream is a perfect summer treat. Believe us, this recipe will make you believe that homemade ice cream is always better than the ones you buy from the supermarket.
Check out our mango ice cream recipe here.
4. Buko Salad
Merry holidays growing up remind us of one centerpiece: buko salad. Like most Filipino families, buko salad was part of our family tradition. We serve it during birthdays, weddings, Christmas, and New Year.
While every Filipino household has its version of buko salad, we took the liberty to create our own. This easy tropical dessert recipe features fruit cocktail, corn kernels, nata de coco, cheese, kaong, and ube. Feel free to add or subtract any element to this recipe, though.
No matter what version you make, this treat is a mainstay in the Philippines, especially during summer. It’s also one of the easiest desserts to make with no cooking involved.
Check out our buko salad recipe here.
5. Buko Pandan
Made with jelly, cream, and shredded young coconut, this treat will make your customers crave more. Known for beating the heat, this Filipino dessert isn’t just for summer. You can offer it in any season.
Basically, it’s an all-year favorite that you should keep on your menu. In addition, it’s so easy to make, budget-friendly, and yummy. What more can you ask for?
Check out our buko pandan recipe here.
6. Cassava Cake
If you want a hit that’s easy to make, consider selling cassava cake. Made from grated cassava, this rich dessert has a custard layer topped with rich cheese.
You can offer it as a dessert or snack perfect with beverages like coffee and tea. While many people think that it’s hard to make because cassava is its main ingredient, it’s actually not. Just make sure you properly prepare and cook the cassava.
Check out our cassava cake recipe here.
7. Fruit Salad
Do you want a quick tropical dessert perfect for the warm weather? Look no more.
Made with fruit cocktails, cream, and condensed milk, fruit salad is another true hit in our list of easy tropical dessert recipes. It’s best served cold and should be chilled inside the fridge overnight.
Additionally, this treat is so versatile you can add other tropical fruits to the list. Others add apples, grapes, and cherries to their salad. Also, don’t let the colorful appearance fool you. Making this treat is as easy as 1,2,3!
Check out our fruit salad recipe here.
8. Fruit Gelatin
Impress your customers with this homemade fruit gelatin dessert. Perfect for cooling down during summer, your customers will love every bite of this treat.
Remember, nothing goes wrong with jelly. An all-time favorite Filipino dessert, fruit gelatin comes in many colors. Additionally, it’s creamy, refreshing, and so irresistible.
You can also pair it with other desserts or popular beverages to drive your sales up during summer.
Check out our fruit gelatin recipe here.
9. Fruit Cake
Never in a million years did we think that fruit cake would make it to this list of easy tropical dessert recipes. Truth be told, we used to dislike fruit cake as a kid. Thank the food gods, we developed this moist fruit cake recipe packed with flavors that kids will love.
While often associated with holiday celebrations, especially Christmas, you can enjoy fruit cake during summer, too. While this recipe has rave reviews and become a staple for our readers, feel free to add twists to it. Don’t forget to let us know how it turned out in the comment section below!
Check out our fruit cake recipe here.
10. Fruity Mochi
These small, sweet Japanese cakes made with glutinous rice flour feature a soft, chewy outer layer and a delicious strawberry with whipped cream filling.
You heard that right, this version doesn’t use red bean paste. Instead, we used a tropical fruit packed with flavor to make this treat extra special.
Check out our fruity mochi recipe here.
11. Mais Con Yelo
Made from layers of shaved ice and corn kernels, your customers will love you more for offering this delicious icy dessert. This mais con yelo recipe will make them grab their spoons and dig in.
Fun fact: mais con yelo translates to “corn with ice” in Spanish. Spain ruled over the Philippines for over 300 years, so Spanish words are part of the Filipino language.
This easy tropical dessert recipe is also flexible, you can add pretty much anything to it (as long as it fits the flavor profile, of course). People usually add cornflakes, cheese, and ice cream to regular mais con yelo to make it extra special.
Check out our mais con yelo recipe here.
12. Coconut Macaroons
Chewy and creamy on the inside but crisp and golden on the outside, these coconut macaroons surely deserve a spot in our list of easy tropical dessert recipes.
They also keep well for many days, making them perfect for those who want to enjoy them as everyday snacks or give them away. Just make sure not to confuse them with French macarons, delicate meringue-based treats with sweet fillings.
With the right recipe, these treats will be your customers’ new favorites! Just imagine that soft, chewy, and full-on coconut flavor. Looks addictive, right?
Check out our coconut macaroon recipe here.
13. Mangosteen Pie
This mangosteen pie is just delightful. Its unique, airy, and mouthwatering texture and flavor make you realize that mangosteen and pie are a match made in heaven.
Additionally, this treat can steal the show on any occasion, making it perfect to sell to people who want to eat it themselves or give it as a gift. Trust us, everyone will adore this tropical dessert.
Check out our mangosteen pie recipe here.
14. Durian Butter Cake
This decadent durian butter cake will make your customers realize that durian is not their foe but their friend. Believe us, this cake will satisfy all durian lovers’ cravings.
Thanks to durian’s creamy, rich texture and out-of-this-world flavor, this cake is perfect with a cup of hot tea or coffee. Additionally, you can make use of this recipe if you have a lot of leftover durian from other desserts or simply want a better version of durian candies.
Check out our durian butter cake recipe here.
15. Calamansi Muffin
With their tangy flavor and super moist and tender base, calamansi muffins are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or afternoon tea. They also feature a balance of sweet and tangy flavors that many people love.
Additionally, citrus lovers will rejoice because these muffins won’t only give them what they want. These treats will also remind them of the pristine beaches of Boracay (the muffin originated there). So the next time life throws you calamansi, make calamansi muffin.
Check out our calamansi muffin recipe here.
16. Ube Cake
Another staple in any Filipino celebration, ube cake is one of the most delicious cakes ever invented.
With light and fluffy ube cake layers and creamy uber buttercream frosting, this cake will make you believe in 5-star food. It also looks stunning, making it a crowd favorite.
This moist, nutty, and delicious cake will make other cakes step down. Some versions include macapuno (coconut string jam)—a perfect partner in crime for any ube treat.
Check out our ube cake recipe here.
17. Banana Cake
If you want stick-to-the-back of your fork moist banana cake, stick around. Plus, it’s sweet yet not overpowering. Think of the ultimate banana cake, but not overwhelming that it can’t be paired with beverages. Seriously, it’s ridiculously rich and decadent.
And it’s an eco-friendly cake since you can make it with overripe bananas that people usually don’t like. Yes, many people believe that banana cake tastes better if you use overripe bananas.
Additionally, perfecting this recipe produces a soft, crumbly cake— not too crumbly that it’ll fall apart when you dig your fork in it.
Check out our banana cake recipe here.
18. Banana Muffin
We’re hopping on the banana bandwagon with another banana-based treat: banana muffins. Your customers can enjoy these muffins plain or with chocolate chips and walnuts. You can even add cream cheese frosting on top to make it special.
Anyhoo, these banana muffins feature basic baking ingredients, so you can easily make them. Thanks to their size, they can be sold in boxes or one by one. You can even offer your customers combos that include these delightful muffins.
Banana bread is wonderful, but muffins are more convenient, easier to carry, and taste just as great.
Check out our banana muffin recipe here.
19. Turon With Langka
Yes, turon with langka deserves a spot in this easy tropical dessert recipe list because it’s simply delicious.
While often sold on the streets, turon with langka can be as luxurious as you want it to be. You can serve it with ice cream, ube halaya, and other sides to make it extraordinary. Some even add cheese to the filling.
The point is, turon with langka is pure deliciousness wrapped in spring roll wrappers fried in brown sugar. Additionally, people love it as a snack during a hot summer day, particularly with a nice, icy drink.
Check out our turon with langka recipe here.
20. Banana Cue
Last but not least on our list of easy tropical desserts is banana cue. As one of the best-selling street foods, you can easily spot these treats sold almost everywhere during summer. You can offer it as an afternoon snack or dessert, best served with icy soda on the side.
Check out our banana cue recipe here.
Frequently Asked Question
The four main desserts are cake, pastries, ice cream, and pies.
The tropical fruits for baking are banana, pineapple, coconut, mango, papaya, passion fruit, lychee, dragon fruit, jackfruit, durian, mangosteen, pomegranate, and watermelon.
The three major types of desserts are pastries, cakes, and pies.
Conclusion
Offering tropical desserts during summer is a great way to skyrocket your sales. From delicious banana treats to refreshing mango desserts, this list helps you put everything in line for your summer offerings. Don’t forget to offer upgrades, sides, and other products that go well with your treats. Happy selling!
About HICAPS
Over the years, HICAPS has helped bakers and businesses make delicious products by offering ingredients like ChiffonAide Cake Oil, Magic Whizk Whipping Cream, Red Velvet Flavor Emulco, and Instabake Brownie Mix.
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