Memorial Day is right around the corner, a time for solemn remembrance of our fallen troops and mournful gathering in their honor.

But for some, the day is also considered the unofficial start of summer grilling season, and it’s not unlikely you’ll find yourself at a barbecue or cookout of some sort next Monday. And while the aroma of smoky, seared meats, foamy light beer and starchy potato salad may already be lingering in your mind, let’s not forget about the star of the show: dessert.

Just as important as the main course, summer desserts utilize the freshest, in-season ingredients to bring each meal to a resounding close. Here, I’ve taken inspiration from one of my favorite summer cocktails: the mojito.

Lightly sweet, with astringent rum, earthy mint and the slightest effervescence from club soda, the mojito is the perfect refreshment on a hot summer’s day — and even better on taken under a wide umbrella on the beach. Add muddled strawberries, and you have a tart, sweet treat to wash down your dinner — or, in this case, cake.

In this cake — which is loosely-based on my favorite writer Melissa Clark’s clementine and rum-infused Ambrosia Cake — I take the best flavors of summer and put them into cake form. 

If you recall from December, I made a grapefruit curd tart, baked until set over a crispy, shortbread crust. The curd returns in this recipe, but instead with lime, as the filling for this cake. It’s not as sweet as a traditional buttercream, and the tart bite from the lime nicely cuts through the heaviness of the cake.

Almost biscuit-like, the cake absorbs the lime curd and takes on its bright flavor. With rum and mint both inside the cake and in the curd, and strawberries layered inside, it’s tart and sweet and decadent. Almost like a shortcake, but twice as tall and as stunning as something you’d find in a pastry shop, it’s sure to please even your pickiest of guests.

Serve this after your smoked meats or serve it on its own with tea — or, more appropriately, some wine — and watch it be devoured, piece by piece.

Summertime strawberry mojito cake 
Time: 2 hours
Serves: 8-12

For the cake:
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup plain, whole milk Greek yogurt
¼ cup white rum or coconut rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature 
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
¼ cup finely-chopped mint leaves
1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lime juice
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the filling:
⅔ cup fresh lime juice (from about 6 limes)
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks (reserve whites for another use)
7 tablespoons sugar
Pinch kosher salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cubed
2 teaspoons white rum or coconut rum, divided
1 tablespoon lime zest, from about 3-4 limes
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 pound fresh strawberries, sliced lengthwise

Heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 9-inch cake pans with butter, flour and parchment paper and set aside.

Make the batter: in a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt and mix with a whisk to combine. In a large, separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, to incorporate. Add the vanilla, rum and lime juice and mix to combine. Add in half the flour mixture and mix, followed by all the yogurt, and then the remaining flour mixture plus the mint leaves. Do not overmix. 

Pour half the batter into each cake pan and bake until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack in pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto rack and let cool completely. Cakes can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for two days ahead of time.

Make the filling: in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and salt until smooth. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the lime juice to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of rum. Remove from the heat and very slowly incorporate the lime juice into the egg mixture, stirring frequently. Return the whole mixture to the saucepan and gently bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove once bubbling.

Pour the lime curd through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl. Add the butter a little at a time to incorporate, and then add the lime zest and mint leaves. Let cool before using; the curd can be made three days in advance and stored in the fridge.

When ready to assemble the cake, flip one cake onto its top (it will not be the bottom) and spoon half the curd into the center (it will spread once the second cake goes on top). Place two rows of strawberries around the perimeter of the cake, layering to resemble a flower. Place the second cake on top, with the top facing upward, and spoon the rest of the curd on top, pushing until reaching the sides of the cake. Top with a fresh strawberry or two, a lime slice and fresh mint leaves. Garnish with powdered sugar.