Even for major holidays, I've never been much into spending a lot of time on dessert.

The Fourth of July is no different. Especially since most desserts take me away from the grill and back into a steamy kitchen. So this year I decided to come up with a fast and easy dessert that is festive, delicious and made on the grill.

This May 30, 2012 image shows a dessert of spiced and grilled angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)

The trick is using purchased angel food cake. I tart it up by brushing it with melted butter spiked with cinnamon, cardamom, sugar and lemon juice. A few seconds on the grill and my slices of cake get wonderfully caramelized ? the perfect host for cool sliced strawberries and whipped cream.

If strawberries aren't your thing, any fresh fruit would be delicious, including mango, kiwis, blueberries and raspberries. Or go crazy and just top the cake with fruit salad. While you're at it, to up the delicious contrasts, top the warm slices of cake with vanilla ice cream.

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SPICED AND GRILLED ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Servings: 8

1 quart strawberries, hulled and sliced

6 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 cup heavy cream

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

13-ounce angel food cake, cut into 8 slices

In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Gently mix, then set aside.

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