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4th of July Flag Cake with Berries

July 4, 2014 by

flagcake

 

Ingredients
18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 cup sour cream at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
For the icing:
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature
1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Flag made of Berries:
2 half-pints blueberries
3 half-pints raspberries

This cake can be made much quicker and easier if you use a store bought vanilla or white cake mix and just frost and decorate the top of the cake.

Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.

For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth.

Spread three-fourths of the icing on the top of the cooled sheet cake. Outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake like a red stripe. Put the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and icing until the flag is completed. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries.

 

Filed Under: 4th of July, Cake Recipes, Cakes with Fruit, Holiday Desserts, Holiday Desserts

Summer Blackberry Pie

June 27, 2013 by

 

blackberrypie

CRUST

  1. 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  2. 3 tablespoons sugar
  3. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  4. 1 cup solid vegetable shortening, chilled
  5. 5 tablespoons ice water

FILLING

  1. 2 pints blackberries (1 1/2 pounds)
  2. 1/2 cup sugar
  3. 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  4. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  5. 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

BAKING INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar and salt. Add the shortening and, using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the ice water and stir with a fork until the dough is moistened. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gather it into a ball. Knead the dough 2 or 3 times, just until it comes together. Divide in half; flatten each piece into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375°. Let the dough stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Working on a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch glass pie plate. Roll out the remaining dough to an 11-inch round.
  3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir the blackberries with the sugar, flour and lemon juice, lightly mashing a few berries; scrape into the prepared pie crust and sprinkle the butter cubes on top.
  4. Brush the overhanging pastry with water and carefully set the top crust over the berry filling. Press the edges of the dough together and trim the overhang to 1 inch. Fold the edge under itself and crimp decoratively. Cut 4 slits in the top crust.
  5. Bake the pie in the center of the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the bottom crust is golden and the fruit is bubbling. If necessary, cover the edge with foil for the last few minutes of baking. Let the pie cool for at least 4 hours before serving.
MAKE AHEAD The baked pie can stand at room temperature overnight.

 

Filed Under: 4th of July, Berry, Dessert Recipes, Fruit Pies, Pie Recipes Tagged With: ,

Easy Strawberry Shortcake

May 23, 2013 by

strawberryshortcake

Strawberries
1 1/2 lbs strawberries, stemmed and quartered
3 tablespoons sugar
Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

Directions:

Mix strawberries with 3 tablespoons sugar and refrigerate while juices develop, at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add heavy cream and mix until just combined. Place mixture in an ungreased 8-inch square pan and bake until golden, 18 to 20 minutes.

Place a metal bowl and beaters in the freezer during shortcake cooking time.

Remove shortcake from pan and place on a rack to cool slightly. Cut into 6 pieces and split each piece in half horizontally.

Mix all whipped cream ingredients in the metal bowl with metal beaters about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

Spoon some of the strawberries with their juice onto each shortcake bottom. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream and then the shortcake top. Spoon more strawberries over the top and serve.

Filed Under: 4th of July, Cakes with Fruit, Dessert Recipes Tagged With: ,

4th of July Spectacular Cake

June 30, 2011 by


Ingredients

  • 2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 (.25 ounce) envelope plain unflavored gelatin
  • 2 pints fresh blueberries
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 (.25 ounce) envelope plain unflavored gelatin
  • 2 (10.75 ounce) loaves angel food cake, sliced 1 inch thick
  • 2 (8 ounce) tubs frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

  1. Mix half of the strawberries, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1 envelope of gelatin in a bowl. Set aside at room temperature to allow the juices to develop and the sugar and gelatin to dissolve, about 15 minutes. Heat in the microwave for 2 minutes on full power, or until gelatin has dissolved. Stir to blend in the gelatin and then mix in the remaining strawberries.
  2. In a separate bowl, mash 1 cup of the blue berries with the back of a fork. Stir in 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1 envelope of gelatin. Set aside at room temperature to allow the juices to develop and the sugar and gelatin to dissolve. Heat in the microwave for about 2 minutes to melt the gelatin, then stir to blend. Mix in the remaining blueberries.
  3. Cover the bottom and sides of a springform or a tall, removable bottom tube pan tightly with aluminum foil to keep the juices from seeping out.
  4. Pour all of the strawberry mixture into the bottom of the cake pan, cover completely with slices of angel food cake, tearing or cutting pieces to fit in a tight layer. Spread 1 container of whipped topping over the first cake layer. Make a second layer of angel food cake, like the first, and pour the blueberry mixture evenly over the top. Arrange the angel food cake in a third layer on top of the blueberries, spread the remaining container of whipped topping on top. Finish the dessert with a final layer of angel food cake.
  5. The layered cake will be higher than the edges of your pan. Carefully lay a large piece of aluminum foil over the cake and place a baking sheet on top. Invert the cake, press the cake firmly onto the baking sheet. Weigh down the mold, using pie weights or bags of dry beans or rice; refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.
  6. Soak a kitchen towel in very hot water, wring out excess water, and wrap the towel around the cake pan; let stand for 1 minute. Remove the towel. Holding the pan and plate together, shake the cake back and forth to release it from the sides of the pan. Open the springform ring carefully, or pull back the sides of the tube pan. Do not force the cake to release. If it continues to stick, repeat the procedure with the hot towel.

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Filed Under: 4th of July, Cake Recipes, Dessert Recipes, Holiday Desserts, Holiday Desserts Tagged With: , ,

Low Fat Key Lime Pie

June 30, 2011 by

Perfect for those warm Summer nights!!

Prep: 20 minutes
Chill: 8 hours 

Ingredients

6 Tbsp.  coarsely chopped macadamia nuts1 9-inch  baked pastry shell1 6-oz. can  frozen limeade concentrate, thawed1 4-serving-size pkg.  vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix2 8-oz. pkgs.  cream cheese, softened3/4 cup  powdered sugar3 medium  kiwifruit, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced1 6-oz. carton  lime low-fat yogurt1-1/2 cups  frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed

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Directions

1. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the macadamia nuts in the bottom of the pastry shell.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together limeade concentrate and vanilla pudding mix.
3. In a medium mixing bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Beat in powdered sugar. Add limeade mixture and beat well. Transfer 3/4 cup of the mixture to another medium bowl; set aside. Spoon remaining mixture into the pastry shell. Top with two of the kiwifruit.
4. Beat yogurt into the reserved 3/4 cup cream cheese mixture until combined. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon over filling in pastry shell. Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours. Garnish with remaining kiwifruit and nuts. Makes 8 servings.

Filed Under: 4th of July, Dessert Recipes, Fruit Pies, Holiday Desserts, Holiday Desserts, Pie Recipes Tagged With: ,