Chocolate And Vanilla Checkered Flag Cake Food

FLAG CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch rectangular baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and coat again with the spray.
• Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
• Beat the granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time until combined, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and beat in one-third of the flour mixture until just combined. Beat in half the buttermilk and then repeat, adding the flour in 2 more increments and alternating with the second half of the buttermilk. Stir in the sprinkles. Transfer to the prepared pan and spread the batter evenly. Bake until the cake is golden brown and the top springs back to a light touch, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 15 minutes in the pan.
• Run a small knife around the edges of the cake to release the sides and turn the cake out onto a baking sheet. Remove the parchment paper and then flip again onto a serving platter or cutting board so the top of the cake is back on top. Cool completely before frosting.
• For the frosting: Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add the white chocolate and beat until fluffy. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until very smooth and fluffy.
• Transfer 1/2 cup of the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a small rosette tip. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
• For the garnish: Place the blueberries in 6 rows of 6 berries each in the top left-hand corner of the cake. Trim and halve the strawberries lengthwise and make 4 rows of strawberries across the cake. Pipe stars between the blueberries and use the remaining frosting to pipe a border around the bottom of the cake. Brush the berries with the melted jelly. Cut and serve.

WAVING FLAG CAKE

Steps:

• Combine 1 package cream cheese, 2/3 cup of the confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon of the vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip on medium until light and airy, about 2 minutes. Turn the mixer speed to low and stream in 1 quart heavy cream. Mix until incorporated; scrape the sides then increase the mixer speed to high and whip to stiff peaks, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and cream. Add the mixture to the large bowl.
• Transfer 1/2 cup of the cream mixture to a small bowl and color it with 4 drops of the blue food coloring. Transfer 1 1/4 cups of the cream mixture to a medium bowl and color it with 8 drops of the red food coloring. Transfer 1 3/4 cups of the cream mixture to a second medium bowl (do not color it). Cover all 4 bowls and refrigerate while you assemble the cake.
• Split the angel food cakes in half horizontally using a long, serrated knife. Keeping the layers stacked, cut each cake in half vertically. Arrange 2 of the stacked halves from one cake on a large platter or cake board so that they create an S shape; slide the ends so they are slightly offset. Repeat with the second cake, nestling the halves up against those of the first cake so that together they resemble a thick curved line. (There will be some gaps between the cakes.) Repeat with the third cake.
• Trim the edges of the arches along the short ends of the cake to create a more or less straight line (these will be the ends of the flag). Use half of the cake scraps to fill in the holes between the cake stacks. Reserve the other half of the scraps.
• Remove the top pieces from the cake stacks and set them aside. Spread the bottom pieces with 3 cups of the undyed cream mixture in the large bowl. Scatter the strawberries and blueberries on top. Dollop with 3 more cups of the cream mixture and spread it evenly. Top with the reserved top cake pieces. Fill in the gaps between the cake stacks with the remaining cake scraps. Cover the sides and the top of the cake with the remaining cream mixture in the large bowl.
• Transfer the blue cream mixture and 1/2 cup of the reserved white cream mixture (from the medium bowl) to separate pastry bags fitted with large star tips. Transfer the red cream mixture and the remainder of the reserved white cream mixture (from the medium bowl) to separate pastry bags fitted with large round tips.
• For the stars: Pipe a blue star in the upper left corner of the cake; use a small offset spatula to press down in the center of the star and then drag the spatula to the right to create a short smear. Wipe the spatula clean. Pipe a white star next to the blue one and repeat the pressing and dragging motion; wipe the spatula clean. Repeat piping and dragging stars in alternating colors, wiping the spatula clean between each, to make 3 rows of stars in the upper left corner of the cake.
• For the stripes: Use the same piping and dragging technique to create red and white stripes, but pipe dots with the pastry bags fitted with the round tips instead of the ones with stars.

CHOCOLATE CHECKERBOARD CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour bottoms and sides of three 9-inch round pans of checkerboard cake set. Place divider ring in one of the pans, following manufacturer's directions.
• In medium bowl, beat cake mix, milk, cream cheese, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly, then on medium speed 2 minutes. Divide batter in half; stir cocoa into half of the batter.
• Spoon batter into each pan and using divider ring, following manufacturer's directions.
• Bake 18 to 26 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen side of each cake from pan with metal spatula; turn upside down onto cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Using a thin layer of frosting between layers, stack cake layers so outside colors of cake alternate. Place cake on serving plate; frost side and top of cake with frosting. Store loosely covered.

POPPY SEED AND LEMON ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sift the cake flour with 3/4 cup superfine sugar; set aside.
• Put the egg whites, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, the cream of tartar, almond extract and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed to high, slowly add the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer and sift the cake flour mixture over the whites. Add the poppy seeds and use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour and poppy seeds until completely combined. Pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch angel food cake tube pan and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Invert the pan and cool for 1 hour, then remove from the pan and turn upright onto a serving plate.
• Whisk the lemon zest and the remaining 3 tablespoons lemon juice with the confectioners' sugar and just enough water to make a smooth, pourable glaze. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake. Let the glaze set for 1 hour before serving.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE ICEBOX CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda, then set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons of the vanilla extract and the eggs and blend until incorporated. Lower the speed to a stir, add the flour and mix until just combined. Then stir in 2 cups of the chocolate chips until incorporated.
• Drop the dough in teaspoon-size balls 2-inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are golden and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Whip the heavy cream, confectioners' sugar and the remaining 1 tablespoon vanilla until medium peaks form. Place about 1/4 cup of the whipped cream in a 9-inch circle on a cake plate and then cover the whipped cream with some cookies. Layer 1 cup whipped cream over the cookies and arrange another layer of cookies over the top. Repeat the layers three more times, finishing with a layer of cream. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips over the top. Refrigerate the cake until the cookies soften, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
• Slice into wedges to serve.