Firecracker Shortcake Food

FIRECRACKER RED, WHITE AND BLUE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Generously spray 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and whole eggs with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. In small bowl, place 1 cup of the batter; stir in 1 teaspoon of the red food color until blended. In another small bowl, place 1 cup of the batter; stir in 1 teaspoon of the blue food color until blended.
• Pour red cake batter into bottom of pan. Carefully pour remaining white batter over red batter in pan. Carefully pour blue batter over white batter. (Blue batter does not need to cover white batter completely; it looks better if it just forms a ring in the center of the white batter.)
• Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven. Let stand 10 minutes, remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Place cake on cooling rack over waxed paper or cooking parchment paper. In small microwavable bowl, place 1/4 cup of the frosting. Microwave uncovered on High 10 to 15 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle over cake. With spoon, drizzle warmed frosting back and forth over cake in striping pattern. Divide remaining frosting between 2 small microwavable bowls. To 1 bowl, stir in 1/4 teaspoon red food color until well blended. Microwave uncovered on High 5 to 10 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over cake. Repeat with remaining bowl of frosting and 1/4 teaspoon blue food color. Sprinkle candy sprinkles on top. Let stand about 30 minutes or until frosting is set. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

FIRE CRACKERS

Steps:

• Line crackers on ends (like dominoes) in an air-tight container.
• In a small bowl, mix oil, dressing mix, peppers, and garlic powder.
• Stir until all ingredients are well mixed.
• Continue to stir to prevent the pepper from settling on the bottom of the bowl.
• Spoon mixture evenly over crackers, like drizzling icing on a cake.
• Close lid tightly and flip the container over every 5 minutes for about 20 minutes. Lightly shake back and forth to make sure all the crackers are coated.
• Store in a ziplock bag. Will keep for about a week -- if they last that long!

MINI FIRECRACKER CAKES

Steps:

• Prepare the cake mix as per package instructions. Separate evenly into three bowls of about 1 ½ cups batter each. Color one bowl red, and one blue. Gently stir color into batter. Pour into three loaf pans that are lightly greased and lined with a parchment sleeve. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake tests clean. The cakes should be fully cooked through. Allow to cool completely.
• Using a 1-inch biscuit cutter, cut 8-10 circles out of each of the cakes. Gently brush the outside of each of the cut-outs with simple syrup and then coat in sanding sugar. Let the cut-outs dry for 10 minutes before assembling.
• Dab a ¼-½ teaspoon of frosting on each of the red cakes, and then top with a white cake. Dab with another ¼-½ teaspoon of frosting and then top with the blue cakes. Using a straw, cut a hole through the center of the cakes, discard. Fill the cakes with popping candy and top with a 1-inch length of black licorice. Serve within an hour.
• TIP: Letting the sanding sugar dry is necessary to prevent the colors from bleeding.

FIRECRACKER SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F.
• Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.
• In large bowl, combine flour, 2/3 cup sugar and baking powder; mix well.
• With pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add blueberries.
• In small bowl, combine milk, eggs and lemon peel; blend well.
• Add to flour mixture; stir just until mixture is moistened.
• Spread dough evenly in pans.
• Bake 14 to 17 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool pans on wire racks 10 minutes; invert cakes onto wire racks.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, toss strawberries, raspberries and 1/4 cup sugar until well mixed.
• Beat whipping cream with 1 Tbs sugar until soft peaks form.
• To assemble shortcake, place one warm cake layer flat side up on serving plate.
• Top with half of berry mixture.
• Place second cake layer flat side down on top of first layer.
• Top with remaining berry mixture.
• Cut into wedges.
• Serve with whipped cream.