Homemade Fireworks Food

FIREWORKS BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan, making sure to get in all the crevices; dust with flour and tap out the excess. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the sour cream and vanilla. (The batter may look curdled.) Reduce the mixer speed to medium low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk; beat until combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 15 minutes in the pan; loosen the edge of the cake with a knife and invert onto the rack to cool completely.
• Make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and 1 tablespoon water in a bowl; add a splash more water if the glaze is too thick. Spoon over the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Decorate with nonpareils. Let stand until set, 5 to 10 minutes. Put rock candy sticks in the center of the cake.

RED VELVET FIREWORKS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush two 9-inch-round cake pans with vegetable oil; dust with flour and tap out the excess.
• Make the cake: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Combine the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl; whisk until smooth. Whisk in the food coloring, then add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.
• Spread 3/4 cup batter in each of the prepared pans (you'll have a very thin layer of batter); set the remaining batter aside. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean and the top springs back when pressed, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool about 5 minutes in the pans, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, cool the pans under cold water, then wipe clean. Brush with oil and dust with flour again. Repeat to make 2 more cake layers, using 3/4 cup batter for each, then repeat again. You will have 6 layers.
• Make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese, butter and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, then beat in the confectioners' sugar in three additions until smooth.
• Put 1 cake layer on a serving plate and spread evenly with a scant 1 cup frosting. Repeat with the remaining 5 cake layers, then frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting in a thin layer (just enough so the nonpareils will stick). Refrigerate until the frosting is just set but still soft, about 10 minutes.
• Put the cake (on the plate) on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover the top and sides completely with the nonpareils, reusing the ones that fall onto the baking sheet.

FIREWORKS POP

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup water and the sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-high heat until all of the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, pour into a large liquid measuring cup and let cool completely.
• Pour 1/2 cup of the sugar syrup in a blender. Add the strawberries, red food coloring and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Let sit, stirring occasionally, until all the froth settles. Evenly divide among 6 rocket-shaped frozen pop molds. Take care to not to pour down the side of the molds or it will streak the pops; pour directly in the middle. Freeze until about halfway frozen and still slushy, about 40 minutes. Press a wooden ice pop stick into each about 1 inch from the bottom of the mold (the sticks should stand up straight in the middle of the mold). Return to the freezer and freeze until completely solid, about 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir the coconut milk and remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice into the remaining sugar syrup. Divide the mixture in half and add the blue food coloring to one.
• Once the red layer in the pop molds is frozen solid, pour in the white mixture, dividing evenly among the molds. Freeze until completely solid, about 45 minutes. Then divide the blue mixture among the molds and freeze until completely solid, about 45 minutes.
• To serve, run the frozen molds under warm water before unmolding.