Stars And Stripes Cake Food

STARS AND STRIPES CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and set a rack in the middle level. Butter and flour a 9 by 13 by 2-inch pan.
• Beat the butter by machine with the sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in the extract. Mix the flour with the salt and baking soda and add it alternately to the batter with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down bowl and beater often during this stage of mixing.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake about 40 minutes, or until it is well risen and deep golden and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
• Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for a few minutes, then unmold and cool completely. Wrap cake tightly in plastic wrap for storage.
• For the whipped cream, combine all ingredients and whip on medium speed until stiff.
• To finish the cake, place the layer on a cardboard or platter and spread with the cream. Arrange the blueberries in the upper left corner of the cake, as on the starred field of a flag, then use the raspberries or strawberries to make the red stripes, leaving stripes of uncovered whipped cream between the stripes of berries. Chill cake until just before serving.

STARS AND STRIPES CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners; set aside.
• Make the cupcakes: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Combine the granulated sugar and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and thick, about 2 minutes. Beat in the melted butter and vanilla until smooth. Reduce the mixer to low speed; beat in half of the flour mixture, the milk, then the remaining flour mixture until smooth.
• Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until smooth, then beat in the vanilla and raspberry extracts. Beat in the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until creamy. Transfer half of the frosting to a separate bowl and tint red with food coloring. Put the white and red frosting in separate zip-top bags; snip a corner of each. Snip a corner of a larger zip-top bag; put both frosting bags in the larger bag and twist so that they pipe out of the snipped corner. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
• Make the candy stars: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Microwave the candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl in 45-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Transfer to a small zip-top bag and snip a small corner. Pipe twelve 2- to 3-inch stars onto the parchment, piping double or triple lines for stability. Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes. Carefully lift the stars from the parchment and insert into the frosting on each cupcake.

FLAG CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Place cake on tray. Frost top and sides of cake with frosting.
• For flag design, arrange blueberries on upper left corner of frosted cake to create stars; arrange strawberries in rows over frosted cake to create stripes. Serve immediately. Store covered in refrigerator.

STARS AND STRIPES BERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• FOR THE STARS:.
• Slice each cake lengthwise into 5 equal pieces.
• Spread scant 2 teaspoons jam each on 5 cake slices and top with remaining slices to create jam sandwiches.
• Using 2-inch star cookie cutter, cut out 3 stars from each sandwich.
• Chop remaining sandwich scraps into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.
• FOR THE BERRIES:.
• Toss blueberries, 1 T. sugar and water in bowl.
• In separate bowl, toss raspberries with remaining sugar.
• Let sit until sugar dissolves and berries are glossy, about 5 minutes.
• TO ASSEMBLE:.
• Arrange 7 star sandwiches upright around bottom of 3-quart trifle dish.
• Place 2 cups sandwich scraps in center of dish.
• Arrange 3 cups blueberries around stars, piling up blueberries so that they surround all edges of stars.
• Spread 2 cups custard in even layer on top of blueberry and cake layer.
• Place 1 cup sandwich scraps on center of custard layer.
• Arrange 2 cups raspberries around perimeter of dish.
• Spread remaining custard in even layer on top of raspberries.
• Arrange 7 star sandwiches upright around perimeter of dish.
• Arrange remaining blueberries around stars and pile remaining raspberries in center of dish.
• Spoon whipped cream on top of raspberries and top with remaining star.

STARS AND STRIPES GRAND FINALE CAKE

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.