Flag Cake

With liberty and cream cheese for all.

So last post I waxed poetic for several paragraphs about the relationship of crawfish potato salad to patriotism, which seems, in retrospect, a bit odd, given the fact that I had this flag cake recipe in my back pocket. Whole lot easier to relate patriotism to a flag cake, wouldn't you say?

Ease is overrated.



Step One: Round up the usual suspects.

But of course I immediately have to take that back, because this flag cake is very easy and very delicious.



Step Two: Use the usual suspects to create golden-brown scrumptiousness.

Are you intimidated by its homespun prettiness? I was-- but you shouldn't be, because trust me, this cake is all about big effect with minimal effort.



Step Three: Using the courage of your convictions, flip golden-brown scrumptiousness onto cake platter-- or flattened shoe box lid covered in aluminum foil, whatever.





Step Four: Frost that sucker with cream cheese icing.

I got the recipe from Deb at the Smitten Kitchen, and since this is the second time I've relied on Deb in as many days, I'll refer you to her site for the full instructions. Here I'll include a few notes:
 


Step Five: Arrange berries in flag shape.

A. Deb says to start checking the cake at 35 minutes, but as she herself points out, most who've tried her recipe say it took more like 45-50 minutes. For me it took 50.



Step Six: Put on rousing patriotic music to make serving the cake more dramatic. Because what this cake needs is more drama.

B. Deb says the 3rd cup of powdered sugar in the cream cheese frosting is optional. I say it's totally not optional. But, different strokes for different folks-- me, I like my cream cheese frosting sweet.
 

Step Seven: Elbow people out of the way so you can get a raspberry piece. Just kidding-- don't elbow people. But do get a raspberry piece.

C. I don't know how Deb made 3 cups of raspberries cover her entire cake. Not only was I completely unable to make the recommended berry measurement cover the whole cake, I also had to turn the little suckers on their sides just to have enough for the red stripes. (Deb positioned her raspberries upright.) Fortunately it's no biggie, since the exposed cream cheese frosting can stand in for the white stripes just as easily (nay, more easily) than the sugared-over raspberries. Saving the berries for red stripes also makes it more likely that you'll get in all thirteen stripes, a plus for the persnickety patriot. Either way, the cake will be girl-next-door pretty and completely delicious.



Step Eight: Stick a flag in your flag cake. No such thing as flag overkill on July 4th.