The Flag Cake
Tradition, sometimes we create them without even realizing it. I made this cake on a whim one Fourth of July and now, it’s just not the fourth without it. It’s more than just a slice of cake, it’s the picking of the blackberries the day before, the mixing and baking of the cake, the anticipation as it cools, the decorating and debating about how many stripes and stars we should do. All of these tiny moments gather together year after year to form a core memory, a solid family tradition that will be remembered long after the blackberry stained clothes are outgrown and the mild chaos of having three small children help decorate a cake is forgotten. We’ll never get out of making this cake for the fourth and to be honest, I never want to stop.
Ingredients:
Cake:
1 stick butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup yogurt
Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 3 cups powdered sugar, depending on desired sweetness
Decoration:
1 cup blueberries
3 cups raspberries or sliced strawberries
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×13 inch baking pan.
Beat butter and sugar together in the bottom of a large bowl with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each addition. Add vanilla extract. Place flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a sifter or fine mesh strainer and shake half of mixture into mixing bowl. Mix until just combined. Add the milk and yogurt and stir it in slowly. It may look a little grainy, but it will come together soon! Add the rest of the sifted flour mixture and mix until combined. Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. This should take about 35 minutes depending on your pan. Let the cake cool completely before decorating. Meanwhile, make the frosting by beating the cream and butter together. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and continue beating well. When the cake is cool, spread the frosting on top and decorate with the berries in a flag design! Have fun!
