Sometimes the simple things are the most awesome. This idea for flag cake from Spoonful is so ingeniously simple yet so very beautiful and fitting for all your summer gatherings. The cake is a simple vanilla cupcake (box mix can be used to save even more time!) topped with a cream cheese buttercream frosting, fresh strawberries and blueberries. Bet the kids would love to help with the toppings, too!
Berry Flag Pull Apart Cake
What you’ll need
- 1 Simple Vanilla Cake recipe, made into 20 cupcakes (see recipe below or use a vanilla boxed cake mix)
- 2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 25-30 strawberries, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup blueberries
How to make it
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place 20 cupcake liners into 2 (12 cup) cupcake pans. Follow the directions for the Simple Vanilla Cake recipe but instead pour batter into prepared cupcake pans, filling each cupcake about one-half to three-quarters full.
- Bake for 18 to 21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes, comes out clean. Remove cupcakes and place on wire rack to cool before icing, about 10 minutes.
- To make icing: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together cream cheese, vanilla extract and butter until smooth. Slowly add in confectioner’s sugar. Beat until sugar is thoroughly combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- To assemble cake: Ice each cupcake. Decorate 4 of the cupcakes with 4 rows of blueberries. Decorate the remaining 16 cupcakes with strawberries. On each of the remaining cupcakes, place two strawberry slices side by side, in 4 rows.
- Line iced cupcakes side by side on a large serving platter, placing the four blueberry cupcakes two over two in the upper left hand corner of the flag. Cupcakes should be grouped into 4 rows of 5. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
What you’ll need
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs together until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Add flour, milk, oil, baking powder, and vanilla and beat for another minute, just until the batter is smooth and creamy. Don’t overbeat.