I couldn’t think of a better way to spend the Fourth of July than tailgating at a Brewers game with friends. It was quite possibly the hottest, sunniest day of the summer yet, but it was a great time. The day was filled with friends, laughter, games {including a Jenga game made out of two-by-fours and a homemade bags game}, baseball and the most-delicious burgers I’ve ever had while tailgating.
Every year my dad's family gets together for an afternoon picnic on July 4th. We cook out, drink lemonade, play bocce ball, toss waterballoons, have a watermelon seed spitting contest.... we even put on our own parade. (Seriously. Most years, we even draw a decent sized crowd. It's called the 38th Street Parade.)
One of the best parts of the picnic, besides seeing family, is the delicious food. This year, I think I'm going to try making a new dessert. I've narrowed it down to these two:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter and flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth.
Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.
For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth.
Spread three-fourths of the icing on the top of the cooled sheet cake. Outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake like a red stripe. Put the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and icing until the flag is completed. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries.
I serve this cake right in the pan. If you want to turn it out onto a board before frosting, use parchment paper when you grease and flour the pan.
Ingredients
· 1 box red velvet cake mix, about 18 ounces (if you can't find red velvet cake use 1 box chocolate cake plus a bottle of red foodcoloring)
· 1 (16-ounce) tub whipped topping
· 2 pints blueberries
· 1 pint strawberries, tops removed
Directions
Bake the red velvet cake mix according to package directions and allow to cool.
Using a serrated knife cut the red velvet cake into 1 inch square pieces and line the bottom of the trifle bowl with half of the cake squares.Using a spatula, spread about a 2-inch layer of whipped topping on top of the cake squares.Layer about 1 1/2 pints of the blueberries on top of whipped topping.Layer the remaining cake pieces on top of the blueberries forming a second layer of cake. Using a spatula, spread remaining whipped topping over the cakes pieces.
Decorate the perimeter with the strawberries; placing the strawberries cut side down. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries on top of the trifle inside the strawberry perimeter.
Terrible Picture, I know. This was the scene from my St. Patrick's Day last year in New Orleans on Bourbon Street. This year, I'm going to celebrate in downtown Chicago. I'm looking excited for all of the festivities including, but not limited to: a green river, Irish bars and two parades. I love St. Patty's Day and I'm really looking forward to celebrating, Chicago style!
