Flag Cake
Over or undercooking a cake is a sad way to end your baking adventure. But there are strategies to prevent this. Always check a cake at the lower end of the recommended time (or a bit sooner) as all ovens are a little different. When a cake is finished, it will slightly pull away from the edges. The edges may be lightly golden-brown and the center will be set and a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center will come out clean.
Ingredients
- 1 package french vanilla cake mix (regular size)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 package (3 ounces) berry blue gelatin
- 1-1/2 cups boiling water, divided
- 1 cup cold water, divided
- ice cubes
- 1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin
- 2/3 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
- 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon 2% milk
- 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13x9-in. baking pan with parchment paper and grease the paper; set aside. In a large bowl, combine first 4 ingredients; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Transfer cake to a covered cake board. Using a small knife, cut out a 5x4-in. rectangle (1/2 in. deep) in top left corner of cake, leaving a 1/2-in. border along edges of cake. For red stripes, cut out 3/4-in. wide rows (1/2 in. deep), leaving a 1/2-in. border between stripes and around edges of cake. Using a fork, carefully remove cut-out cake pieces.
- In a small bowl, dissolve berry blue gelatin in 3/4 cup boiling water. Pour 1/2 cup cold water into a 2-cup measuring cup; add enough ice cubes to measure 1-1/4 cups. Stir into gelatin until slightly thickened. Scoop out and discard any remaining ice cubes. Repeat, making strawberry gelatin.
- In a small bowl, combine strawberries and 1 cup strawberry gelatin. In another bowl, combine blueberries and 1 cup blue gelatin. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or just until soft-set. (Save remaining gelatin for another use.)
- Stir gelatin mixtures. Slowly pour blueberry mixture into rectangle; spoon strawberry mixture into stripes.
- In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy; beat in confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Add marshmallow creme; beat well until light and fluffy. Spread 1 cup over sides and top edges of cake. Refrigerate remaining frosting for 20 minutes.
- Cut a small hole in corner of a pastry bag; insert a large star tip. Fill bag with remaining frosting. Pipe frosting in between rows of strawberry gelatin and around edges of cake. Refrigerate 1-2 hours or until gelatin is set.
