Red, White, and Blue Flag Layer Cake

Karen Sokol

Each sliced piece of cake becomes a flag. Step by step instructions were on the studio5.ksl.com website June 2010. The idea for this darling cake originated with teenage baker, Elissa Bernstein. We enjoyed it on the 4th of July 2010.

2 white cake mixes

Cream cheese frosting

To make this cake, you will need 3 full layers of white cake, all the same height.

Make 2 cake mixes as directed on package. You will end up with 4 layers, so use one for another purpose. Use 9" layer cake pans. Try to make them all the same thickness.

Color the cake batter:

One layer needs to be white, one layer needs to be red, and one layer needs to be blue. Use paste food coloring to get the deep shades needed. Colors need to be bright like a real flag. To get the right shade of blue, mix a little black food coloring with a lighter blue color.

Bake the colored batter in greased and floured 9" round cake pans. Let cool. Freeze the layers to make them easier to work with during assembly.

Assembly:

Split the white layer and the red layer in half horizontally using a long serrated knife. (You can use a cake leveler to help keep the cut even.)

Do not split the blue layer.

Start assembly by placing one split white layer on a cake plate.

Frost the top of this layer using white icing. Place one of the red split layers on top of the frosted white layer and frost it with icing. Set aside.

Place the remaining red split layer and the remaining white split layer on top of the full blue layer. Place a round bowl (or paper pattern) approximately 5" diameter on the top of the cakes in the center and cut through all the layers using the bowl as a guide. You should now have a circle cut through the layers. Keep the center red circle, the center white circle and the outer (approx. 2" wide) blue cake ring. Set aside all other cake pieces for a different use.

Place the outer blue cake ring pieces on the iced white and red cake layers. Carefully spread icing around the inside of the blue ring. Insert the round white cake piece in the center of the blue ring and ice. Insert the red round cake piece making sure it is flush with the blue cake ring. You should now have a complete cake ready to ice.

Finish by icing the entire cake with white icing. Decorate if desired--using red, white, and blue sprinkles or candies, or berries.

Note:

The cake is so much easier to assemble if the layers are frozen. The layers and cut pieces thaw quickly so re-freeze them as you go along.

Assembling sounds complicated but isn't that bad if you follow each step carefully. Charlie re-read the directions as I put it together. That helped a lot.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 packages, 8 oz. each cream cheese, softened

10 T. butter or margarine, softened

2 tsp. vanilla

6 to 8 c. powdered sugar

Beat the cream cheese and butter together in mixer. Add vanilla, then enough powdered sugar until desired frosting consistency. Beat well.