I have always loved the festive 4th of July cakes with the flag on top! This year, I had to try one! We are going to BBQ with friends this afternoon, and I thought it would be a thrill for the kids.

Bride's Cake from the always excellent Cake Mix Doctor

• 1 white cake mix
• 3 whole eggs 
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cube melted butter (1/2 cup butter)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Fruit

• 1 pint blueberries (rinsed and well drained)
  
• 1 pint raspberries or strawberries cut in half (rinsed and well drained)

 Beat ingredients together in a food processor or with beaters for about 2-3 minutes, scraping bowl as you go. Make sure it is well blended, thick and luscious!

Take a 9 x 13 pan, and measure out  parchment paper for the bottom. Cut to fit the size of the pan, lay aside. Then take non stick spray and grease  the pan. Put parchment paper on top (this is an experiment to see how well it will work! My parchment was rolling around the pan)

Put the cake batter on top of the parchment, smooth out. Bake in 350 degree oven for 48-55 minutes, until center springs back when touched. Let cool 10 minutes, flip onto flat surface to be frosted.

Rinse the berries well, and then drain them. Place on paper towels to thoroughly dry.  Make the Fluffy Boiled Icing.

Frost with the  Fluffy Boiled Icing below.

Decorating the 4th of July Flag Cake  

When cake is iced (or frosted if you are from CA!), take a knife and lightly draw a section in the upper left hand corner 

A huge thank you to Carol over at All Recipes for this icing recipe! Except it flopped miserably -the grand experiment that it was! I am running out to get Cool Whip....the horrors of a non-food product! Oh well, we have a full 4th planned and I just devoted 2 hours to this failure of a frosting! See - we ALL make cooking mistakes!

Fluffy Boiled Icing

SUBMITTED BY: Carol      PHOTO BY: Allrecipes "This recipe is quite old, and belonged to my mother."

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan; stir until well blended. Boil slowly without stirring until mixture will spin a long thread when a little is dropped from a spoon (hold the spoon high above saucepan), or reaches 238 - 242 degrees F (114 - 117 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, beat egg whites with a mixer until they are stiff, but still moist. Pour hot syrup slowly over egg whites while beating. Continue until mixture is very fluffy, and will hold its shape. Add vanilla, and beat until blended. If icing does not seem stiff enough, beat in 2 or 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until stiff enough to hold its shape. Spread on cake.