The Creamy Dessert My Family Asks For Every 4th Of July

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Every summer leading up to the Fourth of July my family hashes out who's bringing the side salads, deviled eggs, etc., but there's one thing that goes without discussion — I always bring the American flag cake. I learned to make this simple, patriotic cake during college, and it's been a staple of our Independence Day celebration ever since. It's a hit with everyone, including a family member who typically stays away from dairy (she makes an exception for a small piece of this cake).

The fun in this dessert comes from transforming the top of the cake into the American flag. After you've made your cake, cover it thoroughly with a thick layer of white frosting — I use cream cheese frosting, but I've tasted others made with plain vanilla. Next, add the rows of fruit. Blueberries in the top left corner form the stars (my younger relatives fight over the slices from this region), and red berries (typically strawberries or raspberries) form the alternating red stripes. You can stop here ... or, if the white stripes look too bare, you can add whipped cream or some extra frosting (and if you use this piping bag hack, it can help you cut the perfect sized hole). Not only is the process fun, but the more you decorate the flag, the creamier it becomes, so it's a win-win.

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What type of cake lies beneath the American flag? The answer is up to you, the pastry chef. I use a funfetti boxed cake mix because it's colorful and my family's favorite, but variations across the internet suggest everything from red velvet to vanilla sponge. A TikTok user created a marbled base by starting with a vanilla boxed cake, poking holes with a fork, and covering the cake with a strawberry gelatin mixture. And a baking blogger added extra fruit chunks into the cake mix.

While the top is more uniform, internet users have gotten creative by adding sprinkles, coconut flakes, and even cherries in place of berries for the red stripe layer. The Redditor who suggested the cherry swap referred to the American flag cake as a classic way to make it, while other users in the thread debated which slices they would go for — some preferring strawberries and others vying for the blueberries. Regardless of fruit preference, most seemed to agree the cake deserves a spot on the list of seriously delicious desserts you can make with fruit.