Flag Cake

Repost from last year: Since this weekend is the 4th of July I thought it would be a good idea to show you again the flag cake. When I saw the demonstration on how to put a flag cake together here, it looked so fun. I knew I could make it a healthy cake. And I wanted to make it for the 4th of July. I'm posting it now because I live in Utah and we still have our statehood celebration coming up on the 24th. So it can be made again. If you live outside of Utah keep this in mind for next year. :]

It doesn't have food coloring, which is nice because in the original recipe you have to use tons of red food coloring to make the stripes, and it's made from a cake mix. You really can't tell very well in the picture the white and red stripes, white is on the bottom layer, then red, white, and red again. I guess you could put a few drops in this cake if you wanted to make them a little more visible. The only thing I wish I would have done different is frost it the day I served it. I frosted it the night before because I wouldn't have time the next day and the frosting started to blend into the layers. Other than that it was a very moist, yummy berry cake! Have fun with it!

Low Gluten Flag Cake

Ingredients

2 cups LG flour mix

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon xantham gum

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 cup evaporated cane juice

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup applesauce

2 eggs

1 cup rice milk

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

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3/4 cup applesauce

3/4 cup blueberry puree

3/4 cup strawberry puree
Directions

Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease and line bottom of three 9" round cake pans with parchment paper.

In two separate bowls (you're making a double batch, the recipe above is for a single batch) mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, xantham gum, salt, and evaporated cane juice. Then add eggs, oil, applesauce, rice milk, and vanilla and mix well. Divide the batters into thirds, about 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups, into three separate bowls (If there is left over batter you can make cupcakes). In one bowl add 3/4 cup applesauce, this will be your white layer, and mix well. In a second bowl add 3/4 cup blueberry puree, this will be your blue layer, and mix well. In a third bowl add 3/4 cup strawberry puree, this will be your red layer, and mix well. Bake each cake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely. Take another piece of parchment paper and top each cake with it, then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze over night.

How to assemble:

Take cakes out of freezer. Allow to sit on counter for a few minutes to thaw slightly. Remove plastic wrap and parchment paper. Take white and red layers and cut in half length wise. Put one half of a red layer on plate and frost and very thin layer of white cream cheese frosting. Place one of the white layers on top and frost a thin layer also. Off to the side stack the remaining red and white layers on top of each other and place the full blue cake on top of them. Take a bowl, about 3" in diameter, and place it upside down on top of the three layers. Take a long knife and while holding the bowl in place, cut down through all layers of cake along the out side edge of the bowl. When finished take the outside part of the blue layer and place it on top of the slightly frosted white layer of cake. Frost the inside edges of the blue layer. Next take the inside round part of the last red layer and put it into the round hole of the frosted blue layer. Thinly frost the top of the red layer. Then take the inside round part of the last white layer and put on top of the red layer inside the blue layer. Frost the entire cake, top and sides. You can choose to top cake with extra blueberries and strawberries or just leave all white. You can either throw away the remaining pieces of cake or make them into a trifle. I did the trifle option, I post that recipe later.

This cake is a huge hit at any 4th of July party. It is a big surprise to see the flag on the inside when you cut into it. Have fun and enjoy and healthier alternative!