Disclaimer: This post does include affiliate links for your convenience. This is at NO additional cost to you but earns me a small commission. To read more, check out our disclosure policy.

Stars and Stripes Flag Cake

This Easy Stars and Stripes American Flag Cake is really easy to make and you don’t have to be a master cake decorator or expert baker to pull this off! I’ll link sources at the bottom of the post!

I’m sharing the step-by-step instructions and photos so you can make this one for your Fourth of July celebration. Everyone loved my Stars and Stripes Flag Cake last year and I think I’ll make it a tradition from here on out.

Making the Cakes

This Easy American Flag Cake Recipe really is easy! You’ll need two cake box mixes. I used vanilla cake last year and this year I’m using lemon. One thing I always do to make my box mix cakes more moist is add a package of jello instant pudding to the cake batter. I used vanilla pudding for the vanilla cake and lemon pudding for the lemon cake mix. I follow the cake mix recipe and then I add about a 1/4 cup more water and two extra tablespoons of oil. Bake as directed in a half-sheet cake pan. Spray cooking spray generously on the sheet pan and then line it with parchment paper. This helps to remove the cake from the pan when you’re ready to assemble it.

Pour equal amounts of the cake batter into two, half-sheet baking pans sprayed with cooking spray and lined with parchment paper. It’s okay if the cakes don’t look perfect since you’ll be covering them up with filling and frosting.

After you’re done baking the cakes, let them cool, then set them in a freezer or refrigerator for about twenty minutes or so.

Cream Cheese Filling

While the cakes are cooling, start making the filling and the frosting. To make the filling, mix two packages of softened cream cheese with one large container of Cool Whip. Then add in a package of cheesecake jello pudding and two teaspoons of almond extract. I mix mine up in a Kitchen Aid stand mixer but you can also use a hand mixer or mix it by hand.

Next, make the vanilla buttercream frosting. You can use store-bought frosting but you’ll need three or four containers. I like to make my own because it’s so easy and it tastes so much better in my opinion.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Print

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Light and Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword buttercream frosting, cake, chocolate frosting, flag cake, fourth of july cake, vanilla frosting

Equipment

• Stand or Hand Mixer

Ingredients

• 1 pound butter(2 cups) (preferably unsalted)
• 6 ½ cups powdered confectioner sugar
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla
• ¼ tsp salt (eliminate the salt if using salted butter)
• 6 tbsp heavy cream, room temperature

Instructions

• Make sure the butter and heavy cream are at room temperature. The butter should be soft enough to bend without breaking but not so soft that it's melting. Do not warm it in the microwave.
  1 pound butter(2 cups)
• Whip the butter with an electric or stand mixer until it's creamy and noticeably lighter in color. It should lighten up and become a pale yellow.
• Start adding the powdered confectioner's sugar into the whipped butter, make sure it is sifted and free of lumps, and start the mixer out on low so that the powdered sugar doesn't go everywhere! Gradually increase the speed of the mixer. Add about half of the rest of the powdered sugar then mix it for 3-5 minutes. Then add the remaining powdered sugar and mix it for another 3-5 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy.
  6 ½ cups powdered confectioner sugar
• Mix the sugar in very well before adding the heavy cream. The frosting will be quite thick but the cream will loosen it up a bit and the frosting will become silky and lighter in color.
• Add in the vanilla, salt, and half of the heavy cream. Beat the frosting for three minutes then give it a stir and test the consistency. Add more cream, if needed, and beat for another 3-5 minutes. If the frosting is too loose and not thick enough, add in more powdered sugar until it's the right consistency.
  1 Tbsp Vanilla, ¼ tsp salt, 6 tbsp heavy cream, room temperature
• The frosting should be soft and spreadable but not so loose that it doesn't hold its shape.

Set the buttercream frosting aside while you assemble the cakes.

[holly_healthful_tips]

Tips and Tricks for Making the Best Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Ever!

• Make sure the butter isn’t too soft. If it’s oily, it’s too soft and will cause the buttercream to curdle. Put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to cool it off a bit if it’s too soft.
• If you can find it, try using confectioners’ sugar that has cornstarch in it.
• Don’t be afraid to let the frosting whip for a while! The more air you add, the lighter the frosting will be, which in turn makes it taste less sweet. It also helps it to become white, so turn your mixer up and let it whip on medium-high for 5 minutes.

Use a tall cup and place the parchment bag inside the cup. This makes it easier when filling the piping bag with frosting. I use disposable piping bags but you can use a gallon zip lock bag or a pastry bag as well. [/holly_healthful_tips]

Assembling the Cake

I like serving my cake in a large rectangular baker. The one I have is Polish pottery and it has little blue stars on it. I’ve linked some of my favorite Seeing Stars Polish Pottery below so you can replicate the look. I can’t find any links to the white and blue stars (like I have here) but I’ve linked some similar ones below. I’ve had mine for over 20 years and they last forever!

When the cakes are cooled, lift the first cake out of the pan and set it inside a large baking dish or pan that is 9″x13″ or larger and place it in the bottom of the baking dish. Peel off the parchment paper.

 Spread a generous layer of the cream cheese filling.

Layer another one of the cakes and another layer of cream cheese filling.

Add one last layer of cake if your pan is large enough to hold three layers. If not, just use two of the cakes. Use the remaining cream cheese filling to cover the top of the cake.

Decorating the Top of the Cake With Stars and Stripes

Fill a piping bag or gallon zip lock bag with the buttercream frosting then cut off a small amount of the bottom of the piping bag. If you want to use a large piping tip you can but I didn’t.

Squeeze a little out into the bowl to make sure you made the hole big enough. You are going to want it to be big enough. Test it out until you’re comfortable with piping your rows. This is not a fancy cake so its okay if it’s not perfect! Just have fun and don’t stress when making it!

Add two rows of raspberries to start the stripes. Try to use large ones that are about the same size if you can. Then add two rows of buttercream frosting with your piping bag.

Continue with another two rows of raspberries to finish off the shorter section of the stripes. Then add two full rows of piped buttercream and so forth.

Next, add the blueberries in the stars section.

Get another piping bag or small ziplock bag, put a star tip or any tip you have, and add some white buttercream stars on top of the blueberries.

That’s it! Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve it! This red white and blue Easy American Flag Cake Recipe might even become a tradition for your family, too!

Some other ideas to use up the rest of the cake and frosting:

Use a 3″ circular cookie cutter and cut out the extra cake into circular shapes. Use three layers of cake and use the rest of the buttercream frosting and cream cheese filling if you have some leftovers to make mini naked cakes!

Another thing my mom used to do was make sugar cookie dough and make a cookie fruit flag. Roll out the sugar cookie dough into a thick rectangle and bake as directed. When cool, add a layer of the cream cheese filling and then pipe the buttercream frosting. Then, assemble the fruit to make the flag (same concept as the cake above)

Wishing you all a very happy Fourth of July and I hope you give this a try!

I’d love it if you subscribed to my blog and feel free to follow me on Instagram @homewithhollyj and on Pinterest – Home With Holly J. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Check out this blog post Fourth of July Tablescape Ideas to see how I created two different tablescapes with this cake and other yummy desserts!

And this fun post  Patriotic Home Decor Ideas!

Similar Faux Stems:

https://evolutionhomedecor.com/products/26-peony-spray-white?_pos=4&_sid=d41b9a229&_ss=r

https://evolutionhomedecor.com/products/28-lambs-ear-leaf-spray-green?_pos=3&_sid=519af7410&_ss=r

https://evolutionhomedecor.com/products/blueberry-pick?_pos=1&_sid=d012e0487&_ss=r

https://evolutionhomedecor.com/products/blueberry-spray?_pos=2&_sid=d012e0487&_ss=r

https://evolutionhomedecor.com/products/copy-of-blueberry-pick?_pos=3&_sid=d012e0487&_ss=r

Enjoy!

XOXO,

Pin this Post for Later:

Sources and Similar items are linked below.

The post Stars and Stripes Flag Cake appeared first on Home With Holly J.

Daisy Themed Baby Brunch

Disclaimer: This post does include affiliate links for your convenience. This is at NO additional cost to you but earns me a small commission. To read more, check out our disclosure policy.

I hosted a Daisy Themed Baby Brunch for my daughter-in-law (Aubree) to celebrate the arrival of our newest grand baby. Since my daughter-in-law was having a girl and it was her second baby girl, she didn’t want a full on baby shower. We decided it would be fun to do a spring Baby Brunch!

This is our first grandchild. She was so excited for all the festivities and came dressed to match the white and gold daisy theme!

The Invitation

It’s so easy to design and send invitations nowadays. I was able to download this one from GreetingsIsland.com and customize it. I sent it out via text and email which was so amazing! It was only $7.99 to make this invitation! I edited out some of my personal information but you can see how easy and simple it is to create one of these for your next event!

Daisys Themed Decorations

I had seen this daisy balloon backdrop on a local balloon shops (The Balloon Loft) instagram page and that’s where I got the idea to make it daisy themed. I ordered this balloon backdrop from them and they delivered it and set it up for me the day before.

I used an old antique table and covered it with this ruffled white tablecloth.

My other daughter-in-law (Hannah) generously agreed to make the paper daisy decorations and paper daisy chain for the shower. She has an Etsy shop and sells all sorts of cute party decor and garlands.

Be Jolley Design and Decor

I put the daisy chain on the front of the table and scattered the rest of them around the table as you can see here. Then I took the rest of the small paper Daisys and the larger ones and used double sided tape to stick them to the windows.

I sent one of my sons to the store to buy me some fresh Daisys and what he came back with were sunflowers and these other flowers. It was too late to do anything about it so we just went with what we had. I had hoped to find some Shasta daisies or one of the smaller varieties but I should have planned a ahead a little better!

Here are a few faux stem options:

https://evolutionhomedecor.com/products/copy-of-36-25-cosmos-spray?_pos=12&_sid=503105e97&_ss=r

https://evolutionhomedecor.com/products/gypsophila-stem?_pos=5&_sid=2f7918d2b&_ss=r

https://evolutionhomedecor.com/products/copy-of-34-inch-purple-wild-blossom-spray?_pos=4&_sid=503105e97&_ss=r

Here is the daisy flower chain up close. Linked here.

Here are the larger paper daisies. Linked here.

Here are the smaller daisies linked here, and you can also get them all in a set here.

The Dessert Table

The next thing I did was to order the daisy cakes and desserts from a local bakery here in Utah, called The Chocolate. They made these adorable daisy cakes, daisy sugar cookies, and Lemon curd cupcakes. Everything was lemon flavored. My daughter-in-law also made lemon tarts that were so delicious!

I had a smaller version of the daisy cake made for my daughter-in-law to take home after the shower. She loves lemon flavored desserts so the cakes were lemon flavored too.

The lemon tarts were so yummy!

Since this was a baby brunch and to keep it simple, I catered the food from a local bakery called Kneaders. They make an incredible French toast and have delicious pastries. I set that up over in the kitchen and put the dessert table in the living room area where all the guests were sitting.

Since it was her second baby and another girl, my daughter-in-law (Aubree) didn’t need any gifts but we did a group gift and those that wanted to contributed and we were able get them a new baby swing.

This is a great idea for second or third babies and the parents to be can get some of the larger items that you need when you have two little ones! We played some fun games as well and mostly everyone ate and visited with each other. We kept it to just family and it was so fun to celebrate our newest little grand daughter and her mama!

Me and all my girls! Quinn, Hannah, Emily, Aubree, and Maddy!

Update! She was born just a few weeks after the baby brunch. Isn’t she so darling?!!!!!

I hope you enjoyed this post and thank so much for stopping by! Please leave a comment or email me with any questions and you can always find more of my content on Instagram @homewithollyj and Pinterest!

xoxo,

I’ve linked some of the same items I used and some that are very similar below!

If you chose to use this theme for your baby shower or  baby brunch, you could also make my Laizy Daisy Cake Recipe!

PIN THIS FOR LATER:

SPRING BABY BRUNCH

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Saint Patrick’s Day Chocolate Cupcakes

Making cupcakes is so much fun and something you can include your children in that’s a fun family activity. One of the most fun holidays to make cupcakes for is Saint Patrick’s! When my kids were little, they loved helping me bake and decorate cupcakes and sugar cookies. This year I thought it would be fun to make chocolate cupcakes with Aunt Jeanies Chocolate Cake recipe and decorate them for Saint Patrick’s Day. Instead of using the ganache frosting that goes with this recipe, I used my friend Ashley’s (www.livingbeautafully.com) go-to chocolate buttercream frosting recipe. I needed a stiffer frosting that could be piped so I could top the cupcakes with the gold chocolate coins and green sprinkles.

The Decorations

I found these cute green and gold cupcake liners, green sprinkles, and gold chocolate coins at one of my favorite baking supply stores and couldn’t wait to make these cute cupcakes.

I’ve listed the cake recipe below and also here: Aunt Jeanie’s Chocolate Cake. The only thing I had to alter for the cupcakes was the baking time. Cupcakes take less time to bake. I started checking them around 12-14 minutes and just kept an eye on them until they bounded back in the middle. I overcooked the first batch so watch them closely. Oven temperatures vary so it could be a little longer in your oven.

I’ve linked the buttercream frosting (above) that I used. Aunt Jeanie’s frosting can be used to frost the cupcakes but it sets up fast so you’d have to spread it onto the cupcakes quickly. It’s more of a ganache-type frosting and doesn’t pipe well. If you want to pipe the frosting on like I’ve done here then stick to the buttercream frosting I’ve linked above.

Print

Aunt Jeanies Chocolate Cake

The best chocolate cake with ganache frosting ever! 

Course Dessert

Keyword baking, cake, chocolate, chocolate cake, chocolate desserts, chocolate frosting, dessert, family recipes, homecooked, homemade

Servings 12

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup water
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Frosting

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 5 tbsp butter
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup Marshmallows *optional
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts *optional

Instructions

• CAKE
• In a large mixing bowl, add 2 cups sugar. Then sift the 2 cups flour and 4 tbsp cocoa powder into the bowl. Sifting the flour and cocoa is an important step so don't skip it!
  
• Then add the 1/2 cup butter on top of the sifted ingredients.
  
• Put the 1 cup water and the 2/3 cup vegetable oil in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour all at once over the flour, sugar, and cocoa mixture. 
  
• Stir until well combined.
  
• Add the 2 eggs, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp vanilla and stir until smooth.
  
• Spray the baking dish with cooking spray. Pour into a 9x13 cake pan or large cookie sheet and bake at 350º for 25-30 minutes or until the cake bounces back when touched lightly in the middle. Don't overbake.
  

Frosting

• Put the 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup milk, and 5 tbsp butter into a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Do not boil for more than 20 seconds. Remove from heat and add the 2 cups milk chocolate chips. Stir until dissolved and then add the 1 tsp vanilla and stir again. If using the marshmallows and/or the chopped nuts, add those in and gently stir. Immediately pour onto the cake and spread. This sets ups fast so work quickly. 
• This is best if made the day ahead. Allow at least 6-8 hours to set up if possible. 

These cupcakes were simple to make and tasted so good!  Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

xoxo

Tap the images for the links to each item:

Photos by Lizzy Early Cox from @yourcupofcake www.yourcupofcake.com

The post Saint Patricks Day Chocolate Cupcakes appeared first on Home With Holly J.

It’s time for another post on my Holiday Hosting at home series!  I’ve teamed up with two of my talented friends who enjoy hosting and entertaining as much as I do. This week are sharing some recipes, tablescapes, and fall decor. With Halloween and Thanksgiving right around the corner we have come up with some fun ideas for hosting and entertaining. I hope you’ll find some inspiration here for hosting and entertaining in your own homes!

Here is what my friends have been sharing this week for their fall home decor and tablescapes.  If you would like to pin any of these images, please go to the original post linked below each image.  Check out their entire posts  – there is so much beauty and inspiration in each of these, you’ll be amazed.

To Have + To Host

A few years ago, Lory was drawn to a beautiful fall tablescape from a high-end table-top rental company.  When she added up the cost of it for 6 people she realized it would be about $2000! She decided to try and duplicate it for much less and was able to do it for $200. She shares the original tablescape that she found the inspiration from and her version of it and how she was able to do it for less money.  Click here to see Lory’s Friendsgiving Tablescape.

Next, Lory shares how she made these super cute jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers. They are simple to make, yet impressive! They are also healthy! Veggies and Protien all in one!  The recipe calls for turkey or beef but you can use quinoa to make it vegetarian. I love this cute idea!  To see the details and the recipe click here: Jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers.

Home with Holliday

Holliday was inspired to make this beautiful  Thanksgiving Tree with Pumpkins from a bin of unused fall decor items. This is such a creative idea and if you love christmas trees like I do, here is one more reason to make a thanksgiving tree! Click on the link above for the details!

Holliday also shared her Elegant Halloween Tablescape with Pumpkins. The colors are the traditional halloween black and orange, but Holliday added in some softer colors that make this table a little more elegant. I absolutely love how this turned out! For the details, click on the the link above.

Home with HollyJ

This week I shared my Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin recipe on the blog.  This is one of my favorite fall recipes.  My family loves it when I make theses and they don’t last long when they come out of the oven.  I also shared a recipe on how to make your own Pumpkin Spice.  This can be used in any recipe that calls for pumpkin spice or pumpkin pie spice.  You can make your own spice mix and never run out! Both recipes are linked above in the same post.

A few weeks ago I shared my favorite homemade roll recipe.  This is the best roll recipe! I make these for every holiday and on special occasions.  You won’t be disappointed when you try these delicious rolls! Click here for the recipe and details: The Best Homemade Rolls

Holliday “Holly” at Home with Holliday

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Holly at Home with Holly J

Instagram – Facebook – Pinterest

Lory at To Have + To Host

Instagram – Facebook – Pinterest

Elegant Halloween Tablescape

The post Holiday Hosting at Home #3: Holiday Decor, Tablescapes and Entertaining Ideas appeared first on Home With Holly J.

Lazy Daisy Cake

The year before my Grandma Benson passed away, I gave her a recipe box filled with blank recipe cards as a Christmas gift.  The following Christmas, she gave the box back to me and had handwritten her favorite recipes on the recipe cards.  A month after this, she passed away. The recipes she wrote for me have become one of my most treasured possessions. Whenever I make this simple, yummy cake recipe, I think of her and the fond memories I have of her.  

One of my favorite recipes that she left for me was “Aunt Mickey’s Lazy Daisy Cake.”  It’s a sponge cake with a cooked, then broiled frosting. This is a family favorite and another one of the recipes I grew up enjoying.  We loved it when Grandma Benson (that’s her in the picture frame when she was a little girl) would come to visit because we knew she’d make us a Lazy Daisy Cake and her Chicken Cracker Casserole. I will need to share that recipe soon, too!  I haven’t been able to figure out who Aunt Mickey is, but I am sure happy she gave this recipe to my grandma! 

I hope you enjoy this cake as much as I do!

Holly’s Helpful Tips:

[holly_healthful_tips]*I usually double the recipe for both the cake and the frosting and bake it in a 9 x 13 pan.  If you have a smaller crowd, you can use an 8×8 or 9×9 pan.

*Don’t overcook the cake.  When it’s a light brown on the top and springs back after you touch the middle, it is done.  You can also insert a toothpick in the middle of the cake and if it comes back clean, it’s done.

*This recipe calls for scalded milk which is milk brought nearly to a boil and then slightly cooled down. Scalded milk makes sponge cakes springier. Slowly heat milk over medium-low heat. The key here is to heat the milk, but not to bring it to a boil. Boiling will burn your milk. Stir continuously to prevent milk from thickening, burning, or sticking to the bottom of the pan. Look for steam and small bubbles around the edges of your saucepan, then remove immediately from heat.[/holly_healthful_tips]

Print

Lazy Daisy Cake

Course Dessert

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tbsp butter

Instructions

• Sift together 1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl and set aside.
• Butter and flour an 8×8 or 9×9 cake pan, and set aside.
• With a hand or stand mixer, beat 2 eggs until creamy. Gradually add the 1 cup sugar in while still beating the eggs. Fold in the sifted ingredients. Scald the 1/2 cup milk in a small saucepan and then add 1 tbsp butter into the milk and stir until the butter is melted. Add the milk and butter into the mixing bowl all at once. Mix until incorporated. Don’t over-mix the batter. This is a thin batter.
• Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the cake is done in the middle. It will turn golden brown on top.
• When the cake is done, take it out of the oven and set it aside. Then make the frosting.

Print

Lazy Daisy Frosting

This is a cooked frosting made in a saucepan and then broiled in the oven after it's spread on top of the cake. 

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 3 tbsp evaporated milk

Instructions

• In a saucepan combine all the ingredients and stir.  
• Bring to a boil on medium-high heat and stir until bubbling. Remove from the heat and pour on top of the warm cake. Spread the frosting to cover the entire cake.
• Turn the oven onto broil and return the cake to the oven on the top rack just under the broiler. Leave the oven door cracked open so you can watch the cake. Don’t walk away as this happens quite fast and you don’t want to burn the frosting. When the frosting starts to bubble, take the cake out and serve it warm.

Check out some of my other dessert recipes:

Aunt Jeannie’s Chocolate Cake with Ganache Frosting

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

PIN THIS FOR LATER:

Simple yummy cake recipe

The post Lazy Daisy Cake appeared first on Home With Holly J.