My 4th of July Tradition – American Flag Red Velvet Cake

 

I am the kind of person that likes to have signature dishes for holidays – something I make every year that people look forward to! The kind of thing that sticks out so when I get invited to holiday events people say, “Hey Abbey, will you bring your ____ that you always make?!”

Well, for 4th of July I would like to think I have two stand-by desserts… my blueberry pie, and my American Flag Red Velvet Cake!

The cake itself is a very standard red velvet with cream cheese frosting. To get more of a flag effect, I bake using square cake pans instead of rounds. Then, I decorate the top with some halved strawberries and blueberries. I make it the same day that I serve it, and keep it refrigerated until guests arrive so that the berries stay fresh.

I like, but not love the red velvet recipe I had been using, so I have decided to change it up this year and try another blogger’s recipe instead. So, this year I am using this recipe from Liucija – Lithuanian in the USA’s Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. When she posted this recipe I just KNEW I had to try it, the cake looks so moist and I love the deep red color she was able to achieve – I think my prior recipe just had a little too much coco powder and always turned out a little brown.

So, what are your 4th of July recipe traditions, or are you giving something new a try this year? We are still planning out what to make, so if you have some staples that you love, please be sure to share!