Flag Cake...Happy 4th!

Sorry this post is late, guys.  I tried to make a smaller version of this cake yesterday, in hopes of using that one to post.  I didn't want to make two full-size cakes....who would eat all of that?!? Well, okay, maybe I could...Anywho, so that one did NOT turn out at. all.  I was so bummed, because I knew I wouldn't be able to post the cake until the 4th, today.  Ah, the best of intentions.  But I tried the cake again today, full-size, and it worked soooo much better!

A little late, but still delicious! Here's how to make your own flag cake!

Start out by doubling a cake recipe...okay, honesty time.  I made these "cake-mix style" and if you do that, just make two boxes.  Make one box (so, two 8" cakes) with only red food coloring, and one box with one 8" blue and one 8" white.  If you have white food coloring, I suggest it, it makes a difference. :)  Here are my cakes, ready to be assembled, flag-style:

First things first: level all  of your cakes. I took the very very top off mine, you shouldn't need to cut off very much.  Just enough to give a nice surface to frost.  Now, cut your red cakes and your white cake in half, horizontal.  This should give you four layers of red to work with and two of white.  Put one of the red aside, you won't need it (snack pile, anyone??). Once you've done that, go ahead and stack a red layer, apply filling (I just used buttercream frosting), then a white layer, filling, and then another red layer. It should look like this:

You should have a thick layer of blue left (cuz you didn't cut that one, right...right?), one red, and one white left.  Take a 4" cookie cutter, or a 4" biscuit maker, or anything that will suffice that is 4", and cut a shape out of the red and out of the white.  What's left of those colors, put aside.  Your spread should look like this:

Put a layer of "filling" on the red layer that's already on the stack of cake.  Then, lay the blue on top (I turned mine over so that the top of the cake would be perfectly flat).  Inside the hole, take a small spatula or a knife, and line the inside of the hole with frosting.  Place the WHITE layer in the hole.  You don't want to place the red in first, because then your stripes will be off.  Once it's in, spread a small amount of frosting on top of the white circle.  Then, place the red on the white.  The hole in the blue layer should be filled and the cake should look like this:

Now you're ready to frost the outside and decorate if you wish! I just did mine plain white.  To be honest, by the time I got to the "decorate" part, I was tired!  Plus, I feel like it's more fun that way...you take this "boring" looking cake to a party and when you cut into it, voila!

 I'll post some pictures in a little bit of what the cake looked like inside.  Now, I must go, or I'll be late for the BBQ and fireworks! :) 

Sneak peek....how cute is this????

Can you guess what it is????  ;)



Here is a sneak peek of a post I will be doing in the next day or so....I found it on a blog and I can't wait to try it! Stay tuned!!



Salmon Recipe

My mom, for years, has made the most delicious salmon in the world! Seriously, this stuff is sooooo good! I even have a friend who's husband does NOT like fish....at all.  She made this for him, aaaaand, he now eats salmon! :) So, I'm here to share it with you....oh, and did I mention it's one the easiest and fast recipes I've ever made?!?!

Salmon
1 Fillet of salmon
Spices needed:
Basil
Oregano
Parsley
Italian Seasoning
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Dill Weed
Season All Salt
Pepper
and really, anything else that might sound delectable on fish
Lemon Juice/ half a lemon
Lime Juice (optional)/ half a lime
Butter
Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Cover a casserole dish in aluminum foil (I use two, because the fillets I buy are from Costco and HUGE!) and lay the fillet(s) on top. Take the lemon juice, or your half a lemon, and drizzle/squeeze over fish.  Repeat with the lime. Now, this is where the recipe is kinda vague.  My mom is a cook who believes in "to taste" so, with that in mind, just sprinkle on all spices all over the salmon. I would suggest going a little lighter on the basil, onion powder, and pepper.  Cut up small slices of butter and lay on top of the salmon. Put it in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Around the 30 minute mark, take it out briefly to sprinkly parmesan cheese on top. Put back in the oven for 5-10 minutes.  And that's it! All ready to serve!