Precious Art By Precious People

Stars & Stripes- enjoy your summer!

We tested this recipe finding it a delight to make and eat. We did try a little make over decorating with fresh strawberries and blueberries. A fruit filling completed the make over. Whichever way you try, both will be a wonderful cake for your family and friends.

What you need:

• 

  1 package white cake mix

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 package confectioners sugar
• ½ cup water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• blue and red food coloring

What to do:

Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using two greased and floured 9 inch round baking pans. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For frosting, in a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the water, salt and vanilla until smooth. Place once cake layer on a serving plate; spread 2/3 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer.

In a small bowl, combine 2/3 cup frosting and blue food coloring. In another bowl, combine 1 ½cups frosting and red food coloring. Fill pastry or plastic bag with ¼ cup white frosting; cut a small hole in the corner of the bag and set aside.

Frost top and sides with remaining white frosting. With blue frosting, frost a 3 inch section in the upper left corner of the cake. Pipe white stars over blue frosting. Fill another pastry or plastic bag with red frosting; cut a large hole in the corner of the bag. Pipe stripes across top of cake.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped hulled strawberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a heavy small sauce pan, stirring constantly and crushing berries slightly with back of spoon.

Boil 2 minutes to thicken, stirring constantly (mixture will be slightly chunky).

Pour into bowl and cool completely.

THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
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