Star Spangled Banner Treats Recipes

STAR-SPANGLED BANNER BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°. Grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan, 15 1/2x10 1/2x1 inch, with shortening. Mix granulated sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs in medium bowl with spoon. Stir in flour and baking powder until dough forms. Reserve 1/4 cup dough; cover and refrigerate. Pat remaining dough evenly in pan, using floured hands.
• To make flag design, mark a 6x5-inch outline in upper left corner of pan, using toothpick, for "star" area. Spread blackberry jam over 6x5- inch area. Starting 1/4 inch from top of "flag" (long side of pan), mark stripes by pressing 1/2-inch-wide and 1/4-inch-deep groove into dough with end of wooden spoon or finger. Make 7 more grooves, each about 3/4 inch apart. Place strawberry jam in resealable plastic food-storage bag; cut off tip. Squeeze jam into grooves.
• Pat reserved dough to 1/8-inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut with small star-shaped cutter. Place stars on blackberry jam.
• Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 7 rows.

STAR SPANGLED CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter,flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan. Or, I like to use parchment paper.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth.
• Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.
• For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth.
• Spread three-fourths of the icing on the top of the cooled sheet cake. Outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake like a red stripe. Put the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and strawberries for the red stripes, and icing for the white stripes, until the flag is completed. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries.
• You can serve this cake right in the pan, or, if you want to turn it out onto a board before frosting, use parchment paper when you grease and flour the pan.