Happy Fourth of July! I hope you’re having a good one. Ours has been really nice due to the fireworks ban, as there are no wild and tormented (or otherwise sedated) dogs running around.
I didn't miss the fireworks at all. It would have been fun to have a few sparklers, but we had good company, good food and even a flag cake. Never mind that it looked like a five year old made it, people loved it! Next year I’ll put more time into it and maybe enlist the help of Fuzz, who was too busy playing on the neighbors’ Slip & Slide to help.
Anyhow, here are a few desserts I made to celebrate the occasion. First is a Flag Cake. The cake is actually a No-Bake Icebox Cake, and then I designed the top to resemble a flag.
While the flag cake was chilling, I made two other things, including these Red, White and Blue Rice Krispies Treats. The color didn’t turn out quite right, unfortunately. If you have any tips on making a deep red, white and blue, let me know.
Colors weren't an issue in these Fourth of July cheesecakes, though! A little Wilton Royal Blue Gel and Wilton Red Gel made them delightfully garish. I would have preferred plain cheesecakes topped with berries or even red, white and blue sprinkles, but the food coloring was on the counter and I just had to try this. Next time I'd probably due it with a little less blue....
Fourth of July Cheesecake Cups
18 vanilla wafer cookies
16 oz cream cheese, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line muffin pans with cupcake papers. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners and put a vanilla wafer on the bottom of each one. Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in the eggs and vanilla. Measure out about ½ cup of batter and divide it between two custard cups. Dye one part blue and another part read. Spoon most of white batter over the wafers, dividing evenly. Then spoon bits of red and blue and remaining white over the wafers, diving evenly among all 18. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Let cool completely, then chill for a few hours. For taller cheesecakes, use fewer wafers (12 to 16) and make fewer cheesecakes. Mine were short.
TG says
Really appreciate the dog-loving sentiments here! I used to like fireworks but don't enjoy them anymore after seeing how much they scare pets.
melissa says
Cute 4th of July desserts!
Hope you had a good one -- we were at the beach. 🙂
M
The Cotton Floozy says
'Delightfully garish'! lol. I didn't make anything red, white, and blue yesterday. I feel shamefully UNAMERICAN.
mary says
Anna, you are so lucky fireworks are banned where you live. I spent hours on the floor, in the dark, in a bathroom with my two dogs because they were so terrified. I thought one was going to have a heart attack - he was panting so hard. The fireworks were still being shot off at midnight and I was finally able to get him to bed around one. He didn't even want to take a walk this morning. I hate to think of the animal shelters and how many dogs they picked up who were running in terror. Next year we may have to go with tranquilizers or go somewhere quieter. That said, your cake looks beautiful!!
Katrina says
Did you use the color gels for the rice krispies or just regular food coloring? I've never tried a flag cake before, I think they are fun and festive though--and whoever up there before me said it--people eating the desserts don't even seem to notice the imperfections that we do.
Nancy Baggett says
Very cute cake Anna. I'm sure it was a hit. With all that baking, did you have any time to enjoy the Fourth!?
HeartofGlass (Chewthefat) says
I think the flag cake looks very elegant--I like the fact that it isn't overcrowded with fruit on the top!
Katy says
AmeriColor gels are great for getting those deeper colors without having to use a lot. I just started using them, but already like them better than my old Wilton gels. I love your flag cake, delicious and patriotic!
Gloria says
Love the red, white, and blue theme, especially the cheesecakes. I agree with Louise. Many people just dig in and barely notice what we think we do wrong. They also appreciate you going through the trouble! What about putting white chocolate chips or shavings in the white section of the rice crispy treats? Or maybe using more marshmallows in that layer and putting it on top so it doesn't' squish out in the middle? I think the red and blue are ok.
This is the first year I actually managed to get a carton of strawberries that were mostly the same size so my stripes are better than usual. Happy 4th!
Adam says
I'm sorry, but that cake is genius :).
Louise says
Hey, the spirit was there and most likely the neighbors didn't even notice. Did you happen to see the giant Rice Krispie Treat cube in the FoodNetwork magazine a couple of months ago? That would be fun to take somewhere.
Sue says
Your cake does not look like a five year old made it! It looks great, and it's wonderful that everyone liked it so much!
I love Rice Krispie bars so no doubt I would have eaten one of those food coloring or not. I think I'm just a sugar junkie because I love almost anything with marshmallows. I'm ridiculous that way.
The cheesecake cups made me smile. I wonder what everyone's tongue looked like haha! Now I'm sounding like a five year old!!