Dress Up Your Independence Day Picnic Table with an Edible Flag Cake Centerpiece from Taste of Home

Wanna WOW your picnic guests this 4th of July?  It's easy A N D edible with Taste of Home's Flag Cake. Picnics are a staple of the Independence Day celebration and this make-a-head cake will allow you time to work on the rest of the food for the picnic!  Oh, and just in case it rains, I've included a bonus Fourth of July Pizza Recipe too.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package French vanilla cake mix (regular size)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 4 eggs

FILLING

• 1 package (3 ounces) berry blue gelatin
• 1-1/2 cups boiling water, divided
• 1 cup cold water, divided
• Ice cubes
• 1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin
• 2/3 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
• 1/4 cup fresh blueberries

FROSTING

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon 2% milk
• 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme

DIRECTIONS

• Line a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan with waxed paper and grease the paper; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Transfer cake to a covered cake board. Using a small knife, cut out a 5-in. x 4-in. rectangle (1/2 in. deep) in the top left corner of cake, leaving a 1/2-in. border along edges of cake. For red stripes, cut out 1/2-in. wide rows (1/2 in. deep), leaving a 1/2-in. border. Using a fork, carefully remove cut-out cake pieces.
• In a small bowl, dissolve berry blue gelatin in 3/4 cup boiling water. Pour 1/2 cup cold water into a 2-cup measuring cup; add enough ice cubes to measure 1-1/4 cups. Stir into gelatin until slightly thickened. Scoop out and discard any remaining ice cubes. Repeat, making strawberry gelatin.
• In a small bowl, combine strawberries and 1 cup strawberry gelatin. In another bowl, combine blueberries and 1 cup blue gelatin. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or just until soft-set. (Save remaining gelatin for another use.)
• Stir gelatin mixtures. Slowly pour blueberry mixture into rectangle; spoon strawberry mixture into stripes.
• In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy; beat in the confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Add marshmallow creme; beat well until light and fluffy. Spread 1 cup over sides and top edge of cake. Refrigerate remaining frosting for 20 minutes.
• Cut a small hole in the corner of pastry or plastic bag; insert a large star tip. Fill the bag with remaining frosting. Pipe frosting in between rows of strawberry gelatin and around edges of cake. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until gelatin is set. Yield: 15 servings.

Just in case it rains or you're not the outdoor eating type.  Here's a Fourth of July Pizza Recipe from Taste of Home.  It has the appearance of a flag and the taste of pizza that your family will love, plus, the kids will have fun helping you make it!