I’ve never had a picnic. It’s something I’d like to try once, but I have mixed feelings over it. On one hand, it sounds so romantic. The perfect, sunny day with just a bit of a breeze. A big blanket and an expertly packed basket full of an array of food and all the necessary utensils. The people I love surrounding me. Perhaps a lake in the distance. A butterfly floating by us, as we sit comfortably on our blanket.
But then there’s what I fear is reality. A stray shower that pops out of nowhere, accompanied by gusty winds. A tattered blanket that’s not nearly big enough to protect me from the dirt and grass below. Not so tasty food on paper plates with plastic utensils. And the bugs. Oh the bugs. Bees, flies, the stereotypical ants, parading off with our food. Our bodies aching from sitting on the hard ground.
Maybe an indoor picnic would be more my speed! Air conditioning, no bugs (hopefully), a refrigerator and pantry steps away. Yeah, indoor picnic it is.
Regardless of it you want an indoor or outdoor picnic, you have to make this Flag Cake. Really, you have to! It’s one of the best things I’ve made in a long while. In fact I ate it two nights in a row – I honestly can’t remember the last time I did that. It’s a vanilla bean butter cake topped with vanilla bean frosting. Then to make the flag part of the cake, I used blueberries and on Mom’s genius suggestion Swedish Fish. The fish look so cute on the cake and both the fish and the berries add a pop of flavor. Your Fourth of July party needs this cake!
Flag Cake #SundaySupper
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 24 servings 1x
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 3 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups almond milk
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 3 – 3 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup blueberries
- 50 or more Swedish Fish
Instructions
- Make the cake. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13 inch pan and line the bottom only with parchment. Butter the parchment.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. I did this by hand, but a hand or stand mixer will work as well. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla bean paste. Alternately add flour mixture and almond milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. I did three installments of flour and two of milk.
- Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth into an even layer and bake 40-50 minutes, rotating halfway through, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs. Cool completely in pan.
- Make the frosting. Beat cream cheese and butter using a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla bean paste, followed by the confectioners’ sugar, added one cup at a time. After 3 cups are added, taste the frosting to see if it is sweet enough. Spread frosting over cooled cake.
- Use blueberries to create a large square/rectangle in the upper left corner of the cake. Use the Swedish Fish to create the stripes in the flag. Make the blueberry area as large as you like, and make as many stripes as thick as you like. The flag is your creation! Cover cake tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to three days.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Additional cooling time is necessary
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
Don’t forget to check out all the other Sunday Supper dishes!
Beverages
- Orange Blossom Iced Tea by girlichef
- Red, White, and Blue Sangria by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Rosemary Nectarine Sparkling Cocktail by Food Lust People Love
- Best Picnic Wines by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
Appetizers
- Baked Garlic Parmesan Wings by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls by Daily Dish Recipes
- Peppadew Dip by Confessions of a Culinary Diva
- Savory Red, White, and Bleu Truffles by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Mains
- Asparagus and Cheddar Quiche by Mess Makes Food
- London Broil with Caramelized Red Onions by Crazy Foodie Stunts
- Stilton Potato and Stilton Pies by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- Waffle Batter Fried Chicken Tenders with Maple Mustard Dipping Sauce by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
Sides
- Mushroom and Gruyere Cheesecake by Peaceful Cooking
- Scotch Eggs by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
Salads
- Caprese Pasta Salad by La Bella Vita Cucina
- Farro & Walnut Salad by Foxes Love Lemons
- Fruit Tortellini Salad by Jelly Toast
- Gluten Free Potato Salad by Gluten Free Crumbley
- Japanese Noodle Salad by Noshing With The Nolands
- Kale and Quinoa Tabbouli by Healthy. Delicious.
- Layered Chicken Salad by Nosh My Way
- Lightened Up Macaroni Salad by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Loaded Potato Salad by Granny’s Down Home Sassy Southern Cooking
- Mexican 3 Bean Salad by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
- Old Fashioned Potato Salad by Life Tastes Good
- Orzo Salad with Kale Pesto by Cooking Chat
- Pizza Pasta Salad by Curious Cuisiniere
- Red, White and Blue Fruit and Cheese Salad by Shockingly Delicious
- Tomato Bean Salad by Family Foodie
- Tuna Noodle Salad by Hot Momma’s Kitchen Chaos
- Vegetable Salad by Magnolia Days
- Veggie Pasta Salad by Pescetarian Journal
- Watermelon and Feta Salad with Verjus by The Wimpy Vegetarian
Sandwiches and Wraps
- Pan Bagnat by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Panino con la Salamella by Manu’s Menu
- Roast Beef Wraps by Cookin’ Mimi
Sweets
- Banana Pudding Cheesecake by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
- Berry Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups {#glutenfree option} by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Cherry Chip Blossom Cupcakes by NinjaBaking.com
- Cherry Pie Crumb Bars by The Girl In the Little Red Kitchen
- Chocolate Chunk Brownies by What Smells So Good?
- Chocolate Syrup Brownies by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake by Killer Bunnies, Inc
- Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies by Alida’s Kitchen
- Flag Cake by Pies and Plots
- Peanut Butter Frosted Brownies by Feed Me, Seymour
- Red, White, and Blue Berry Angel Food Cake Parfaits by Neighborfood
- S’mores Crumb Bars by The Redhead Baker
- Stained Glass Jello with Coconut Milk Panna Cotta by Simply Gourmet
- Strawberry Banana Oat Muffins by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
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My wife would be all over this cake! She LOVES swedish fish!!!
Aria and I had tons of indoor picnics over the winter – super fun! The reality of outdoor picnics
Is pretty much what you described, sorry 🙁 Loooove the fish, they are an incredibly cute touch.
Yeah, I need to have an indoor picnic! I’ll leave the outdoor ones to everyone else! Thanks, Jessica!
What a beautiful and fun cake! Perfect for the 4th of July!
What a great cake, Laura! I would never have thought to use the Swedish fish for the stripes. Now you just have to stop folks from stealing them off the cake before it’s cut. 🙂
I may have been guilty of taking a Swedish Fish or two 😉
You are so right. Indoors or out this cake will be the hit of any Fourth of July party.
So cute for a 4th of July picnic celebration, love it!!
Now this is a 4th of July dessert that everyone would love!!! Perfect!
Oh, I want a big piece with swedish fish! Yum!
Such and adorable cake for the 4th of July!
Brilliant idea to use the Swedish fish, Laura. Your mom is smart! And you made me smile…about the bugs and the realities of an outdoor picnic…Some of us I guess are destined for the comforts of a/c et al =)
Yeah, I’m an indoorsy girl 😉 I shriek and run anytime I see a bug!
Τhe picnic is overvalued, I agree with you about the bugs, the hard ground…
Great cake, Laura, for the 4th of July! Love the idea of swedish fish!
Kisses
I LOVEEEE the idea to use Swedish Fish for the stripes, how creative! And delicious too of course!
One other thing to consider when planning an outdoor picnic is what you do when nature calls. LOL
Either outdoors or indoors, I’d love to have this cake during it.
Haha! Yes, another reason for an indoor picnic 🙂
Such a beautiful cake! And I bet it tastes great too! Thanks for sharing.
I love that you used swedish fish!
I LOVE those!
And I never buy them because I eat them all in one sitting, I love them that much.
Swedish Fish are definitely dangerous to have around. And I have a giant bag in my pantry!
What a great idea to use the Swedish Fish! Love it!
What an adorable flag cake!
Very festive!
Aww this is so cute. Love the use of the fish! 🙂
Love that you used Swedish fish for the stripes of your flag! Very cute.
I love how you decorated this cake! My hubby loves swedish fish, so I think those would quickly disappear off the top hehehe.