Instructions:

Fourth of July Flag Cake

3/4 cup butter
1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cup water
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (below)

Topping
1/2 pint blueberries
1 quart small evenly-sized strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

In large bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla; beat on high speed for about 3 minutes.

Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add alternately with water to butter mixture. Mix just until combined (do not overmix).

Pour into the prepared baking pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool for about 15 minutes then remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Place cake on cardboard that has been covered with foil.

Frost cake with the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.

Arrange blueberries in upper left corner of cake, covering about 1/4 of the cake.

Arrange strawberries in rows to create the red stripes.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
3 cup confectioners sugar' sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and butter. Add milk and vanilla extract; beat to spreading consistency.