4th of July Cake

This 4th of July Cake is an ideal treat for celebrating the holiday with loved ones. It has a sponge cake-like texture, offering a light and delightful blend of sweetness and lemony citrus flavors. The cake is completely free of eggs and dairy, and can also be made gluten-free. Enjoy decorating the top with blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries for a festive touch.

By Rose Huxford

4th of July Cake

Yields: 12 servings

Pre-heat oven: 350 degrees F

Prep-time: 10 minutes

Bake-time: 40 minutes (depending on oven)

Total-time: ~ 50 minutes

Equipment: 9x13 baking sheet pan, stand or hand mixer, (1) large mixing bowl, (1) large liquid measuring cup, measuring spoons, measuring cups, whisk, spatula, measuring spoons, zester, cooling rack.

Cake Ingredients: Dry Mixture

• 2 cups all-purpose flour or 1:1 gluten free baking flour

• 1/3 cup almond flour

• 1 tbsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp lemon zest (about half a lemon)

• Wet Mixture

• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 2 tbsp plain dairy free yogurt or plain Greek yogurt

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or soy milk or regular milk

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 1 tsp lemon extract

Frosting Ingredients

• 2 sticks unsalted dairy free butter (I use earth balance) or regular butter, softened

• 5 cups powder sugar

• 1-2 tbsp almond milk or non-dairy milk or whole milk

• pinch of salt

• 1-2 tsp lemon extract

Toppings

• 1-2 pounds Fresh strawberries, diced or sliced

• 1-2 pounds Fresh blueberries

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Lightly coat your baking sheet pan with non-stick spray, line it with parchment paper, and then lightly grease the parchment paper. Set it aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, almond flour, arrowroot powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Set aside.

4. In a large liquid measuring cup, or a regular mixing bowl if you don't have one, mix almond milk with apple cider vinegar to create homemade buttermilk. Stir the mixture, then let it sit for a few minutes until it thickens. Next, add your yogurt and stir to combine. Set it aside.

5. Next, beat together applesauce, cane sugar, vanilla extract and lemon extract for about 30 seconds, or until the mixture is creamy and smooth.

6. Begin by adding 1/3 of the dry mixture to your applesauce mixture. Beat until the flour mixture is completely incorporated. Next, add half of your buttermilk mixture and beat until it is fully blended. Then, add another 1/3 of the dry mixture, ensuring you stop to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to fully combine the flour. Add the remaining half of the buttermilk mixture and blend. Finally, incorporate the last 1/3 of the flour mixture. Scrape the bowl and beat for about 10-20 seconds to ensure everything is well blended. The texture should be somewhat light and airy.

7. Gently pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake for approximately 40 minutes. At around 35 minutes, inspect the cake to ensure it has achieved a golden brown color and that a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If not, continue baking until the cake is nicely golden and the toothpick comes out clean.

8. Once the cake has finished baking, place it on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely for about 1-2 hours.

   Frosting Directions

9. With a stand or hand mixer, combine softened butter, powdered sugar, almond milk, salt, and lemon extract. The mixture should be firm enough to form a peak on the whisk attachment. If it's not stable enough, incorporate more powdered sugar. If it's overly thick, add approximately 1- 2 tablespoons of milk.

10. A more stable frosting will make it easier to spread smoothly on the cake. Arrange your berries in a flag design, in rows, or diagonally. Enjoy the process! Regardless of the method, it will appear festive for the 4th of July!

By Rose Huxford