Little handheld 4th of July desserts that are big on patriotism

Just like Christmas, Independence Day comes but once a year, which means that this is your golden opportunity to put your red, white and blue baking skills to the test. But instead of making a full-size flag cake for your Fourth of July barbecue (as is tradition), we’ve come up with three new ways to condense your love of patriotic treats:

• Bite-size red, white and blue layer cakes
• Patriotic dipped strawberries
• Red, white and blueberry mini trifles

These mini July 4th desserts are edible proof that delicious things come in small packages.

Bite-size red, white and blue layer cakes recipe

Yields 12

Ingredients:

• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 bottle red food coloring
• 1 bottle blue coloring
• 2 containers white frosting
• 10 – 12 small jars with lids, washed and dried
• Red, white and blue sprinkles
• Mini cupcake pan
• Mini cupcake liners

Directions:

1. Prepare the cake batter as directed on the box. Once the batter is mixed, separate the batter into 2 bowls, trying to get equal amounts of the batter into each bowl.
2. To 1 bowl, add the red food coloring, and to the second bowl, add the blue. Each brand of food coloring seems to vary as far as coloring, so use the amount of food coloring you feel necessary to achieve the desired shades of red and blue.
3. Once both batters are colored, line the mini cupcake pan with the mini cupcake liners, and fill with the 2 cake batters (make solid-color cakes; do not mix the colors), and bake as directed on the package. (Try to bake equal parts of both red and blue mini cupcakes.)
4. Once the cupcakes are done baking, set them on the counter, and allow them to cool completely.
5. Once cool, remove the cupcakes from the pan, and remove the cupcake liners. Slice each cupcake in half (so you have tops and bottoms).
6. On a large serving plate, place the bottom of 1 red cupcake. Add frosting, and then add the top of the cupcake. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes.
7. Garnish with extra frosting and red white and blue sprinkles, and serve.

More: Mini strawberry-lemonade cupcakes

Next up:Patriotic dipped strawberries