Yummy 4th of July Dessert Recipes

With stars and stripes as the obvious theme of the 4th, this delicious dessert rates a ten with guests of all ages...

Stars and Stripes Grand Finale Cake

Ingredients:

2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
or raspberries, whichever you prefer

1/2 cup white sugar

1 (.25 oz.) envelope plain unflavored gelatin

2 pints fresh blueberries

1/2 cup white sugar

1 (.25 oz.) envelope plain unflavored gelatin

2 (10.75 oz.) loaves angel food cake, sliced 1 in. thick

2 (8 oz.) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:

Mix half the strawberries, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 envelope of gelatin in a bowl. Set aside in room temperature to allow the juices to develope and the gelatin and sugar to dissolve, about 15 minutes.
Heat in the microwave for 2 minutes on full power, or until gelatin has dissolved.
Stir to blend in the gelatin and then mix in the remaining strawberries.

In a seperate bowl, mash 1 cup of the blueberries with the back of a fork.
Stir in 1/2 cup sugar and 1 envelope gelatin. Set aside at room temperature to allow the juices to develope and the sugar and gelatin to dissolve.
Heat in the microwave for 2 minutes to melt the gelatin, stir to blend. Mix in remaining blueberries.

Cover the bottom of a springform or a tall, removable bottom tube pan with alluminum foil to prevent juices form leaking out.

Pour all the strawberry mixture onto the bottom of the cake pan, cover completely with slices of angel food cake, tearing or cutting pieces to create a tight layer.
Spread one tub of whipped topping over the first cake layer. Make a second layer of angel food cake, like the first, pur the blueberry mixture evenly over the top of the cake. Arrange the angel food cake for a third layer on top of the blueberries. Spread the remaining container of whipped topping over the top. Finish the dessert with a final layer of angel food cake.

The layered cake will be higher than the edges of your pan. Carefully set a large piece of alluminum foil over the cake and set a baking sheet on top.
Invert the cake, press the cake firmly onto the baking sheet. Weigh down the mold using pie weights, or bags of dry beans or rice.
Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.