Peach Upside-Down Cake

This is a delicious cake best served warm. I cut the cake portion of the original recipe in half to accommodate my pan and substituted some peach flavoring to give it a little boost of flavor.

-Southern Living, modified

¼ cup butter

½ cup brown sugar

4 peaches, peeled and cut into 4 slices

¾ cup butter

4 oz. cream cheese

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. Wilton Treatology peach flavoring

2 Tbsp. milk

1 ½ cups flour

¼ tsp. salt

Glaze

½ cup powdered sugar

¼ tsp. vanilla

½ to 1 Tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 325°F. Melt 1⁄4 cup of the butter in a small saucepan over medium; stir in 1⁄2 cup of the brown sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar has dissolved and mixture is thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Pour mixture evenly into a Bundt pan that has been heavily greased with cooking spray. Place peach slices in an even layer on top of brown sugar mixture.

Beat cream cheese and butter with a heavy-duty stand mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add granulated sugar and brown sugar, beating on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yolk disappears. Beat in vanilla and peach flavoring.

Sift together flour and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spoon batter carefully over peaches in prepared pan; level with a spatula.

Bake in preheated oven until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack until pan is cool enough to handle but still hot, about 25 minutes. Remove cake from pan to rack, and cool completely, about 2 hours.

Stir together powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk in a small bowl, adding more milk if needed to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake.

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American Flag Cake

This cake takes a little time and effort, but the results are fun and impressive! 

-Betty Crocker, slightly modified

Red Cake Layers

1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist white cake mix

1 pint (2 cups) strawberries, stems removed, pureed in blender or food processor to about 1 1/4 cups

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 egg whites

1 teaspoon red paste food color

Blue Cake Layer

½ box Betty Crocker Super Moist white cake mix (about 1 2/3 cups dry mix)

½ cup blueberries, pureed in blender or food processor

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 whole eggs

½ teaspoon blue paste food color

White Cake Layer

½ box Betty Crocker Super Moist white cake mix (about 1 2/3 cups dry mix)

½ cup water

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 egg whites

Frosting and Sprinkles

3 cubes butter

6 cups powdered sugar

4 ½ tsp. vanilla

6 Tbsp. milk

Red, white and blue sprinkles, as desired

To make red cake layers: Heat oven to 350°F. Grease or spray two 8-inch round pans; place 8-inch round piece cooking parchment paper in bottom of each pan. In large bowl, beat red cake layer ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on high speed about 2 minutes or until smooth. Spread in pans. Bake 29 to 34 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool 10 minutes; run knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes. Gently remove from pans to cooling rack; remove parchment paper. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Flatten cake layers by trimming off rounded tops. Cut layers in half horizontally to make 4 thin red layers. In 1 layer, cut small round out of center, using 4-inch biscuit cutter. Wrap and freeze 1 thin layer and the layer that was cut out of; save for another use.

To make blue cake layer: Heat oven to 350°F. Grease or spray 8-inch round pan; place 8-inch round piece cooking parchment paper in bottom of pan. In medium bowl, beat all blue cake layer ingredients except sprinkles with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on high speed about 2 minutes or until smooth. Spread in pan. Bake 29 to 34 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool 10 minutes; run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Gently remove from pan to cooling rack; remove parchment paper. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Flatten cake layer by trimming off rounded top. Do not cut in half horizontally. Cut small round out of center, using 4-inch round biscuit cutter. Wrap and freeze 4-inch round; save for another use.

To make white cake layer: Heat oven to 350°F. Grease or spray 8-inch round pan; place 8-inch round piece cooking parchment paper in bottom of pan. In medium bowl, beat white cake layer ingredients with electric mixer on high speed about 2 minutes or until smooth. Spread in pan. Bake 29 to 34 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool 10 minutes; run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Gently remove from pan to cooling rack; remove parchment paper. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Flatten cake layer by trimming off rounded top. Cut layer in half horizontally to make 2 thin white layers. In 1 layer, cut small round out of center, using 4-inch biscuit cutter. Wrap and freeze the layer that was cut out of; save for another use.

To assemble cake: Place 1 red cake layer on cake stand or serving platter; spread ½  cup frosting on top. Top with 1 white cake layer; spread ½ cup frosting on top. Top with second red cake layer; spread 1/3 cup frosting on top. Gently top with blue layer. Spread thin layer of frosting on white 4-inch cake round, then top with red 4-inch cake round. Carefully spread a thin layer of frosting on the edge of the white and red rounds, then insert into blue layer; press slightly. Frost side and top of cake using remaining frosting. Top with sprinkles. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.