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Ina Garten Half Flag Cake

Ina Garten Half Flag Cake
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The Half Flag Cake is a scaled-down version of Ina’s famous American flag cake. It’s a buttery vanilla sheet cake baked in a 9×13-inch pan and topped with sweet cream cheese frosting. Fresh blueberries form the “stars” section, while rows of strawberries or raspberries create the “stripes.” It’s festive, flavorful, and perfect for smaller gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

For the cake:

  • 1¾ sticks (14 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 1¾ cups granulated sugar

  • 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour

  • ½ tablespoon baking powder

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

  • ½ cup whole milk

For the cream cheese frosting:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted

For decorating:

  • Fresh blueberries (about ½ cup)

  • Fresh strawberries or raspberries (about 1½ cups), halved

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and Prep Pan

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking dish or line with parchment paper.

Step 2: Make the Cake Batter

Cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer for 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well. Add the vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until combined.

Step 3: Bake the Cake

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.

Step 4: Prepare the Frosting

Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla, then gradually mix in the sifted confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy.

Step 5: Frost the Cake

Once the cake is cool, spread the frosting evenly over the surface using an offset spatula.

Step 6: Decorate Like a Flag

In the top-left corner, create a rectangle of blueberries to mimic the stars. Use rows of halved strawberries or raspberries to form the red stripes. Leave frosting lines in between as the white stripes.

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