From READY SET EAT

Featured Brands: PAM, DUNCAN HINES

Makes 24 servings

A stunning red, white, and blue ombre layer cake made easy with DUNCAN HINES White Cake Mix, layered with juicy strawberries and blueberries, and frosted with homemade vanilla buttercream.

INGREDIENTS

PAM Baking Spray
2 pkgs (15.25 oz each) DUNCAN HINES Classic White Cake Mix
2 cups water
6 large egg whites
2/3 cup vegetable oil
Red and blue gel food coloring

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened (3 sticks)
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups confectioners’ sugar
Red and blue food coloring gel
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

DIRECTIONS

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 8- or 9-inch round pans with baking spray.

2.Blend both cake mixes, water, egg whites, and vegetable oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until moistened, 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes.

3.Divide batter evenly into 3 bowls, about 2 1/2 cups each. Pour white batter into a pan. Add 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring to one bowl and 1/2 teaspoon blue to the other. Stir each until blended. Pour into pans. Bake 30 to 34 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

4.FOR THE BUTTERCREAM: Beat butter, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt in large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until blended, about 1 minute. Slowly beat in powdered sugar until smooth. Increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.

5.Reserve about 1 1/2 cups of white buttercream. Divide remaining buttercream evenly into two bowls and use food coloring to dye one blue and one red.

6.Place blue cake layer on serving plate. Frost top with about half of the blue buttercream and sprinkle blueberries evenly over. Place white cake layer on top of blue and frost with about half of the white buttercream. Place strawberries on top of white buttercream.

7.Top with red cake layer and frost with a thin layer of red buttercream. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

8.Frost bottom of cake with remaining blue frosting, middle with remaining white, and top with remaining red. Smooth the edge of the cake to blend the buttercream colors slightly. Slice and serve.

TIP: For the boldest blue and red color, use gel colors purchased from the craft section of the store

Find this recipe and more holiday treats at readyseteat.com