Flag Cake

Ingredients

1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
1 cup shortening
1 (2 pound) package confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Blue and red food coloring

Directions

Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using two greased 9-in. round baking pans. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

For frosting, in a mixing bowl, combine the shortening, sugar, water, salt and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 5-8 minutes or until fluffy. Place one cake on a serving plate; spread with 2/3 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake.

In a small bowl, combine 2/3 cup frosting and blue food coloring. In another bowl, combine 1-2/ cups frosting and red food coloring. Fill pastry or plastic bag with 1/4 cup white frosting; cut a small hole in the corner of the bag and set aside.

Frost cake top and sides with remaining white frosting. With blue frosting, frost a 3-in. section in the upper left corner of the cake. Pipe white starts over blue frosting. Fill another pastry or plastic bag with red frosting; cut a large hole in the corner of the bag. Pipe stripes across top of cake.