Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

If you are planning a BBQ or party for the next week or anytime this summer and need a fun, patriotic dessert you might want to make Fourth of July Fruit Pizza  This is actually a recipe I shared  before – Strawberry Pizza.  It is one of our family’s favorite desserts to make during strawberry season so I decided to change it up a little bit and make it a flag fruit pizza by adding blueberries for a red white and blue color scheme!  You can use any fresh fruit you like.

Ingredients

• All Purpose Flour. I prefer unbleached flour.
• Sugar, granulated sugar and powdered sugar
• Butter. I use salted butter
• Cream Cheese. Softened
• Vanilla Extract
• Lemon Juice
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Cornstarch

How to Make Fruit Pizza

• Combine flour, powdered sugar and butter in a medium bowl. Use a pastry blender to combine.

• Form dough into a ball with hands and roll out into a rectangle shape. Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet.

• Bake at 325 degrees F oven for 15 minutes. Cool

• Mix together the softened cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla for the cream cheese layer in a medium size bowl with an electric hand mixer or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.

• Spread cream cheese mixture in an even layer on the cooled sugar cookie base, leaving about 1/4 inch of cookie showing.  I like to use an offset spatula to spread the cream cheese.

• Combine pureed strawberries, granulated sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan.
• Cook until it turns thick and glossy, about 6-8 minutes. 

• Allow glaze to cool before adding it to the top of the cream cheese layer.
• Layer sliced strawberries and blueberries to form the stripes.

Other favorite fun dessert ideas:

• 4th of July Cookie Bark
• 4th of July Appetizer } Charcuterie Board
• M&M Blondies
• Fruit Pizza
• Pizza Dough Recipe

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4th of July Fruit Pizza

Patriotic Fruit Pizza is just not for the 4th of July, it's perfect for any patriotic holiday or when you want to show off your red, white and blue!  

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 208kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Equipment

• Parchment Paper
• Rolling Pin
• Measuring Cups

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup butter

Filling:

• 1 8 oz. cream cheese room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. lemon juice

Topping;

• 1 cup strawberries mashed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 qt strawberries sliced
• 1-2 cups blueberries

Instructions

Crust:

• In a medium bowl, combine flour, powdered sugar and butter. Use a pastry blender to combine.
• Form into a ball with hands and roll out into a rectangle. Place on parchment paper on a baking sheet.
• Bake at 325 degrees F oven for 10-12minutes. Do not let it brown. Cool cookie crust.

Filling:

• In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, vanilla, sugar and lemon juice. Use an electric hand mixer or put in the bowl of a stand mixer and use the paddle attachment. Mix until smooth and well combined.
• Spread mixture on cooled crust

Topping:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine strawberries, sugar and cornstarch
• Simmer until thick and glossy 6-8 minutes. It will turn from cloudy to clear. Cool completely.
• Spread on top of cream cheese filling
• Cut fresh strawberries crosswise and place on fruit pizza to make stripes. Add in blueberries between the stripes.

Notes

1. If you are short on time you can use a roll of refrigerated sugar cookie dough for the base of the cookie.
2. Don’t over bake the crust. Don’t allow the edges to brown. If the crust is too crisp it will be hard to cut.
3. Make sure the crust is completely cooked before adding the cream cheese layer or it will melt into the crust.
4. Don’t panic if your pureed strawberry mixture doesn’t turn thick and glossy right away, it takes a bit of time. Be patient.
5. Use a pizza cutter to cut the 4th of July pizza into pieces. We like to cut it into squares.

Nutrition

Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 69mg | Potassium: 160mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Vitamin C: 54.6mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Continue reading 4th of July Fruit Pizza. This post is from Your Homebased Mom. If you are not reading it from our feed, it has been STOLEN. Please contact Leigh Anne Wilkes to let us know. Enjoy the posts.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Strawberry Layer Cake is a delicious alternative to strawberry shortcake! Strawberry shortcake is a classic, but it can be dense and dry if you aren’t careful. This strawberry cake recipe is moist and delicious and covered with a delicious 7 Minute Frosting. If you are looking for a more traditional strawberry shortcake, try this recipe!

The vanilla cake is soft and tastes delicious, the strawberries are always perfection, and the 7 minute frosting is light, fluffy, and reminds me of marshmallow fluff.

Ingredients Needed

• Strawberries. I like to slice and macerate the strawberries.
• Cake Flour. Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour and will yield a lighter, fluffier cake. If you don’t have cake flour you can substitute all purpose flour.
• Sugar
• Butter, softened
• Eggs, room temperature
• Milk, room temperature
• Oranges, juice and zest
• Baking Powder
• Cream of Tartar
• Vanilla Extract
• Salt

How to Make Strawberry Layer Cake

• Heat oven 350 degrees F. Spray 2 (9-inch) round baking pans with cooking spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper; spray paper.
• Combine milk and orange juice in small bowl.
• Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in medium bowl.
• Mix butter and sugar in large bowl or a stand mixer with paddle attachment until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add in vanilla extract.
• Beat flour mixture into butter/sugar mixture in 3 parts alternately with orange juice mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Divide batter between two prepared pans.

• Bake at 350° F for 30- 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool in pans on wire rack 15 minutes and then remove and allow to cool completely.
• Slice strawberries.
• Combine strawberries and sugar in a large bowl and let sit for 15 minutes.

• Prepare 7 minute frosting.
• Slice each layer of cake in half.
• Spoon 1/3 of sliced strawberries onto cake. Drain off excess liquid so as not to make the cake soggy.

• Top with 1 cup of frosting.
• Repeat with remaining layers.

• Spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake.
• Garnish with strawberries.

How To Make 7 Minute Frosting

• Beat sugar, water, egg whites and cream of tartar in large heatproof bowl at high speed until egg whites are foamy and opaque.
• Place bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water.
• Beat at high speed until soft peaks form
• Remove bowl from saucepan.
• Add orange zest and vanilla extract.
• Beat at high speed until slightly cool and thickened.

Check out more of my favorite strawberry recipes:

• Strawberry Bars
• Strawberry Cream Pie
• Strawberry Sauce
• Strawberry Pizza
• Strawberry Bundt Cake

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Strawberry Layer Cake Recipe

A delicious alternative to strawberry shortcake, this Strawberry Layer Cake is the perfect summer dessert. Layered with fresh strawberries and fluffy frosting it is pretty and delicious.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 429kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Equipment

• Measuring Spoons
• Microplane
• Cake Pan (9in)

Ingredients

CAKE

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• 3 cups cake flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

7 Minute Frosting

• 1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar divided
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 2 tsp grated orange peel
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 lb. strawberries about 4 cups, sliced
• whole strawberries halved or whole for garnish

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 (9-inch) round baking pans with cooking spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper; spray paper.
• Combine milk and orange juice in small bowl.
• Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl.
• Mix butter and 2 cups sugar in large bowl at medium speed 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Can use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add in 2 teaspoons vanilla.
• Beating slowly, beat in flour mixture in 3 parts alternately with orange juice mixture into sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Divide batter between pans.
• Bake for 30- 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 15 minutes.
• Remove cakes from pan and remove parchment. Turn cakes top-side up; cool completely.
• (Cake can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.)

7 Minute Frosting

• Beat 1 1/4 cups of the sugar, water, egg whites and cream of tartar in large heatproof bowl at high speed 1 minute or until egg whites are foamy and opaque. Place bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (bowl should not touch water); beat at high speed 7 minutes or until soft peaks form
• Remove bowl from saucepan. Add orange peel and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat at high speed 2 minutes or until slightly cool and thickened.
• Combine sliced strawberries and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in large bowl; let stand 15 minutes.
• Slice cake layers in half horizontally. Spoon one-third of the strawberry mixture, including juice, over bottom layer; top with second layer and one-third strawberry mixture. Spread 1 cup of the frosting over strawberry mixture; top with third layer and remaining strawberry mixture. Top with fourth layer.
• Spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake, swirling to decorate.
• Garnish with strawberries. Store in refrigerator.

Notes

• Refrigerate cake until ready to serve.
• Use a serrated bread knife to slice the cake for best results.
• This cake is best enjoyed the same day it is made. The juice from the strawberries will make the cake soggy after 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 429kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 199mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 594IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg

Continue reading Strawberry Layer Cake. This post is from Your Homebased Mom. If you are not reading it from our feed, it has been STOLEN. Please contact Leigh Anne Wilkes to let us know. Enjoy the posts.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

These blueberry crumb bars have all the flavor and texture of a blueberry pie but are easier and quicker to make! No pastry crust required. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries although I do prefer fresh! And you can easily substitute another fruit or berry for the blueberries if you prefer.

Ingredients Needed

• Granulated Sugar
• Baking powder
• All-purpose flour
• Butter, cold
• Egg
• Salt
• Lemon
• Blueberries, fresh or frozen

How to Make Blueberry Crumble Bars

• Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease a 9×13 inch pan or line with parchment paper.
• Stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
• Mix in salt and lemon zest
• Blend in the butter and egg using a fork, pastry cutter, or food processor. Dough will be crumbly.
• Press half of dough into the prepared pan
• Stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice is a separate bowl.
• Mix in the blueberries gently.

• Sprinkle the blueberry filling mixture evenly over the crust
• Crumble remaining dough into pea size crumbs over the top.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown
• Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Blueberry Crumb Bars are just like eating a slice of blueberry pie in a bar form.  The only thing missing is a scoop of ice cream.  So add a scoop of ice cream to the top of a bar and enjoy! 

Check out more of my favorite recipes:

• Easy Chicken Pot Pie
• Simple Mango Crumble
• Blueberry Bread
• Fresh Blueberry Ice Cream
• Mini Blueberry Pie

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Blueberry Crumb Bars

Blueberry Crumb Bars are a delicious layer of blueberries sandwiched between a shortbread crust buttery crumble topping.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 20 servings

Calories 242kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Equipment

• Baking Dish (9×13)
• Measuring Spoons
• Measuring Cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cold butter salted butter
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Zest and juice of one lemon
• 4 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 4 tsp. cornstarch

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease a 9×13 inch pan or line with parchment paper
• In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest
• Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg This can also be done in a food processor. Dough will be crumbly.
• Pat half of dough into the prepared pan
• In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice
• Gently mix in the blueberries
• Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust
• Crumble remaining dough over the top
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown
• Cool completely before cutting into squares

Notes

1. I prefer fresh blueberries in this recipe. If you are using frozen blueberries just thaw and drain them really well.
2. You can put them in the refrigerator if you need them to cool faster.  You can slice them warm but they will be easier to handle and slice if they have cooled.

Nutrition

Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 109mg | Potassium: 87mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 321IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

Continue reading Blueberry Crumb Bars. This post is from Your Homebased Mom. If you are not reading it from our feed, it has been STOLEN. Please contact Leigh Anne Wilkes to let us know. Enjoy the posts.

4th of July Blondie

When you are looking for a quick and easy dessert treat these M&M Blondies are the answer. When you don’t have time to scoop out and bake several batches of cookies, blondies are just what you need. The same flavor and goodness of a cookie but in easy bar form.

Today we are adding in red, white and blue M&M’s to create the perfect patriotic, 4th of July Blondie treat but use whatever color of M&M’s you have.

What is a Blondie?

A blondie is basically a brownie with out the cocoa powder in it.

It is the perfect bar cookie for your non chocolate lovers but it still has enough chocolate in it for your chocolate fans!

How to Make M&M Blondies

• Preheat oven to 350
• Line a 9 x 13 pan with foil and then spray with baking spray.
• Combine butter and sugars. Beat until fluffy
• Add in eggs and vanilla
• Gradually add in flour and salt until blended.

• Mix in chips and M&M. Use any combination of chips and M&M’s you like.
• Spread batter into pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and a tooth pick comes out only slightly gooey.
• Cool and remove from pan by lifting up the foil.

• After they are baked and cooled I drizzled some white chocolate over the top.
• Sprinkle some additional M&M’s on top of drizzled chocolate if desired.

• Allow the drizzled chocolate to set up and then cut into bars.

Tips for Perfect Blondies

• Measure ingredients carefully. Blondies are suppose to be chewy and adding too much flour in will create a more cake like, less chewy blondie.
• Do not over-bake. This will also dry out the blondie and make it less chewy.
• Use room temperature ingredients. They will incorporate easier and you will not over mix the dough which can cause a tougher blondie.

M&M Blondie Variations

1. Use any color combination of M&M’s and chips that you like.
2. Add in other candies such as in these Peanut Butter Cup Blondies, White Chocolate Toffee Blondies or flavor of chocolate chips like these Butterscotch Blondies.
3. The addition of cinnamon to a blondie creates a delicious Snickerdoodle Blondie. These Cheesecake Snickerdoodle Blondies are another favorite.

Check out more fun recipes made with M&M’s:

• White Chocolate Frito Popcorn
• Monster Cookies
• Munchies Ice Cream

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M&M Blondies

These soft and chewy M&M blondies are full of M&M's. Customize these blondies by using your favorite color combination of candy to add a holiday flare to these delicious treat.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 20 servings

Calories 332kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 11/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup M & M’s red, white and blue
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350
• Line a 9 x 13 pan with foil and then spray with baking spray.
• Combine butter and sugars. Beat until fluffy
• Add in eggs and vanilla
• Gradually add in flour and salt until blended.
• Mix in chips and M & M
• Spread batter into pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and a tooth pick comes out only slightly gooey.
• Cool and remove from pan by lifting up the foil.

Nutrition

Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 123mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 192IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg

Continue reading M&M Blondies. This post is from Your Homebased Mom. If you are not reading it from our feed, it has been STOLEN. Please contact Leigh Anne Wilkes to let us know. Enjoy the posts.

I love the Fourth of July. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that my ancestors came over on the Mayflower and I have relatives that fought in the Revolution War but I love America!!

We usually spend the Fourth of July at the Oregon Coast with a bonfire and s’mores making on the beach watching the fireworks. During the day there is a BBQ and a good old fashioned, small town 4th of July parade!

What better way to celebrate the Fourth than with some red, white and blue food and treats!?

Another thing I love the combination of sweet and salty in this cookie bark thanks to the addition of pretzels.

Cookie Bark Ingredients

• White Candy Melts. You can also use white almond bark.
• Pretzels
• Oreo Cookies
• M & M’s
• Sprinkles

How to Make 4th of July Cookie Bark

• Place a piece of parchment paper on the table or a baking sheet.
• Crush up 12 cookies and 1 1/2 cups of pretzels.
• Place crushed cookies, pretzels and 3/4 cups of M & M’s on the parchment paper.

• Pour melted chocolate over the top. I melt it in the microwave but you can also melt in a sauce pan on the stove top.

• Use a spoon or offset spatula to help spread the chocolate over the ingredients.
• Sprinkle the top with reserved M & M’s and sprinkles before chocolate sets up.

• Allow bark to harden up. You can speed up the process by putting it in the refrigerator.

• Once it is set up, using a knife to cut the bark into pieces or just break it with your hands.

How Long Will Cookie Bark Last?

Stored in an airtight container cookie bark will last for 1-2 weeks.

It makes a great treat for a holiday party or to give as a gift. Get creative and think up your own combination of sweet and savory for some cookie bark. Let me know what you come up with.

For more of our favorite 4th of July holiday treats check out these posts:

• 4th of July Fruit Pizza
• Patriotic Cheese Board
• Red, White and Blue M & M Blondies
• 4th of July Ice Cream Soda Bar

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4th of July Bark

This patriotic 4th of July Cookie Bark is sweet and salty and the perfect way to show your red, white and blue!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Cooling 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 24 servings

Calories 257kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Ingredients

• 14 Oreo cookies broken up
• 1 1/2 cups pretzels broken into pieces or small stick pretzels
• 24 oz white chocolate almond bark or melts found in the bulk food section
• 1 cup holiday M & M's
• red and blue colored sprinkles

Instructions

• Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Spread broken cookes, pretzels and about 3/4 C of the candy corn onto the parchment.
• Place white chocolate in a container and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes.
• Stir and then microwave for another 30 seconds until melted and smooth. Be careful, white chocolate melts faster and burns easier than chocolate.
• Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookie mixture, spreading with spatula if needed to coat evenly
• Sprinkle M&Ms and colored sprinkles over the chocolate while it is still wet
• Place cookie tray into refrigerator until set and firm.
• Remove and gently break bark into small pieces.
• Store in air tight container.

Notes

Keep it stored in a zippered plastic bag of an airtight container and it will last for 2-3 weeks. It can be stored at room temperature, in a dry, cool spot. It does not need to be refrigerated. Just keep it away from heat.

Bark can be frozen in a freezer container for up to 2 months.  Allow to thaw at room temperature before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 103mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

Continue reading 4th of July Cookie Bark. This post is from Your Homebased Mom. If you are not reading it from our feed, it has been STOLEN. Please contact Leigh Anne Wilkes to let us know. Enjoy the posts.