By: Jodie Shield, RD

Republican? Democrat? First and foremost – we are all Americans.  Here’s a bipartisan cake  you will want to serve in honor of election day – November 6th.  Be sure to use fresh berries and let your kids help decorate the cake.  Be a patriot and serve this stars and stripes cake. Then ask your family to vote: is this cake as delicious as it looks?

Stars- and-Stripes Cake

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:

1 box of your child’s favorite cake mix (or you can buy a sheet cake without frosting)

egg whites

unsweetened applesauce

nonstick vegetable spray

1 tub reduced-fat vanilla frosting

1 cup fresh blueberries, washed and drained

1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced, washed, and drained

Directions:

Prepare the cake mix according to package directions, but substitute two egg whites for every whole egg, and use a half cup of applesauce for every half cup of oil or butter.  Bake as directed in a 9-by-13-inch pan that has been coated with nonstick vegetable spray.

After the cake has cooled, spread a thin layer of vanilla frosting over the top.  Arrange the blueberries in a rectangle in the upper left hand corner, then place the strawberries into stripes so the top of the cake looks like an American flag.

How I lowered fat and calories:

1. Substituted egg whites for whole eggs.
2. Replaced oil and/or butter with unsweetened applesauce.
3. Used reduced-fat frosting.