Several years ago, my daughter had a pair of flip-flops with a lavender, peach and white flag on the top. The colors were beautiful together, and I loved the non-traditional palette. I have always wanted to make a flag cake out of some kind of candy, so when I ran across these “smoothie mix” gumballs, I was inspired. I know some people (including my husband) would prefer red, white, and blue, but I personally think this looks like an actual birthday cake – for America! …Or anyone with a birthday that falls on the fourth of July! It’s the perfect dessert to serve to the kids’ table, or it would be fun to host a little pre-fourth kids’ party. I always love a good pastel palette, so I didn’t want to exclude one of my favorite holidays from getting in on the fun!

Be sure to warn guests that the stripes are gum balls (to chew after eating the cake), so your friends aren’t digesting gum for the next seven years! (Actually, that’s a myth…but it’s still not a good idea to swallow it!) If they complain about gum balls on a cake, remind them about that ice cream we used to eat as kids, where you actually had to spit out the pieces of gum to save for later! ;) Good ol’ childhood memories!

• Rectangular cake (9”x13”) with white frosting
• Can of white frosting
• Food coloring (blue, yellow, green)
• Spoon
• Bowl
• Knife or angled spatula (to spread frosting)
• “White mystery” AirHeads (2-3 pieces)
• Mini star-shaped cookie cutter
• Smoothie mix gumballs

Step 1
Place a few large spoonfuls of white frosting in a bowl. Mix in a drop of blue food coloring, and stir. Add green, yellow, and more blue drops if necessary, until you feel that the frosting color coordinates with the blue gum ball. Spread a rectangle of the blue frosting in the upper, left corner of the cake, referencing an American flag for size and placement.

Step 2
Use your hands to flatten out a piece of “mystery white” AirHeads candy, and use your cookie cutter to create a star. Repeat this step until you have five stars. Place them in the blue rectangle on the cake.

Step 3
Decide on a color pattern for your gumballs, and place them in a row at the top of the cake, starting at the right of the blue rectangle. Once you have completed a row, begin the second row beneath it, leaving about a gum ball’s width between the two rows. Do not place any gumballs in the blue frosting. By about the fifth row, you will start your rows on the far left edge of the cake. Alternate which color you begin with for every other row, so the colors are more spread out across the cake.

Easy peasy! Happy 4th of July!!

Want even more ideas for the 4th of July? Check out these recycled plastic lanterns for indoor or outdoor decorations, make your own red & blue infused fruit ice cubes, and get a little messy with these bubble painted garlands!