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Let's celebrate the birth of America with a classic from scratch dessert recipe!
I can't believe that the 4th of July holiday is upon us. It's all about tradition, family, friends and food! Of course food!
If you are planning a gathering for your loved ones here are some recipe ideas that keep health, quality and taste in mind. Let’s think beyond hot dogs, frozen hamburger patties, and store-bought potato salad and move towards fresh produce, grass-fed meats and seafood. Plan a cookout that is good for the body and soul.
Let's start with dessert, why not?
What about a Vanilla Sheet Cake?
This amazing sheet cake is easy to make, and everyone should love it. Yes, please raise your hand if you don't like a vanilla cake with whipped cream and fresh berries, and let's not forget the blueberry compote, which is key to enhancing an already moist cake.
Glossy, sweet and yummy!
What makes this Vanilla Sheet Cake a Healthier Dessert?
Created with love, this made by scratch dessert contains all organic ingredients, nothing is from a can or box with preservatives. It includes a little trick to get a healthy dose of probiotic, along with natural antioxidants, which are graciously supplied by the berries.
Fresh is best, and using seasonal local produce in your baking takes even your desserts to the next taste bud level of ecstasy; look at my children faces when they did an eating test drive for this recipe!
I guess I should call it strawberry shortcake with blue compote. What do you think?
This beautiful vanilla sponge cake is the perfect dessert for summer celebrations! It’s an English inspired sponge cake that’s super simple to make and sure to impress!
Fresh berries and a healthy dose of whipped cream. Yummy! Doesn't it sound great? The eating experience comes together in one perfect bite with blueberry compote.
MORE HEALTHY CROWD PLEASING RECIPES
Starting with the appetizers, consider a vegetable tray that has colorful and unique veggies. Try using heirloom tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, endive, etc., and serve with a delicious and very nutritious dip. Here are just a few of my favorites:
Top off your gatherings with infused water, your family and guests will thank you! Use fruit like berries, lemons, oranges, limes and herbs to make a refreshing and healthy drink. Also, consider serving fermented tea called Kombucha, buy or make your own.
Make for kiddos a pops:
Since we are celebrating America, it’s only natural to have meat as the main event on July 4th. Am I right?
Homemade hamburgers, grilled chicken kebabs and steak are all great options. Use a smoker if you own one. Smoked meat or fish are fantastic crowd-pleasing proteins. As a side dish Boston baked beans is must recipe. Try this full of flavor and crunch Oriental Crunchy Slaw with Healthy Dressing.
Every get together outdoors require a potato salad, right?
Try this Ukrainian root vegetable salad instead, full of flavor, very colorful, and most importantly - healthy, beside so many vegetables provides a large spectrum of vitamins, also fermented pickles provides a probiotic.
Make memorable sides by offering a mix of fruit and vegetable salads. I'm a big lover of salads, check out this collection of salads:
Homemade dessert can be the perfect finish to any gathering. Since July 4th is usually a very warm day, it’s nice to have a cool refreshing dessert or frozen drink!
Here are a few options for you:
I hope you give it try to this our favorite family vanilla sponge cake with homemade probiotic rich lemon whipped cream, fresh berries and blueberry compote!
Let's make this cake...
Prep time: 10 minutes
Making time: 25 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Author: Innichkachef.com
Serves: 10 people
Ingredients for the vanilla sponge cake
3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1& 1/4 cups raw cane sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pink salt
1& 1/2 cups milk (any milk works great here)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract
Ingredients for the frosting
4 cups of cold heavy cream (I prefer this brand)
3/4 cup of raw cane sugar or raw honey
Zest of one lemon
1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt or kefir cheese
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Ingredients for the blue compote
2 cups blueberries fresh or frozen
1 cup raw cane sugar or honey
Zest from one lemon and juice
3 teaspoons of corn starch
Berries for garnish (strawberries, blueberries)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Sprinkle a little flour into the pan, then shake the pan around to evenly distribute the flour. Get rid of the excess flour.
In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add milk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla; whisk until just combined. Do not over mix; it’s okay if there are some lumps. Pour the batter onto the prepared baking pan and distribute evenly. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Or use a kitchen thermometer and look for the number 180F.
Set pans aside for 10 minutes to cool, and then remove cake from the pan and place on a cooling rack (a trick: place a baking sheet on top of the sheet with the cake, flip it over so that the cake comes out, then flip the sheet over onto the cooling rack).
When completely cool, and then you are ready to decorate with frosting.
To make the frosting, add all ingredients except yogurt into an electric mixing bowl, and whisk all together for a few minutes. Start on low speed, when you notice a slight thickening consistency, add the yogurt, increase the speed to medium and whisk to your desired preference of thickness. However, keep eye on it to avoid over beating.
To make the compote, place berries into a small saucepan, add sugar or honey, lemon and cornstarch. Stir to combine all the ingredients. You can break some of the berries with a potato masher. If you prefer a less chunky consistency then puree all together with an immersion blender.
Now, assemble the cake and I love to use individual glasses (cups) or one big clear trifle/glass bowl. Break the cooled sponge cake into square pieces. First start with a layer of whipped cream, sprinkle with berries, add your pieces of cake, then generously the drizzle blue compote. Repeat this procedure until your trifle/glass bowl is full. Always finish with whipped cream and berries.
NOTE
To make the kefir cheese you can use homemade kefir or store bought. If you don't have a time for it then skip it and use a Greek yogurt.
This cake is good to keep in the fridge covered with plastic for 2 days.
I hope you'll make this recipe soon. If you do, please tag me #innichka_chef on Instagram, Facebook, Patrion or Pinterest.