Time to break out the red, white and blue! We are just a few days away from celebrating the 4th of July, and you can certainly see that here at the bakery. 

red white blueOur cases are filled with patriotic pastries and star-covered sweets. You’ll find cookies, cupcakes, cakes – even donuts! – all decked out for our upcoming Independence Day. 

We hope you’ll stop in to select a few tasty treats to help make your holiday celebration sizzle this summer. 

For many, this will be the first time in a few years folks will gather for picnics, barbeques, and block parties. Why not commemorate the occasion with a festive flag cake? A tray of red, white, and blue cookies makes any table pop at a party.  

Ashley’s is open today and tomorrow from 7am-5pm and from 7am-4pm on Saturday, so there’s time to swing by to pick up whatever treats you need for the Fourth. 

And sweets aren’t the only thing we’ve got for your party. Remember, we bake fresh bread daily, as well as delicious buns and rolls, which are the perfect complement to your grilled hamburgers and hotdogs. 

Decorate, bake, celebrate
Because it’s summer, and in this season we like to keep it simple, we’re sharing a few easy-peasy ways to decorate, bake and celebrate America. 

Patriotic Cake with FruitIf you want to make a statement for the holiday, we have an easy dessert recipe to try: an American flag cake! You can bake a simple white cake, frost with white icing and top with blueberries and strawberries.

We like this recipe from The Food Network for a classic white cake:

Ingredients

  • 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 large egg whites (3/4 cup)
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

Directions

  • Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
  •  In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. 
  • Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  •  Combine egg whites, milk and vanilla extract. 
  • Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture then add half the milk mixture. Continue to alternate beginning and ending with flour mixture. Scrape bowl and beater often. 
  • Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth top with a metal spatula. 
  • Bake cake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. 
  • Cool in a pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack, remove paper and let cool completely.
  • When the cake is cool, cover the top with icing. 
  • Decorate with blueberries and strawberries to make a flag. Place blueberries in a rectangular pattern in the upper left corner. Slice strawberries and line horizontally to make the flag’s stripes. 

We promise not only will this cake look good, but it’ll taste good, too. 

Need easy decor to add some patriotic flair to your house? Pick up some small American flags and put a few in your flower pots on the front porch. You can also plop a few in your flower beds, around your mailbox, or line your driveway to make your yard look festive. 

Want something even easier? Let your flag fly! Simply putting an American flag out makes your house ready for the 4th.

You don’t need fancy fireworks for the 4th. Sparklers are always fun and really make the holiday. You can pick these up at your local grocery when you’re picking up supplies for your BBQ, so it won’t require an extra trip anywhere. It’s fun to twirl the blazing wands in the night sky whether you’re a kid or an adult! 

We hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th of July, and Happy Birthday, America!