I always think about making a patriotic dessert too late, like the morning of the celebration! I’m a planner in most aspects of my life but a themed 4th of July dessert just isn’t on my radar. Finally, I am ahead of the game. I make this patriotic dessert for Father’s Day. We celebrated with lunch at my in-laws house, spending time with my husband, kids, in-laws and friends. My in-laws love to be blog recipe guinea pigs and wish I would “experiment” on them more often than I do. My simple patriotic fruit tunnel cake was a huge hit! My husband is not a dessert person and he insisted that I bring the leftover cake home, and he ate a piece each night til it was gone!
This cake can be whipped up in minutes, if you have the ingredients on hand. Make sure you add them to your pre-4th of July shopping list and you will be all set. The printable recipe is down below, I have some step-by-step pictures to simplify things for you.
How to make a Tunnel Cake
1. Place a metal mixing bowl and your metal beaters in the freezer.
2. Wash the fruit and quarter the strawberries using a paring knife
3. Using a bread knife
4. using a paring knife carefully cut a tunnel for the fruit. Be careful not to cut through the bottom or sides of the cake.
Cut the tunnel with a paring knife
5. Place the strawberries and blueberries in the tunnel. Fill it up as much as you can.
Fill the tunnel with the fruit.
6. Set the cake aside and make the frosting. Get the chilled bowl and beaters out of the freezer.
7. Pour the whipping cream and vanilla into the chilled bowl and whip until stiff peaks form (2-5 minutes). Set aside.
8. In a large mixing bowl place the softened cream cheese and the confectioners sugar. Mix on medium until smooth and creamy (1-2 minutes).
9. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until combined.
10. Spread a layer of frosting on the bottom of the top part of the cake to act as glue. Re-assemble the cake. Now frost the rest of the cake. Decorate with remaining fruit and refrigerate, at least 1 hour before serving.
Note: This frosting starts to melt if it is out of the fridge for about 2 hours so plan accordingly.
Printable Tunnel Cake Recipe
- 1-10 " store bought angel food cake
- ½ cup strawberries
- ½ cup blueberries
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-8 oz brick cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup confectioners sugar
- Place a metal mixing bowl and your metal beaters in the freezer.
- Wash the fruit and quarter the strawberries using a paring knife.
- Using a bread knife, slice off the top 1" of the cake and set aside.
- Using a paring knife carefully cut a tunnel for the fruit. Be careful not to cut through the bottom or sides of the cake.
- Place the strawberries and blueberries in the tunnel. Fill it up as much as you can.
- Set the cake aside and make the frosting. Get the chilled bowl and beaters out of the freezer.
- Pour the whipping cream and vanilla into the chilled bowl and whip until stiff peaks form (2-5 minutes). Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl place the softened cream cheese and the confectioners sugar. Mix on medium until smooth and creamy (1-2 minutes).
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until combined.
- Spread a layer of frosting on the bottom of the top part of the cake to act as glue. Re-assemble the cake. Now frost the rest of the cake. Decorate with remaining fruit and refrigerate, at least 1 hour before serving.
- This frosting starts to melt if it is out of the fridge for about 2 hours so plan accordingly.
This frosting starts to melt if it is out of the fridge for about 2 hours so plan accordingly.
That is what I call a simple patriotic dessert! I hope you enjoy all of the easy recipes I share here on The Mom Maven. I hope you share them on your social networks. I just ask that you not copy and share the entire recipe with photos. Please use the sharing buttons below and share the link to this page. Thanks!
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