Americans make desserts

America, in my mind, is the home of all things sweet and brightly colored. Back in my international school days, kids would come back from America, accompanied always by a packets of cartoonish candy and tales of outrageous super-sweet snacks. In less than a month I will join the millions of people who have experienced America first-hand and returned slightly fatter, and live to blog endlessly about it. In anticipation of much America to come, here are some selected 4th of July cakes, borne of the patriotic dessert influx that followed the holiday:

Does it get anymore patriotic than an American flag in every slice? I think not. "A little taste of independence in every bite" indeed.

Although this one claims to be in celebration of America, I believe it was probably accidental. A pavlova, some blueberries and some raspberries later, the author suddenly realized that, "Why, this looks very American. Let's call it a 4th of July cake!" Very clever, very clever. Cake is always more impressive when it's categorized.

These are almost too pretty to eat and deserve to be put on display as an abstract representation of the modern American soul.

And last but not least: E.B. and family's traditional American flag cake. God bless America.