7/4/12: AMERICA's cookie cake

In honor of our nation's 236's birthday, our college ministry group threw a cook-out complete with hot dogs, hamburgers, watermelon, coleslaw, and a COOKIE CAKE decorated as an American flag (cause what else would you have on Independence Day)!  Here's the recipe in case you'd like to make your own for next year (or use your creativity with the fruit and you can have the cake for any occasion, not just July 4th)! 

Sugar Cookie Cake
Ingredients:
     -2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
     -1 tsp. baking soda
     -1/2 tsp. baking powder
     -1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
     -1 1/2 cups white sugar
     -1 egg
     -1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
     -8oz cream cheese, softened
     -1/3 cup powdered sugar
     -1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions for cake:
     1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
     2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients.
     3. Pour out all the dough onto a greased and floured cookie sheet (I recommend using one with edges) and spread the dough over the entire surface of the sheet making the thickness as even as possible.
     4. Bake about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let cool before frosting.

Directions for frosting:
     1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer.
     2. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract.

     3. After all the ingredients have been well combined, pour all the frosting onto the cooled cake and smooth over the entire surface.  

*After the cake has been frosted, arrange preferred fruit in desired manner (blueberries and strawberries as seen above).  Store in fridge until ready to eat.