🎉 A Birthday Cake for Me (And America, too, I guess)

Summer berries and billowy whipped cream, anyone?

Cake doesn’t usually crack the top three of my favorite desserts (I mean, sheet pan chocolate chip cookies and peach cobbler exist??), but a few weeks ago I saw a stunning whipped cream and berry cake in a Dorie Greenspan cookbook, and suddenly it was all I could think about. And since it’s my birthday week, an extravagant baking project + a celebratory summer cake felt like the perfect gift to myself.

I say extravagant, but nothing about this cake is particularly fussy or difficult. It’s got a few more steps than my typical 9 x 13 inch sheet cake, but each one is very doable, whether you’re a seasoned baker or brand new to the kitchen.

I almost share a birthday with America, which is sometimes cool (fireworks!) and sometimes not cool (fascism!). But if you’re looking to celebrate the holiday weekend with something vaguely patriotic in color, this cake works well. It’s also lovely for family reunions and backyard cookouts and any old Tuesday night where you’d like to treat yourself.