Easy Summer Dessert Ideas for the 4th of July

Impressive, Quick and Simple Desserts - Boston Cream Pie

Jun 30, 2009

Boston Cream Pie the Easy Way, Mary King

Celebrate the Fourth of July with Boston Cream Pie. Holidays are great for getting creative; add simple ingredients and turn a plain dessert into a masterpiece,

Making dessert for a couple or a crowd this 4th of July? Keep it smart and simple by using ready-made items or packaged ingredients. Take a few shortcuts and still earn compliments for the work. These dessert assembly ideas keep the cook out of the kitchen and at the center of the fun.

Boston Cream Pie the Easy Way

The official dessert of Massachusetts, Boston Cream Pie is not a pie, but a split cake with a pudding-type cream filling. Drizzle chocolate on the top for one of the finest desserts ever created. Boston Cream Pie is an elegant choice for serving a family or small crowd at a Fourth of July celebration.

Ingredients:

1 box Yellow (or White) Cake mix, 1 or 2-layer (plus eggs, oil needed to bake cake)
1 box Instant Vanilla Pudding (4-serving size)
1 and 1/2 cups cold Milk
1 can Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Directions:

Bake cake according to package directions in a round cake pan(s). Remove from pan and allow cake to cool completely.
Make pudding, using 1 and 1/2 cups milk. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to set and chill.
Slit cake layer horizontally and set top piece aside. (If a 2-layer cake mix was used, freeze the other layer for another time. Only 1 layer is needed for this recipe.)
Spoon chilled pudding onto bottom of split layer and spread, using the back of the spoon to cover the layer evenly. Replace cake top. Refrigerate any leftover pudding.
Frost top only with fudge frosting. (Frosting can be made to drizzle over the sides by microwaving it on high for ten to twenty seconds before spreading on cake). Refrigerate leftover frosting for another use.
Refrigerate Boston Cream Pie until ready to serve.

Serves 6.

Note: If serving a crowd, use both cake layers and make two desserts. One package instant vanilla pudding is enough for both layers. One can of frosting is enough for both layer tops.

Optional: Add a squirt of whipped cream from a can onto each serving slice and top with a maraschino cherry.

Quick Summer Dessert Ideas

The Kraft Foods Web site offers some great quick and easy recipes, including Jello Jigglers. For the Fourth of July, cut star shapes from the Jello with a cookie cutter. On the same Web site, search for Angel Lush Cake – another divine dessert that's quick to assemble and uses only a few ingredients. The Angel Lush recipe is featured in many women's magazines during the summer months; and for calorie counters, there's a low-calorie recipe for the same cake.

Try these shortest of the shorts summer holiday dessert shortcuts:

Buy packaged pudding cups and remove the lids. Top with whipped topping and add a cherry, or add red, white, and blue sprinkles.
Add a filling of ice cream between 2 chocolate chip cookies to make cookie sandwiches. Additional step: Buy red, white, and blue sprinkles. Roll cookie sandwiches in sprinkles so that ice cream edges get covered in patriotic colors. Freeze until ready to serve.
Top a store-bought coconut cake with 2 or 3 fresh whole strawberries and a few blueberries to make a festive patriotic dessert. (Or use any cake with white frosting.)
Got a cake mix, but no frosting? Bake the cake in a 13 x 9 inch pan. When the cake is cool, cut into single-serving squares. Dust tops with sifted confectioners' sugar. Do the same with white cake and add a few strawberry slices for a pretty contrast. (A spoonful of blueberry pie filling also works as a great topping for plain white cake.)
Buy a box of Kellogg's Rice Krispie Treats (or make them at home). Drizzle melted chocolate over the treats and add red, white, and blue sprinkles for a patriotic treat. The Kelloggs Web site has an impressive choice of recipes that use cereal.
Pound cake is a versatile dessert base that goes well with just about any fruit, including strawberries, blueberries, and peaches. Set out a plate of cake slices. Add bowls of cut-up or sliced fruits, and provide a can (or two) of whipping cream so guests can make their own dessert. Note: Be sure to add a little Fruit Fresh or a few drops of lemon juice to cut up or sliced fruits – particularly peaches – to preserve color.
Throwing an indoor party, but still want to serve watermelon? To keep the mess at a minimum, cut watermelon into chunks instead of big slices. Have bowls and spoons available, and plenty of napkins.

Planning a 4th of July party for the family? Kids can have cookie-decorating fun without a lot of fuss and mess. Buy a can of white or vanilla frosting and a package of plain sugar cookies from the grocery store bakery (or purchase the rolled dough). Bake cookies ahead of time. During the party, allow children to frost the cookies. Let the kids add red, white, and blue sprinkles.

Cooks on a budget that are pressed for time can still serve an impressive dessert to family and guests at a 4th of July party. Serve Boston Cream Pie for adult gatherings or buffet-style parties. Entertain children during a party by allowing them to make cookie desserts. Choose a 4th of July dessert with fruit for an extra-special presentation. Many recipes can be modified, as well, to low-calorie versions. By using a little creativity and adding a personal touch, one can make the simplest dessert a special presentation any day of the year.

The copyright of the article Easy Summer Dessert Ideas for the 4th of July in Summer Recipes is owned by Mary King. Permission to republish Easy Summer Dessert Ideas for the 4th of July in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.