Estimated Time:
1 1/2- 2 hours

Materials:
Pillsbury "Stars & Stripes"
Funfetti cake mix

Pillsbury "Stars & Stripes"
Funfetti white frosting

water, oil and eggs

optional:
cupcake liners, little bitty paper Flags, 'Happy Birthday' Cake Mate candy letters (red white and blue, w/blue and red Star candle holders!!)

Description:
Pillsbury doesn't pay me to say this, but: they have done a lot to make holiday cakes and cupcakes Fun! Valentine's day, Halloween...and now this!!

My kids were so excited when I brought home the colorful Red, White and Blue cake mixes and frosting tubs. The Doughboy has never looked more festive!! ;-) Slice n' Bake cookies (w/Flag design molded in) are easy and quick, but sometimes kids want/need a project that goes a little beyond that.

Instructions:
Decide which you want: cupcakes or a larger cake...shape...even Bundt type! Follow instructions on the Box.

*There's a Cookie variation; just a bit less oil used, and no water. Cool...I guess I should've bought 3 boxes of each...or 4 (there is a Flag version; read further down the page...) hmmm...

Other comments or suggestions:
My kids actually fought over who would mix the batter. The 14 year old is generally beyond that; rainy days of summer vacation bring on Cabin Fever ;-) Actually, Rain is a July 4th tradition where I live, and this is a good activity for that reason alone!

Cool Thang: the colorful chips in the cake mix And in the frosting are Not pre-stirred into the product. So: if Life gets too busy for ya, and you don't get around to using the Holiday products until after the holiday: you still have a basic vanilla cake and frosting to use any ol' time, as you like.

For cupcakes: the amount of sprinkles is tricky to apply evenly without running out; kids tend to pile on too much. Encourage them to use just a pinch on each, 'cuz they can always add a bit more later! Or: buy an extra tub o' frosting, for the sprinkles alone, and use the frosting another day.

You can get patriotic cupcakes and cakes at the grocery store bakery dept., but quality is soooo variable...some of it is truly Gak!

There are 6 trivia questions on the back of the box, plus:
a Flag-style cake that utilizes a pint of strawberries or red raspberries (in other ways, it's the same grocery list ;-)

cupcake liners: Wilton makes some with red, white and blue...naturally, I could not find the ones left over from last year ;-( Foil looks very nice! Just be sure to assist little ones with Peeling the foil off! Eating foil would have to be a Bad Experience...and I find those type do sometimes stick/tear into pieces, vs. coming off in one easy tug.