![Flag Cake](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2021/05/29/dining/em-icebox-cake-copy/em-icebox-cake-mediumThreeByTwo440.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
Flag Cake
Erin Jeanne McDowell
1285 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
1,285
45 minutes, plus overnight chilling
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Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 11-by-7-by-1½-inch baking dish. Line pan with parchment paper, allowing paper to extend 1 inch above pan.
Stir together flour, salt and baking powder; stir in bran.
Beat cream cheese and butter; add sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest, egg and lemon juice. Stir in dry ingredients.
Spread dough in a very thin layer over bottom of pan and up sides to form a shell. Press a piece of parchment paper down into the shell. Fit close to dough at all points and let extend an inch above the pan. Fill with pie weights or dried beans or rice.
Bake 20 minutes or until dough is set. Remove top parchment paper and weights. Reduce oven to 350 degrees and bake 15 minutes longer or until golden brown.
Set pan on wire rack and let cool. Lift out shell. Spread interior of shell with apricot preserves.
Make the filling: Slice strawberries, and sprinkle them and blueberries with sugar to taste. Arrange fruit in pastry shell in four segments, alternating berries.
Make the topping: Beat ricotta with milk until smooth. Blend in sugar and vanilla. To serve, drizzle topping on each piece of shortcake.
It was easy to make but be careful when transferring the shortbread to your platter because it is very easy for it to break.
My family loved these! The lemon makes it feel light. Like another who posted, I did not have ricotta on hand, so I used whipped cream. The vanilla was a nice addition to the cream as well. Simple and delicious!
I used a 10" springform pan, which made removing the shortcake from the pan a snap. I buttered it, lined it with parchment, and then pressed a circle of parchment into the center and up the sides. I also subbed Greek yogurt for the ricotta. Still very tasty.
I have gf flour that has worked well for me in the past to sub for the flour. What would be a good gf sub for the wheat bran?
Something with fiber. Maybe flaxseed meal? Oat bran if you can find it certified gluten free?
I replaced the ricotta with whipped cream, and put the berries on top of the thick whipped cream layer. It was delicious!
It was easy to make but be careful when transferring the shortbread to your platter because it is very easy for it to break.
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