Today is Veteran’s Day, a day where we honor and thank all of the men and women who have fought for our country. So in honor of today, I thought this patriotic Veteran’s day cake would be appropriate for our Friday Eats.
Here is a brief history of Veterans Day from Prudential Reality:
World War I ended with the signing of the Armistice which was a temporary cessation of hostilities. The Armistice was signed at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. The next year, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11th to remember our fallen soldiers who died in what was known then as “the great war.” The original concept of the celebration was to suspend business for a two minute period at 11am. The day was also marked with parades and public meetings.
In 1921, Congress passed legislation approving the establishment of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. Every year on November 11th, there is a ceremony at the tomb to remember our fallen heroes.
In 1938, Congress made the 11th of November (Armistice Day) a legal federal holiday. Although the States retained the rights to establish their own holidays, every state agreed.
In 1953, a shoe repairman from Kansas named Stephan Riod had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans, not just those who died in World War I. He began a campaign to turn Armistice Day into “All” Veterans Day. The idea caught on and in 1954, President Eisenhower signed the law to change the name to Veterans Day.
Although originally scheduled for celebration on November 11 of every year, starting in 1971 in accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, Veterans Day was moved to the fourth Monday of October. In 1978, it was moved back to the original celebration on November 11.
Veterans Day is sometimes confused with Memorial Day. Memorial Day (the fourth Monday in May) honors American military personnel who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle. Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans–living or dead–but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.
Thank You Veterans and God Bless America!
Bake this cake for any and all Veteran’s in your life to give them a special Thank You.
Ingredients:
- 1 package (18-1/4 ounces) white cake mix
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 package (2 pounds) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands® pure vanilla extract
- Blue and red food coloring
Directions:
- Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using two greased 9-in. round baking pans. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
- For frosting, in a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the water, salt and vanilla until smooth. Place one cake on a serving plate; spread with 2/3 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake.
- In a small bowl, combine 2/3 cup frosting and blue food coloring. In another bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups frosting and red food coloring. Fill pastry or plastic bag with 1/4 cup white frosting; cut a small hole in the corner of the bag and set aside.
- Frost cake top and sides with remaining white frosting. With blue frosting, frost a 3-in. section in the upper left corner of the cake. Pipe white stars over blue frosting. Fill another pastry or plastic bag with red frosting; cut a large hole in the corner of the bag. Pipe stripes across top of cake.
This cake is sure to please everyone with both its taste and beauty. No one will ever know it’s not from scratch.
The recipe and photo are courtesy of Taste of Home. Click here for many other patriotic recipes.
