The Fourth of July is upon us. Now that you’re in the midst of your internship and you have settled in at home, it’s the perfect time to bring a little Richmond to your hometown. For me, the 4th of July calls for patriotic bikinis, colorful drinks and a lot of good #eeeeeats (obviously).

So I decided to craft a treat so that you can show off your navy and red, and not just because we declared independence from Great Britain 239 years ago. Instead, let’s celebrate the fact that we only have 60 days left until we return to apartment parties, lodges and the D-Hall egg line.

With all of the different ways to celebrate the Fourth, choosing a dessert can be overwhelming. Even if you’re not the world’s finest baker, don’t sweat it. We’ve got a detailed guide for a dessert that will blow your mind and seriously impress all the guests at your holiday barbecue.

8-Legged Cake

  • Prep Time:40 minutes
  • Cook Time:55 minutes
  • Total Time:95 minutes
  • Servings:10+
  • Advanced

    Ingredients

  • 2 boxes yellow cake mix
  • 2 cup water
  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 6 eggs
  • 2 containers vanilla frostings
  • 2 boxes Pocky sticks
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Photo by Virginia Myers

  • Step 1

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 3 pots of varying sizes and 1 cupcake tray with cooking spray.

    I used oven-safe pots to get the circular shape for the spider.

  • Step 2

    Prepare cake mix according to instructions on the box, using water, butter and eggs.

  • Step 3

    Pour cake mix into pots and cupcake tin for the base, body, head and extra cake to round out the body. Cook for 55 minutes.

  • Step 4

    Remove from oven and let cool.

  • Step 5

    Once cool, place the biggest pot upside down on a serving plate and slowly shake the cake out. Apply a thin layer of frosting on the top of the cake and then place the second smaller pot of cake on top.

     

  • Step 6

    Using the third pot of cake, make the top of the cake circular by adding cake and molding it to the body of a spider. Apply a layer of frosting to one side of the cake and attach cupcake to side using frosting.

    I used a rectangular pot to accomplish this.

  • Step 7

    While the cake molds and cools down, prepare the legs. You will need to use 2 Pocky sticks per leg, totaling 16 Pocky sticks. Remove non-chocolate part of 8 Pocky sticks.

  • Step 8

    Melt chocolate chips in ramekin for 30 seconds. Stir.

  • Step 9

    Use melted chocolate to join 2 chocolate sticks together at a 90° angle. Repeat 8 times.

  • Step 10

    Carefully place plate of Pocky sticks into freezer for at least 30 minutes.

  • Step 11

    Completely cover the cake with vanilla frosting.

  • Step 12

    Now comes the fun part – decorate the cake.

    I added red and blue sprinkles and used raspberry candies for the eyes. You can also design an American flag using strawberries and blueberries.

  • Step 13

    Right before serving, carefully insert the legs into the cake.

    I added a small American flag for an extra touch to make the cake more patriotic.