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Fill your mini fruit kabobs with blueberries and strawberries to make these Red White and Blue Pound Cake Bites. For a simple summer dessert recipe with store-bought, homemade, or even gluten free or vegan options, you can whip up a platter of these little treats in no time. Don’t forget the whipped cream or coconut cream for dipping!
Mini Fruit Kabobs for Fourth of July!
Red, White, and Blue Berry Pound Cake Bites aren’t rocket science. But they’ll make everyone as happy as the fireworks they’ll be watching after they munch on these little sweet treats. And it couldn’t be easier.
I made them using some leftover pound cake I had made. You have the option to use your favorite recipe (I give you some options below for classic, gluten free, vegan, and low carb). Or even pick up a pound cake from the grocery store.
Just thread the berries and cake cubes onto some toothpicks and dip them into a simple fresh whipped cream or whipped coconut cream (I’ll tell you how to make it both ways!). The coconut whipped cream is a great vegan option. But I also just think it tastes amazing if you want a bit of tropical flavor. And if you are really short on time, Cool Whip works in a pinch.
Fun, festive finger food that’ll you can assemble in a flash, and will make you a superstar!
What You’ll Need
First, you’ll need pound cake. You can buy one from the store or make your own. This means you have options to make it classic, or choose a gluten free, vegan, or even keto-friendly option.
- Gluten Free Potato Pound Cake
- Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake
- Cream Cheese Pound Cake from Chocolate, Chocolate and More
- Low Carb Pound Cake from All Day I Dream About Food
- Vegan Pound Cake from The Blooming Platter
For the fruit skewers
- Strawberries – washed, dried, and with the leaves and stem trimmed off.
- Blueberries – washed and dried.
- Toothpicks or appetizer picks – you can use a basic toothpick, though the longer ones or cocktail picks work best to fit the fruit and cake. Or use something decorative.
For the whipped cream
When you need something creamy to dip the fruit skewers into, you again have the option to make it vegan or low carb.
- Heavy cream or canned full fat coconut milk – either should be well-chilled.
- Powdered sweetener – either confectioners sugar or a powdered sugar-free sweetener like Swerve.
- Vanilla extract – you can also use vanilla bean paste for a more intense vanilla flavor.
How to Assemble the Fruit Kabobs
First of all, while you make the skewers, place the bowl and whisk attachment for your stand mixer or a metal or glass bowl and beaters for your hand mixer in the fridge or freezer until they are cold.
Prepare the cake and fruit. Cut the pound cake into cubes. Then thread one strawberry, one cake cube, and one blueberry onto each skewer. Repeat until you’ve used all the fruit and cake. Set them out on a platter.
Make the whipped cream: If you are using coconut milk, remove the can from the refrigerator and careful scoop the thick, creamy portion into a bowl, leaving the liquid behind in the can. Place the coconut cream, or heavy cream in the bowl that you’ve chilled. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Then beat to form soft peaks. Transfer to a small bowl for dipping, keeping any extra covered in the refrigerator.
Tips for Success
Use fresh fruit. Frozen fruit will be too mushy after it thaws. And you also want to make sure it is very fresh and not starting to get soft so it stays on the toothpicks better.
Make them bigger. You can also get longer skewers and thread more berries and cake onto each. Also feel free to add bananas, raspberries, marshmallows or anything else you enjoy with red, white, and blue colors.
Make them ahead. You can keep your fruit kabobs covered in the fridge for several hours or overnight. But beware the berries may start to release some of their juices which can soak into the cake. So I wouldn’t keep them longer than a day or so. The cream can also be made ahead and refrigerated, then rewhipped slightly before serving.
Do not overbeat your cream. Otherwise, it will break and be clumpy and watering. Not too appealing for dipping.
More Gluten Free Fourth of July Desserts
- Gluten Free Strawberry Blueberry Crumb Cake
- Red White and Blue Berry Watermelon Fruit Pizza
- Gluten Free Fourth of July Cupcakes
- Fourth of July Fruit Salad
- Firecracker Muddy Buddies by The Bitter Side of Sweet
Red, White & Blue Berry Pound Cake Bites
Ingredients
For the Bites:
- 1 pound cake store bought or homemade, cut into about 48 cubes
- 1 quart fresh strawberries
- 1 pint fresh blueberries
For the Fresh Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream, well chilled
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar or Swerve sweetener
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
For Coconut Whipped Cream:
- 13.5 oz full fat coconut milk, refrigerated several hours or overnight
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar or Swerve sweetener
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Bites:
- Using large cocktail picks, thread one blueberry, one pound cake cube, and one strawberry on each.
- Serve with whipped cream or whipped coconut cream for dipping.
For the Fresh Whipped Cream:
- Place the bowl and whisk attachment for your stand mixer or a metal or glass bowl and beaters for your hand mixer in the fridge or freezer until they are cold.
- Add the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to the chilled bowl, and beat on medium-high to high speed until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat.
For Coconut Whipped Cream:
- Place the bowl and whisk attachment for your stand mixer or a metal or glass bowl and beaters for your hand mixer in the fridge or freezer until they are cold.
- Remove can of coconut milk from the refrigerator, taking care not to shake it. Open carefully and scoop the thick, creamy portion of the coconut milk into the cold mixing bowl. Reserve remaining liquid for another use.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla to the coconut cream in the chilled bowl, and beat on medium-high to high speed until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat.
Notes
Did you make this?
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[…] Red, White, and Blue Berry Pound Cake Bites by Cupcakes & Kale Chips […]
Yummy! I haven’t made this in ages. Thanks for the reminder.
Happy Thoughts of Home. 🙂
Pinning.
Looks SOOO good. Must try.
How cute are these to bring to a party~ Thanks for linking up to Merry Monday! Pinned! Have a great week!
Kim
I love these! They are simple, fun and look like mini rockets- totally festive !
Simple and fun – perfect party food!
These look easy to do, and yet so beautiful! Also will be fun to make. Even the kids can get involved. Happy 4th! 🙂
Your Red, White, and Blue Berry Pound Cake Bites aren’t rocket science, but they look a little like rockets! Fun food for sure.
What an easy, festive dessert! Perfect after your busy week! Welcome home!!!
I love to put things on toothpicks and serve them to my family, and these look wonderful. I guess I will be picking up, or making, a pound cake tomorrow. I love all of your links to other festive dishes. Thanks for the inspiration.