We LOVE the 4th of July at Ruby Rd.! Patriotism, sunshine, picnics, and fireworks, we can’t get enough! Celebrate your independence in style with our staff picks for the holiday, and wow your guests with some fabulous recipes from Food52.

Photo Credit: Tote from www.shopjaneriley.com

Navy is classic and chic!  Our easy fit striped tee features airy mesh shoulder insets. Pair it with our bestselling Bermuda length shorts for a laid-back look!  Elevate your Ruby Rd. style with our Americana inspired jewelry, and a tote from Jane Riley that is both beautiful and functional.

To purchase this tote, visit http://shopjaneriley.com/milan-reversible-kate-tote/

American Flag Cake

Photo Credit: www.food52.com

On the outside, this looks like a classic white cake, but there is a red, white and blue surprise hidden inside!

For the full recipe, visit https://food52.com/recipes/28811-american-flag-cake

Makes one 9-inch cake

• 8 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 9-inch cake pan.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the sifted flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt to combine. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until incorporated. Follow with 1/3 of the buttermilk and mix to combine. Repeat until all of the wet and dry ingredients are added, scrape well to ensure the batter is smooth.
4. For the white cakes: do nothing! The batter can be baked as is. For the red cakes: add about 25 drops of liquid food coloring (or more if it looks too pale). For the blue cake: add about 20 drops of liquid food coloring (or more if it looks too pale).
5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.
6. To assemble the cake, you’ll need the frosting (recipe below). Cut the white and red cakes into even layers, between 3/4- to 1-inch thick. Now you should have 6 layers. Use a 5-inch circle cookie cutter (or trace around a 5-inch plate) to cut one of the white layers and one of the red layers into a smaller circle.
7. Use the 5-inch cutter to remove the center of the thicker blue cake. This cake will remain in one thick layer.
8. To build the cake, start with a large red layer and spread a thin coating of buttercream on top. Top with a white layer, and spread buttercream thinly on top. (The recipe is below.) Repeat with another red and another white layer — four layers total.
9. Top this white layer with the thick blue layer (center removed). Spread a thin amount of frosting on the 5-inch red layer, and top it with the 5-inch white layer. Now push and pat the 5-inch layers inside the hole of the blue layer. Now the cake has been assembled!
10. Frost the cake with the remaining frosting, using a small offset spatula to make it swirly. All that’s left to do is eat it!

For the frosting:

• 4 sticks softened unsalted butter
• 8 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5 to 6 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Add the cream gradually, mixing until a smooth, creamy texture.

What’s more American than red, white and blue? Celebrate your all-American style in Ruby Rd.’s classic denim jacket, over our red cotton tank and our exclusive white capri pant.

Add sparkle with Ruby Rd. jewelry, and outshine the fireworks on July 4^th!

Lavender Lemonade

Photo Credit: www.food52.com

Brighten up your summer lemonade with the unique floral hint of lavender.  Not only does it taste amazing, it also makes for a lovely presentation!

https://food52.com/recipes/22778-lavender-lemonade

Serves 6

• 5 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 5 sprigs fresh lavender

1. Bring 2 cups water, sugar, and lavender to a boil over medium heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Turn off heat, cover, and let steep 1 hour.
2. Combine remaining 3 cups water, lemon juice, and lime juice in a pitcher. Place a fine-mesh strainer over the top. Carefully strain the lavender simple syrup into the pitcher, discarding lavender. Stir to combine.
3. Serve in glasses over ice with lemon slices and a sprig of lavender for garnish. Also great with vodka!

How to Photograph Fireworks

It’s fireworks season, and it doesn’t have to be difficult to capture those amazing sparkle-filled skies with your camera.  To get the best photos of fireworks this summer, try using a tripod to hold the camera steady during the show.  Also, move back, or adjust your zoom lens to capture the whole sky.  You can use the first few fireworks to help you find a good position. For interest, you can include some nearby points of interest, like a city skyline or the other spectators’ silhouettes’ in the dark. Finally, make sure to turn off your flash, the fireworks will provide all the light you need!

Our Newest Limited Edition Wallpaper is Here!

We are excited to share our exclusive summer wallpaper, in the bright reds, whites and blues of Independence Day!  Just click on the link to download your favorite print!

http://living.rubyrd.com/post.php?s=our-june-wallpaper-is-here

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Wishing you an amazing 4^th of July, from all of us at Ruby Rd.!