Fourth of July 'Apple Picnic Cake'

Cream together:
1/2 cup solid shortening (Crisco)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs

Add:
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups diced Granny Smith apples (peeled & cored)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup golden raisins or dried cherries

Sift together and stir in:
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg

Frost with: Fluffy Cream Cheese Icing

Beat until light:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temp.
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Fold in 1 1/2 cups whipped cream or whipped topping.

Pour batter into a greased & floured 9x13 cake pan or 2, 8" rounds. Bake at 325 degrees 45 minutes - 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan and let cool.

Decorate with red and blue jelly beans, red licorice, blueberries and blueberry preserves for a patriotic touch!