Patriotic Puddings

If your kids don't like pudding and pound cake, fill the shells with ice cream.

3/4 cup each red, white, and blue melting wafers

1 pound cake (12 oz.)

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 cup blueberries

1/2 cup strawberry preserves

1 1/2 cups prepared vanilla pudding

Whipped cream

Red, white, and blue sprinkles

1. Place 12 foil cupcake liners on a baking sheet. Microwave red wafers in a bowl for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted (about 2 minutes). Repeat with the white and blue wafers.
2. To make a solid-colored cup: Using a 10 pastry brush, spread one color of melted wafers across bottom of foil cup, then brush the color up the cup's sides. For a striped cup: Brush stripes of alternating colors across bottom of cup, continuing up the sides.
3. Return finished cups to baking sheet and refrigerate until just set, about 3 minutes. Apply a second coat of melted wafers to each cup, matching its original color pattern, and return to refrigerator to set, 10 minutes.
4. Cut pound cake crosswise into 12 1"-thick slices. With a cookie cutter, cut a 2 1/2" round from each slice. In medium bowl, combine strawberries, blueberries, and preserves.
5. To assemble, carefully peel foil from chilled cups. Gently place 1 cake circle into bottom of each cup. Top each circle with 2 Tbs. pudding; divide fruit mix among cups. Decorate with dollops of whipped cream, and top with colored sprinkles.