• Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) and position the rack in the center. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or grease it well.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
  2 cups all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until thick and pale.
  4 large eggs, 1 ¾ cups sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• Gently mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
• In a small saucepan, warm the milk and remaining lemon zest just until heated (don’t boil). Remove from heat and stir in the butter and oil until melted and smooth.
  1 cup milk, ¼ cup unsalted butter, ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• While mixing the batter, slowly pour in the warm milk mixture until fully incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Make the Frosting:

• In a large chilled bowl, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream until smooth.
  ½ cup cream cheese, 2 cups powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup heavy cream
• Increase to high speed and whip until stiff peaks form (the frosting should be spreadable but fluffy).

Decorate the Cake: American Flag Style

• Spread 1 ¼ cups of frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Add an extra 2 tablespoons of frosting in the top-left corner for the blueberry section.
• Add the fruits: For the blueberries, arrange in a 7x5 grid in the top-left corner to represent stars. For the strawberries, lay halved strawberries in 4 horizontal rows to create red stripes, slightly overlapping for a clean look.
  6 ounces blueberries, 18 ounces strawberries
• Serve chilled and enjoy your festive flag cake at your next celebration!