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America Celebrates 240th Birthday With Five Tier Birthday Cake

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Thousands of people lined up at the Independence Visitors' Center to wish the U.S. a happy birthday... in a delicious way.

As with any good birthday party, the focus was on the cake. John Kawash is a cake decorator for Termini Brothers and says the cake is a showcase for all.

"We have to bake that, have it filled, we ice it up the day before and we decorate it in front of the people so they can see our work," he said.

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Photo credit: KYW's Pat Loeb

Kawash said Termini Brothers and the Visitor Center has teamed up for the past five years. The tradition continued on Monday as they gave away slices of the five tier cake, and 22-hundred cupcakes decorated in red, white, and blue and arranged to look like a giant waving flag.

A Betsy Ross reenactor led the singing, and the doors opened to a waiting crowd. The Visitors Center president Jim Cuorato said it's become a popular event.

"You can see the line goes all the way out Independence Mall and people are having a great time," Cuorato said. "They love their cupcakes."

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