American Flag Layered Cake
Celebrate the Fourth of July with this show-stopping patriotic vanilla cake featuring bold red, white, and blue layers, smooth buttercream frosting, and festive decorations
Yield: 12 slices
Equipment
- 3 round 9-inch cake pans
- Mixing bowls (at least 3)
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Piping bags + Wilton color swirl set (optional)
- Offset spatula and serrated knife
- Cooling rack
- Cake stand or board
Materials
- For the Cake Layers:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1½ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 2¼ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups whole milk
- Red and blue gel food coloring
- For the Buttercream Frosting:
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- 9 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tsp clear vanilla extract
- ¼ cup whole milk adjust for consistency
- Optional: white food coloring + a dot of violet to neutralize yellow tint
- Red and blue gel food coloring for piping swirls
- Sprinkles and mini flags for decorating
Instructions
- Bake the Cake Layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour the three cake pans.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk into the wet mixture, starting and ending with the dry.
- Divide the batter evenly into 3 bowls:
- One stays plain (white layer)
- One gets red food coloring
- One gets blue food coloring
- Pour into prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely on wire racks. Level the tops with a serrated knife if needed.
- Make the Buttercream
- Beat butter and shortening until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar.
- Add vanilla and milk, beating until creamy and spreadable.
- Tint 1 cup frosting red, and 1 cup blue. The rest stays white. Use violet + white color if needed to brighten it.
- Assemble the Cake
- Add a dab of frosting on your cake stand and place parchment strips to keep it clean.
- Place the blue cake layer first. Spread white frosting on top.
- Add the white layer. Frost again.
- Finish with the red cake layer on top.
- Apply a thin crumb coat around the cake. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Add final smooth layer of frosting.
- Decorate
- Press sprinkles around the sides or base.
- Use red and blue frosting to pipe swirls on top. Insert mini American flags or sugar stars if desired.
Video
Notes
- For whiter frosting: a dot of violet neutralizes yellow.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant tones without thinning the batter.
- Chill before final frosting to avoid crumbs.