Description
Stars and Stripes Flag Cake becomes the ultimate celebration centerpiece when you gather friends and family for patriotic festivities. Layers of moist vanilla cake decorated with whipped cream and fresh berries create a festive dessert that sparks summer joy.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Layers:
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Red food coloring (gel or liquid)
- Blue food coloring (gel or liquid)
Whipped Cream Frosting:
- 3 cups heavy cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Decoration:
- Fresh strawberries
- Fresh blueberries
- Sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Warm your oven to exactly 350°F and prepare three 9-inch round cake pans with butter and parchment paper.
- Sift together 2 ½ cups flour, 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
- Cream 1 ½ cups sugar with ¾ cup softened butter until the mixture looks fluffy and light.
- Add 4 eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition, then blend in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients and 1 cup milk, alternating between them to create a smooth batter.
- Separate the batter into three equal bowls, leaving one plain and tinting another with red food coloring and the third with blue food coloring.
- Pour each colored batter into a prepared cake pan, spreading evenly with a spatula.
- Bake at 350°F for precisely 25-30 minutes, checking with a toothpick for complete doneness.
- Allow cakes to cool completely on wire racks for about 1 hour.
- Whip 3 cups heavy cream until it starts to thicken, then add ½ cup powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla.
- Continue whipping until your cream forms stiff, sturdy peaks.
- Place the white cake layer on your serving plate, spreading a layer of whipped cream.
- Stack the red cake layer next, adding another cream layer.
- Top with the blue cake layer and cover the entire cake with remaining whipped cream.
- Decorate the top with fresh strawberries and blueberries to create a flag-like design.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour to help the frosting set firmly.
Notes
- Choose gel food coloring for vibrant cake colors that won’t alter the batter’s consistency.
- Room temperature ingredients help create a smoother, more evenly mixed cake batter with better rise.
- Test cake doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center – it should come out clean with just a few crumbs.
- For a lighter frosting, whip cream to soft peaks to prevent over-beating and creating a grainy texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 333 kcal
- Sugar: 27 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg