Celebrate America’s independence with a festive and delicious red white and blue layer cake! This patriotic layer cake is sure to impress your friends and family and become a new holiday tradition.
Baking a red white and blue layer cake is a fun and festive way to celebrate national holidays like Independence Day, Memorial Day or Labor Day.
This iconic cake is a show-stopper at any gathering, with its bold and bright colors and layers of moist and delicious cake.
Your festive dessert will look great next to red white and blue desserts like a poke cake, rice krispie treats or red velvet cupcakes.
While the outside of this cake is beautifully decorated, the real wow factor is the vibrant red white and blue colors inside of this patriotic dessert.
The light and airy layers of cake pairs perfectly with the generous coating of cream cheese frosting.
This Fourth of July cake is sure to impress your family and friends and become a new holiday tradition.
How to Make a 4th of July Layer Cake
Ingredients:
White Velvet Layer
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅛ cup warm water
- 1 ½ teaspoons white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
Red Velvet Layer
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅛ cup warm water
- 1 ½ teaspoons white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- Red food coloring
Blue Velvet Layer
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅛ cup warm water
- 1 ½ teaspoons white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- blue food coloring
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Coat 3, 8-inch round pans with nonstick spray.
Grab 3 separate bowls to make all three layers at the same time.
Add the butter and salt to each bowl and beat together with a hand mixer.
Then add white sugar to each bowl and beat until creamy.
Now add the respective amounts of all the wet ingredients of egg, milk, vegetable oil, warm water, white vinegar and extracts to the bowls. Once again use the hand mixer to combine everything.
In the white cake layer bowl first add the flour, baking soda and baking powder, then mix until the white batter is smooth to complete that layer.
Then add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and powder to the red and blue velvet bowls, mixing with the hand mixer until the batters are smooth.
Add 3-4 drops of red food dye to the red batter and 3-4 drops of blue dye to third bowl. Use a rubber spatula to mix in the colors in each and finish off those batter layers.
Pour the cake batter into each of the 3 round pans
Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool completely before frosting on a cooling rack.
Make the cream cheese frosting while the cake cools.
On a cake plate, place the blue cake layer on the bottom. Add a thin layer of frosting to that layer using an offset spatula.
Place the white layer next as the second layer of cake, frosting again, and then top off with the red cake layer.
With the remaining frosting, frost the entire cake.
Sprinkle with red, white and or blue sprinkles if desired.
Tips for Making the Perfect Red White and Blue Layer Cake
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients for the best results.
- Gel food coloring is more concentrated than liquid food coloring, which means you’ll need less of it to achieve the desired color. It also won’t affect the consistency of the batter, unlike liquid food coloring.
- When adding the food coloring to the batter, make sure to mix it well to ensure an even color throughout the batter.
- To ensure even layers, measure the batter using a scale or measuring cup before pouring it into the cake pans.
- Make sure the cakes are completely cool before frosting and decorating. If the cakes are still warm, the frosting may melt and slide off the cake.
- When frosting and decorating the cake, do it in layers. First, apply a crumb coat of frosting, then chill the cake in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before applying the final layer of frosting. This will help the frosting go on smoothly and prevent crumbs from getting mixed into the frosting.
- Get creative with decorations: Use fresh berries, whipped cream, or even sprinkles to decorate your cake and make it your own.
See Also: Vanilla Buttercream Frosting | How to Make Cake Mixes Taste Homemade | How to Decorate Layer Cakes | Perfect Cake Recipes | Red White & Blue Cake Decorating Ideas
Tips for Storing Leftovers of Your Red White and Blue Cake Recipe
If you have any leftover red white and blue layer cake, here’s how you can store it properly to keep it fresh for as long as possible:
- Cover the remaining cake with plastic wrap or foil to protect it from air and moisture.
- Store the covered cake in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. It’s best to eat leftover cake within 2-3 days of baking it.
- If you have a lot of leftover cake, you can also freeze it for later. To freeze the cake, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then wrap it in foil. Label it with the date and place it in the freezer. Frozen cake can last up to 3 months.
- When you’re ready to eat the leftover cake, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Once it’s thawed, you can enjoy it as is or warm it up in the microwave for a few seconds.
Ideas for Decorating Your Cake:
- Use frosting to write a message or a special greeting on the cake. This could be something like “Happy Fourth of July!” or “God Bless America!”
- Edible flowers like pansies or violets can add a beautiful and unique touch to your cake. You can use them to create a wreath or a border around the edges of the cake.
- Use red, white, and blue frosting to create a flag design on the top of the cake. You could even use maraschino cherries or fresh berries.
- Add some fun and festive sprinkles to your cake to make it even more celebratory. Patriotic sprinkles or star-shaped sprinkles are perfect for this.
FAQs
How do I make sure the cake layers bake evenly?
- Rotate the cake pans: Halfway through baking, rotate the cake pans 180 degrees in the oven. This will help to ensure that the cakes bake evenly on all sides.
- Don’t open the oven door too often: Every time you open the oven door, heat escapes, which can affect the baking process. Try to keep the oven door closed as much as possible to ensure that the cake layers bake evenly.
- Use the same amount of batter in each cake pan to ensure that the cake layers are the same size and bake evenly.
How can I make sure the cake stays moist and doesn’t dry out?
Don’t over bake the cake. To keep your cake moist, store it in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If storing in the refrigerator, be sure to let it come to room temperature before serving. If you frost the cake too far in advance, the frosting can dry out the cake. Wait until just before serving to frost the cake to keep it moist and fresh.
How to Make a Festive Red White and Blue Layer Cake
Ingredients
- White Velvet Layer
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅛ cup warm water
- 1 ½ teaspoons white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- Red Velvet Layer
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅛ cup warm water
- 1 ½ teaspoons white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- Red food coloring
- Blue Velvet Layer
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅛ cup warm water
- 1 ½ teaspoons white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- blue food coloring
- Cream cheese Frosting
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Coat 3, 8-inch round pans with nonstick spray.
Grab 3 separate bowls to make all three layers at the same time.
Add the butter and salt to each bowl and beat together with a hand mixer.
Then add white sugar to each bowl and beat until creamy.
Now add the respective amounts of all the wet ingredients of egg, milk, vegetable oil, warm water, white vinegar and extracts to the bowls. Once again use the hand mixer to combine everything.
In the white cake layer bowl first add the flour, baking soda and baking powder, then mix until the white batter is smooth to complete that layer.
Then add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and powder to the red and blue velvet bowls, mixing with the hand mixer until the batters are smooth.
Add 3-4 drops of red food dye to the red batter and 3-4 drops of blue dye to third bowl. Use a rubber spatula to mix in the colors in each and finish off those batter layers.
Pour the cake batter into each of the 3 round pans
Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool completely before frosting on a cooling rack.
Make the cream cheese frosting while the cake cools.
On a cake plate, place the blue cake layer on the bottom. Add a thin layer of frosting to that layer using an offset spatula. Place the white layer next as the second layer of cake, frosting again, and then top off with the red cake layer.
With the remaining frosting, frost the entire cake.
Sprinkle with red, white and or blue sprinkles if desired.
Notes
Tips for Making the Perfect Red White and Blue Layer Cake
Use fresh, high-quality ingredients for the best results.
Gel food coloring is more concentrated than liquid food coloring, which means you'll need less of it to achieve the desired color. It also won't affect the consistency of the batter, unlike liquid food coloring.
When adding the food coloring to the batter, make sure to mix it well to ensure an even color throughout the batter.
To ensure even layers, measure the batter using a scale or measuring cup before pouring it into the cake pans.
Make sure the cakes are completely cool before frosting and decorating. If the cakes are still warm, the frosting may melt and slide off the cake.
When frosting and decorating the cake, do it in layers. First, apply a crumb coat of frosting, then chill the cake in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before applying the final layer of frosting. This will help the frosting go on smoothly and prevent crumbs from getting mixed into the frosting.
Get creative with decorations: Use fresh berries, whipped cream, or even sprinkles to decorate your cake and make it your own.
Tips for Storing Leftovers of Your Red White and Blue Cake Recipe
If you have any leftover red white and blue layer cake, here's how you can store it properly to keep it fresh for as long as possible:
Cover the remaining cake with plastic wrap or foil to protect it from air and moisture.
Store the covered cake in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. It's best to eat leftover cake within 2-3 days of baking it.
If you have a lot of leftover cake, you can also freeze it for later. To freeze the cake, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then wrap it in foil. Label it with the date and place it in the freezer. Frozen cake can last up to 3 months.
When you're ready to eat the leftover cake, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Once it's thawed, you can enjoy it as is or warm it up in the microwave for a few seconds.