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Moist Patriotic American Flag Layer Cake with Easy Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

patriotic american flag layer cake - featured image
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A moist and tender layered cake featuring red, white, and blue colors, topped with a fresh strawberry cream cheese frosting. Perfect for summer celebrations and patriotic gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (315 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¾ cups (350 grams) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
  • ½ cup (120 ml) sour cream, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Red gel food coloring
  • Blue gel food coloring
  • 8 oz (225 grams) cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups (375 grams) powdered sugar
  • ½ cup fresh strawberries, pureed and strained
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Slowly add vegetable oil while mixing on low speed. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk and sour cream. Add dry ingredients in three additions alternating with buttermilk mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined.
  6. Divide batter: pour about 2/3 into one bowl to remain white. Divide remaining batter evenly into two small bowls. Add red gel food coloring to one and blue gel food coloring to the other, stirring gently.
  7. Pour white batter evenly into the two pans. Spoon red batter into one pan and blue batter into the other to create color layers. Use a toothpick to gently swirl if desired.
  8. Bake for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Rotate pans halfway through baking. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
  9. For frosting, beat cream cheese and softened butter on medium speed until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed until combined, then whip on medium-high until fluffy.
  10. Fold in strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Chill if too soft.
  11. Assemble cake by placing one white layer on a serving plate. Spread a thin layer of frosting. Add blue layer, frost again, then add red layer. Use remaining frosting to cover top and sides.
  12. Decorate top with sliced strawberries and blueberries to create the American flag design.
  13. Refrigerate cake for at least one hour to set frosting before slicing.

Notes

Do not overmix batter after adding dry ingredients to keep cake tender. Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without thinning batter. Let cream cheese and butter sit at room temperature before making frosting for smooth texture. Chill cake before slicing for clean cuts. For dairy-free or vegan versions, substitute cream cheese and butter with plant-based alternatives and use flax or chia eggs.

Nutrition

Keywords: patriotic cake, American flag cake, strawberry cream cheese frosting, Fourth of July dessert, layered cake, summer cake

Find it online: https://sparklechew.com/moist-patriotic-american-flag-layer-cake-recipe-with-easy-strawberry-cream-cheese-frosting/