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Perfect Red White and Blue Flag Cake Recipe with Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

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A festive and moist layered cake with red, white, and blue colors, topped with a creamy tangy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for patriotic occasions and easy enough for last-minute celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (310g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons natural red food coloring or beet juice (for red layer)
  • 2 tablespoons blueberry puree or natural blue food coloring (for blue layer)
  • 16 ounces (450g) cream cheese, full fat and softened
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • Fresh strawberries, sliced (for red stripes)
  • Blueberries (for blue field)
  • Whipped cream or extra frosting for smoothing (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans, or line with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat softened butter with granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
  5. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with buttermilk (start and end with dry). Mix until just combined.
  6. Divide the batter evenly into three bowls. Stir beet juice or red food coloring into the first bowl for red layer, leave the second plain for white, and stir blueberry puree or blue food coloring into the third for blue layer.
  7. Pour each batter into prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Rotate pans halfway through baking.
  8. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto cooling racks and peel off parchment paper. Cool completely before frosting.
  9. Beat cream cheese with softened butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating on low then medium speed until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and salt.
  10. Place red layer on serving plate and spread a generous layer of frosting on top. Add white layer and repeat. Top with blue layer and frost entire cake smoothly.
  11. Arrange sliced strawberries in stripes on red and white layers. Fill top-left corner with blueberries to mimic stars. Use whipped cream to fix any gaps if desired.
  12. Refrigerate cake for at least 1 hour to set frosting and meld flavors. Bring to room temperature 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Use natural colorings like beet juice and blueberry puree for subtle flavor and authentic hues. Keep cream cheese and butter at room temperature for smooth frosting. Line pans with parchment paper for easy removal. Chill cake after crumb-coating for easier decorating. If frosting is too soft, chill and rewhip. Slice domed cake tops for flat stacking.

Nutrition

Keywords: red white and blue cake, flag cake, cream cheese frosting, patriotic dessert, Fourth of July cake, easy cake recipe, layered cake, berry cake

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