American Flag Cake
A festive, three‑layer vanilla cake topped with whipped cream, fresh strawberries, and blueberries arranged to resemble the U.S. flag—perfect for Fourth of July, Memorial Day, or any summer gathering.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups All‑purpose flour
- 2 ½ tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted butter Softened
- 1 ¾ cups Granulated sugar
- 4 Large eggs Room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 cup Whole milk Room temperature
- 3 cups Heavy whipping cream Well‑chilled
- ½ cup Powdered sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract For frosting
- 2 cups Strawberries Hulled & thinly sliced
- 1 ½ cups Blueberries Fresh
- opt. Edible white stars or white‑chocolate chips for stars
Instructions
- Prep Oven & Pans
- Preheat oven to 350 °F / 175 °C. Grease and flour three 9‑inch round pans.
- Mix Dry Ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- Cream Butter & Sugar
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs & Vanilla
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract.
- Combine Wet & Dry
- Mix dry ingredients into butter mixture alternately with milk, starting and ending with dry. Stir just until combined.
- Bake
- Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake 25–30 min, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 min in pans, then transfer layers to wire rack to cool completely.
- Whip Frosting
- Beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Keep chilled.
- Assemble Cake
- Place first layer on platter; spread frosting. Add second layer, frost again; top with third layer. Apply a thin crumb coat; chill 20 min, then frost entire cake smoothly.
- Decorate Flag
- Arrange strawberry slices in neat rows for red stripes, leaving frosting for white stripes. Fill upper‑left quadrant with blueberries; add edible white stars if desired.
- Chill & Serve
- Refrigerate at least 1 hour for flavors to meld. Slice and enjoy your patriotic showstopper!
Notes
- Stabilize Cream: For outdoor events, add 1 tsp gelatin (bloomed) to whipped cream for extra hold.
- Make Ahead: Bake layers a day early; wrap and refrigerate. Frost and decorate the next day.
- Mini Cakes: Use 4‑inch pans for personal flag cakes; bake 18–20 minutes.
- Fruit Swap: Raspberries can replace some strawberries for a tart twist.