Have you noticed all the American flags showing up in the stores?
It has to mean the 4th of July is coming up and I could not be more excited.
It’s not for a few weeks but I can’t wait!
The 4th is my favorite holiday. I love the parades, the barbecues, the fireworks.
I appreciate the time to remember how lucky I am to live in America.
I could not let my favorite holiday go by without a special cake to take to our barbecue.
This cake not only looks delicious but it has a little surprise inside.
When you cut it open……
…….it’s an American flag!
Cute right?
Perfect for our celebrations.
Perfect for our celebrations.
Here is how you can have your own.
Supplies:
- Two 9 inch round pan
- Sky Blue gel color
- Wilton round cookie cutter set — purchased at Micheal’s
- White cake mix
- Red velvet cake mix
There are going to be 5 layers to this cake.
Mix your red velvet cake mix.
Don’t forget these baking tips if you need them.
Put 2 cups of batter in each pan.
(And save the rest of the red batter for a later step.)
(And save the rest of the red batter for a later step.)
Bake for 13-15 minutes.
Cool for a few minutes, turn over onto a cooling rack, wash the pans.
Mix your white cake mix using 4 egg whites instead of 3 whole eggs.
This will keep your cake mix white and not tinted yellow.
This will keep your cake mix white and not tinted yellow.
Put 2 cups of your white cake mix in an another bowl and use the gel dye to turn it blue.
Take the second largest cookie cutter and place it in a pan.
My cookie cutter was 4.25 inches across. (One a little smaller will also work.)
Use what you have.
My cookie cutter was 4.25 inches across. (One a little smaller will also work.)
Use what you have.
Spoon 1 cup of the blue into the outside of the pan. Using the back of a spoon to smooth it out.
Then fill the inner circle with 3/4 a cup of white.
Lift the cookie cutter straight up out of that batter.
Repeat this in the other pan……but with red (leftover from earlier) in the middle.
Bake both of these.
Put the rest of your white batter (about 2 cups) into a pan and bake.
After they cool, wrap them all in saran wrap and freeze for 24 hours.
I used cream cheese frosting for this cake.
There are so many cream cheese frosting recipes out there
and I took what I liked about a few and created my own recipe.
Here it is if you would like to use it.
Yum!
and I took what I liked about a few and created my own recipe.
Here it is if you would like to use it.
Yum!
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 pound cream cheese (two packages) — room temperature
3 sticks butter — room temperature
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 pounds powder sugar
3 sticks butter — room temperature
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 pounds powder sugar
Cream the cheese and butter together on low speed with a mixer. Scrape the bowl. Add lemon juice and vanilla. Mix together. Add powder sugar on low until incorporated. Mix on med-high for 3 minuets to make the frosting a bit lighter. Chill for 1/2 hour to stiffing up before using.
When you are ready to finish your cake. Stack and ice your cake in this order:
Top
Blue and red
Blue and white
Red
White
Red
bottom
Remember to thinly ice the cake (called a crumb coat). Let it set for 20 minutes and then frost again with a thicker coat.
Instead of giving this cake a smooth perfect look I went for messy and loose.
You can decorate this any way you want.
You can cover it with fondant and place stars like this, make it smooth and leave it white, or be creative and design a whole new look. Go for it!
You can cover it with fondant and place stars like this, make it smooth and leave it white, or be creative and design a whole new look. Go for it!
Using a straight spatula, I made marks going every which way.
It has no pattern……….just let it be free form.
It has no pattern……….just let it be free form.
To make the circles, take your cookie cutters and dip them in food coloring.
Then place them on the cake and lift straight up. Use multiple sizes and colors.
Now you’re ready to take a beautiful confection to a party.
And only you will know about the surprise that waits inside!
Happy decorating……..and happy 4th of July!
Ashley
Ashley Johnson is a DIY sewist, crafter, costume maker and home interior designer.
Girl! You have some great stuff on your blog. I'm loving this cake. I came over from, well, honestly I don't know. But I'm sure it was a great blog! LOL
Feel free to use my free crochet pattern if you'd like – it's red white and blue bangles/bracelets. Great for the 4th! Just click my icon and you're on your way.
I'll be back soon!
I never FULLY read the post, thinking I didn't have the cake pans. Duh!!! You didn't say there was a cheat. Thanks so much for sharing, I LUV to bake :)
Thank you so much! My daughter and I made this cake this week for a potluck and I am so excited! This was my first EVER stacked cake in nine years of marriage! It came out (on the outside) looking almost just like your picture. Not quite on the inside, but I bet it's delicious.
Me likey!!!
lactcox–Mine just turned out that color but I have fix for you! Wilton makes white coloring for frosting. It's next to the other gel dye at your craft store. It's called Wilton white icing color.
Here is the link on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Wilton-White-Liquid-Color/dp/B0000CFN7X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1277138601&sr=8-1
You can use it to make your icing more white or if you are coloring something and get too dark, it will lighten it up again.
Good luck!
How did you get your frosting so white?! Ha ha I tried it and mine turned out yellowish….please help :)
haha this is soo great! I WILL be making this cake for the 4th of July. My dad is a cake fanatic and he will absolutely get a kick out of this cake. Hopefully he'll leave some for the rest of us! Thank you for your awesome recipes
Oh my goodness! I have to make this!! That is so cool!
anglesey- I don't think you could freeze this frosted unless you were not worried about the outside frosting getting messed up. If you wanted to do it wrap it tight with plastic wrap and freeze it. Who knows the plastic wrap might give it a cool texture!
Also, I used strawberry last year just for fun. The red velvet is more red and goes really well with cream cheese frosting so I went that way. You can use either!!
Good Luck!
I am so excited to make this! My husband's birthday is on the 5th so we always try and do something at the campout. Can I freeze it frosted too to take up there? I have a question though, on your referenced 4th of July cake (using fondant stars) you used a strawberry cake mix for the red layer instead of the red velvet. Any particular reason? Thanks for such a cute idea!
I love this! Thank you so much for sharing your skills with us! I am really going to make this for the 4th of July (and maybe for Pioneer Day on the 24th too!
The original version of this cake came from 17 and Baking last year.. This version with the ring mold makes the assembly a bit easier but breaks up the blue field into layers. But this is cute too.
https://17andbaking.com/2009/07/01/a-little-taste-of-independence/
This is sooo cute! I may have to try this (when the kiddos aren't around!)
So cute! You are awesome! I am dying to give your fondant a try for my daughter's birthday next month. I better get to practicing!
That is awesome! I love fun cakes like this! I think I will have to try this one this year!
The 4th is one of my favorite holidays too and I love this cake! I can't wait to try it – thanks for posting it!
Cute, cute cake. I remember my mom had a little metal ring thingy that she used to make checkerboard cakes. I have been trying to figure that out for a long time. Now I see how it worked. I am definitely going to do a red white and blue cake this year! thanks!
Too flippin' Cute!! I am going to link this post in my blog! Thanks for the directions! I am going to try this for my sister's Bday! It happens to be on the 4th of July!
:)
that is awesome. All i can say is wow your cakes and ideas are incredible.
That's amazing!!
This is AWESOME!!
Wow! I love how that cake looks! It's so pretty! I cannot wait to try this.
I've never been good with cakes but I think I'm feeling inspired!
OH MY GOSH!!!! This is amazing!!! I can't wait to try it out! :D
That is way too cute! :)
Whoa. I cannot WAIT to try this!
Aww… This is awesome! I'm LOVIng it! Definitely going ot have to steal this idea…
Ooooooh this is too too cute!:). If I'm lucky, I might be able to convince my mom to make this! Hah! :-D
Not the "typical" flag cake with berries on top! Your cake is MUCH better! Thanks for sharing your beauty and for giving the tutorial as well!
Definitely a great addition to a summer party
That cake looks SOOO yummy. It doesn't help to drool over this when I am trying to eat right, but I must make it for the 4th! Thanks!
I'm not one for making cakes, but this one definitely makes me want to! I so want to try it out!
This is so cute!! I love this idea of a flag layered cake!!
My niece turned 5 a couple of weeks ago and she wanted a rainbow cake and so her mom did a 7 layer cake-each one a color of the rainbow and then she sprinkled skittles on top! It was so cute and fun!!
I love it! Thank you for posting it sooner than later. We are having an annual carnival/fireworks party on the
26th and this is the perfect dessert!!!
That is one of the coolest cakes I have ever seen. WOW! If I'm really brave I might try it.
Cute Brittany! You are just so clever! Love it!!!
Thanks for the tutorial! I love it!
How cool is this?! Coolest summer cake ever!
This is so so cool!
This is simply amazing! Looks fabulous! TFS – Super cute. ~ Stephanie Lynn
Wow, I love it! Even if I don't use the layering idea (my small family would never finish a 5 layer cake!), I still like the colorful circles on the white frosting.
Oh my goodness! This is great! Thank you.
What a cute cake!! Love it and think I'll give it a shot! Thanks and have a great day!
I am so making this!! Thanks for the directions!! Yay!!
So Cute! you could use star cookie cutters too!
Sweet! I can't wait to try this:)
This is so cute! I want to try it!
So cute! I can't wait to make this one for our family bbq!!!!
SO CUTE! I have been a little tired of the blueberry and strawberry cake, this is perfect! Thank You!