Patriotic Layer Cake

Show your true patriotic spirit with this red, white and blue Patriotic layer cake this Fourth of July.  Deliciously moist white cake is layered together with vanilla buttercream frosting and will have your taste buds singing with Pride.

Around our neighborhood, the Fourth of July if a really big deal.  We throw a huge block party, have more food than you can imagine and some of us are asleep passed out by 4 o’clock.  We look forward to it each year and on July 5th, we’re already planning for the next one.

This year is no exception.  I started thinking about what I was going to make back in May.  I was also told by my loving husband that I would be making food instead of purchasing anything at the store, “you’re a food blogger now, ya know?  You can’t just run to the store and grab something”  “Yes, honey, I know.”  Insert eyeroll.  No really though, he’s right.  I do love to make and bring food to parties.  There is nothing better than bringing something to a get together and having everyone rave over what you brought and begging for the recipe.

The hardest part about attending a party, for me, is not what I’m going to wear, but what am I going to bring that will taste awesome and everyone will love?  This decision usually takes me weeks.  I mean, here I am writing this post the week of Independence day and I still do not know what I am making for our party.  I have made a few fourth of July recipes this week for the blog, but I’m not sure which one(s) or if any, I’m bringing.  I should probably figure that out immediately.  But in the meantime, back to this Patriotic Layer cake.

I’ve never made a 3 layer cake before and decided this was the perfect time so I could use red, white and blue and make it festive for the Fourth of July.  Now, trust me when I tell you this, do not be intimidated by making a layer cake.  It was really easy.  Now what I’ll tell you wasn’t easy for me was getting the cakes outta the pans.  2 out of the 3 pans stuck.  I used cooking spray and flour, so I’m not sure what the deal was (any tips recommended) but I was still able to get them out of the pan without effecting the shape.

Isn’t she gorgeous?!  I was so proud.   I was a little hesitant as to how this would turn out because the bottom layer looked a tad green in the pan and my daughter even commented and asked why I made a green cake.  I figured the whole thing was ruined and I’d have to break out the ornaments as decorations and use this baby as a Christmas cake.  Nevertheless, after I cut that first slice, I knew I had done good.

Now, I’ll be honest here.  This isn’t the prettiest cake on the outside.  And this is the point where I’ll express to you my love/hate relationship with sprinkles.  So after I layered all the cakes and began to smother the entire thing in frosting, it just wasn’t going well.  Backing up a tad here, I purchased this cake stand a few weeks ago with the intention of this cake. I thought it was so pretty and knew it would be the perfect stand for this cake.  It wasn’t until I started frosting it that I realized, I couldn’t really get all the way to the bottom of the cake to frost it.  So there’s where my dilemma started.  I did the best I could but I was this close not to posting this cake because I was embarrassed by the look of it.   Of course I shared this with my husband and he thought I was nuts.

So, I frosted the entire thing and just sat there wondering how in the World was I going to remedy this ugly situation  Insert sprinkles.  I covered the entire thing in sprinkles, the best I could.  Man, I love sprinkles.  Thanks for being a lifesaver and making my cake look semi decent.  As for the look of my kitchen floor, counters, sink and hands, I loathe you sprinkles.  I am pretty sure I will be cleaning up red, white and blue sprinkles until I make that red and green cake for Christmas.

 For what this patriotic layer cake lacks in presentation it makes up for in taste.  This cake is amazing.  It’s light, moist and the buttercream is luscious.  It is also a show stopper.  If you showed up with this cake, people would think you slaved away in the kitchen all day.  They’d for sure be begging for the recipe and looking at your in wonderment.  Again, do not be intimidated by a layer cake.  It’s really quite easy and you’ll even have time to pick out the perfect outfit.

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Patriotic Layer Cake

Prep 15 mins

Cook 30 mins

Total 45 mins

Author Strawberry Blondie Kitchen

Show your true patriotic spirit with this red, white and blue patriotic layer cake this Fourth of July. Deliciously moist white cake is layered together with vanilla buttercream frosting.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups of butter (3 sticks) softened
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 5 eggs, room temperature
• 3 cups, all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup milk, room temperature (I used 2%)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tube Blue Gel Food Color
• 1 tube Red Gel Food Color

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 3- 9 inch cake pans by spraying them with non stick spray and adding flour to the pan, making sure to coat all sides. This should prevent your cakes from sticking.
2. Cream the butter in the bowl of your electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add in 1 cup of sugar at a time, beating until incorporated and scraping down the sides as necessary. Continue this process until all 3 cups of sugar are mixed into the flour.
3. Add in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding in the next egg.
4. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together both milks and vanilla.
6. Add dry ingredients into the butter mixture alternating between the milk mixture. (For instance, add in 1/3 of the dry mix, fully incorporate, then add in 1/2 milk mixture, fully incorporate, 1/3 dry mixture, 1/2 milk mixture, ending with the dry.) Scrap down the sides of the bowl as necessary to make sure all ingredients are incorporated.
7. Distribute the batter evenly between the 3 pans.
8. To one pan, add in entire tube of blue gel food coloring. Stir to combine
9. To another pan, add in entire tube of red gel food coloring. Stir to combine
10. Bake for 25-30 minutes (Mine took 29 minutes) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
11. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
12. Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
13. sticks of butter, softened
14. cups of confectioners sugar, sifted
15. tablespoon vanilla extract
16. tablespoons of milk
17. Add softened butter to the bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Cream the butter for on medium speed for 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
18. Turn the mixer down to low and add confectioners sugar, 1 cup at a time, to the mixer, making sure to full incorporate before adding in the next.
19. Once mixture is fully incorporated, add in vanilla and beat for 1 minute on medium speed.
20. Turn the mixer to low, add in your milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. You may need more of less milk depending on how thick you want your frosting. I used 3 tablespoons as I didn't want mine too thick and easily spreadable.
21. Turn mixer up to medium and beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
22. To assemble:
23. Start with the blue cake on the bottom and spread an even layer of frosting all over the top of the cake. Top with the white cake
24. Spread another layer of frosting on top of the white cake and place the red cake on top.
25. Spread the rest of the frosting all over the top and the sides of the cake making sure to cover all areas of the cake.
26. Decorate with sprinkles, star shapes, sparklers, etc.

Notes

*cake recipe slightly adapted from Add a Pinch, http://addapinch.com/cooking/the-best-white-cake-recipe/#comments*buttercream frosting slightly adapted from Brown Eyed Baker, http://www.browneyedbaker.com/vanilla-cupcakes-vanilla-buttercream-frosting/

Courses cake

Cuisine Dessert

Let me know in the comments, what are your plans for the Fourth of July?  Will you be bringing this delicious Patriotic Layer cake?  😉  Please say yes!

Enjoy and if you make this recipe, please share a photo on social media and hashtag it #strawberryblondiekitchen  I love to see your versions!