This Patriotic Red, White & Blue cake is perfect for upcoming 4th of July celebrations. It’s a show-stopper of a cake with the vibrant red and blue layers striped with a tangy cream cheese frosting.
I really enjoyed the process of making the Milk Bar Birthday Cake and chose to use the same technique for my Patriotic Red, White & Blue Cake. However, I wasn’t a fan of the overall Milke Bar Birthday Cake flavor. It was much too sweet for my liking and although I do enjoy baked goods with a hint of salt, the salt in the cake, again, was more than I preferred.
Since the Milk Bar Birthday Cake assembly process is fun, easy, and creates a stunning cake, I used the same technique to create my Patriotic Red, White & Blue cake. My recipe modifications resulted in a cake that’s less sweet when compared to the traditional Milk Bar recipe. The cake also has less of a salty finish and overall, it’s easier to make.
Although I enjoyed the multi-layer texture of the Milk Bar Birthday Cake, it required a lot of time to make — cake, frosting, crumbs, milk soak. The Patriotic Red, White, and Blue cake has fewer components (no soak or crumbs) which make it easier to bake and assemble because I’m all about saving time and dishes!
Rather than getting too fancy with the Patriotic Red, White & Blue Cake decorations, I chose to keep things simple on top with a few dollops of vanilla buttercream, a light dusting of 
Here’s to celebrating America with cake, friends, and fun. Happy 4th of July, y’all!
Patriotic Red, White & Blue Cake
Author: Alyssa
Ingredients
- ½ unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup shortening, like Crisco
- 2½ cups granulated sugar
- 36 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4cups cake flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 quarte sheet pans with non-stick cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream together the butter, shortening, and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the eggs, and mix on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes.
- On low speed, gradually pour in the milk mixture.
- Increase the speed and combine on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until fully emulsified.
- On low speed, add the flour mixture and mix just until the batter comes together.
- Split the cake batter into two bowls (use a scale to ensure even measurement).
- To one bowl, add 4-6 drops red food coloring and gently stir until fully distributed.
- To the other bowl, add 4-6 drops blue food coloring and mix until combined.
- Pour each cake batter into the prepared quarter sheet pans.
- Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes.
- Let cool completely before removing from pan.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time
Total time
Author: Alyssa
Serves: 1
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- 2 ounces whipped cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch baking powder
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the corn syrup and vanilla extract.
- Cream together the butter, shortening and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth.
- With the mixer on its lowest speed, pour in the corn syrup mixture and beat for 2 minutes until glossy.
- Add the powdered sugar, salt, baking powder and mix until smooth.
Buttercream Frosting
Prep time
Total time
Author: Alyssa
Serves: 1
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening, like Crisco
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon meringue powder
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons whole milk
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Cream together the butter, shortening, vanilla extract and meringue powder in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth.
- With the mixer on its lowest speed, add in 1 cup of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons milk and mix until combined.
- Add in an additional cup of powdered sugar and salt and mix until combined.
- Depending on the consistency add in more sugar or milk until mixture becomes a stiff buttercream for piping.
Patriotic Red, White & Blue Cake Assembly
Prep time
Total time
Author: Alyssa
Serves: 1
Ingredients
- 1 red quarter sheet cake
- 1 red quarter sheet blue cake
- 1 recipe cream cheese frosting
- 1 recipe buttercream frosting
- patriotic sprinkles
- gold star toppers
- 2 strips of acetate, each 3 inches wide x 18 inches long
- 1 6-inch cake cutter
Instructions
- Using a 6-inch cake cutter cut two 6-inch cakes out of each of colored cakes (for a total of 4 round cakes).
- Set cut cakes aside for asseembly and discard the remaining cake or save for making cake balls.
- On a cake plate or stand, spread a tablespoon of cream cheese frosting and place the 6-inch cake cutter into the center of the cake stand, centering it around the cream cheese frosting. Line the inside of the cake ring with the first strip of acetate.
- Layer 1: Place one blue cake into the cake cutter/acetate. Using a spatula, spread one-third of the cream cheese frosting in an even layer over the blue cake.
- Layer 2: Carefully tuck the second strip of acetate between the cake ring and the top ¼ inch of the first strip of acetate, so that you have a clear ring of acetate 5 to 6 inches tall. Set one of the red cakes on to the frosting and layer half of the remaining cream cheese frosting onto the red cake in an even layer.
- Layer 3 & 4: Place the second blue cake onto the frosting. Spread the remaining cream cheese frosting in an even layer onto the blue cake and top with the remaining red cake (you do not frost the top of the red cake just yet).
- Transfer the undecorated cake to the freezer and freeze for at least 8 hours.
- At least 2 hours before you are ready to serve the cake, remove the cake from the freezer and let it thaw for 10-15 minutes. Gently remove the cake ring and acetate from the cake by carefully pulling the ring upwards.
- Place the buttercream frosting into a piping bag with a 1M star tip.
- Decorate the top of the cake using the buttercream frosting by making large star-shaped dollops of frosting on top of the cake.
- Complete the cake deocrations by adding the patriotic sprinkles and 8-9 gold star toppers to the center of the cake
- Let the cake defrost completely before serving.
This cake is stunning! Show-stopping, I’d almost feel bad for eating it.
WOW this is such a stunning cake! Perfect for 4th of July! So delicious and I love the flavors combination!
What a spectacular looking cake, you instructions make it sound really very achievable though!
Beautifully made and presented! This cake is a dream, and looks perfect for the 4th of July!
This is such a pretty and patriotic cake! Perfect for the Memorial Day or 4th of July holiday!
Your festive cake is absolutely gorgeous!