Her Modern Kitchen

Eating & Living in Austin, Texas

cream cheese

Celebrate America with a Patriotic Red, White & Blue Cake

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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.

Patriotic Red, White & Blue Cake 2

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.

Patriotic Red, White & Blue Cake Portrait

Patriotic Red, White & Blue Cake . Top

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!

Stella with Cake

Alyssa with Cake

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 , and a few shimmery to mimick fireworks on the 4th of July!

Here’s to celebrating America with cake, friends, and fun. Happy 4th of July, y’all! 

5.0 from 6 reviews
Patriotic Red, White & Blue Cake
 
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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
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 quarte sheet pans with non-stick cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Cream together the butter, shortening, and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes.
  5. Add the eggs, and mix on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes.
  6. On low speed, gradually pour in the milk mixture.
  7. Increase the speed and combine on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until fully emulsified.
  8. On low speed, add the flour mixture and mix just until the batter comes together.
  9. Split the cake batter into two bowls (use a scale to ensure even measurement).
  10. To one bowl, add 4-6 drops red food coloring and gently stir until fully distributed.
  11. To the other bowl, add 4-6 drops blue food coloring and mix until combined.
  12. Pour each cake batter into the prepared quarter sheet pans.
  13. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes.
  14. Let cool completely before removing from pan.

5.0 from 6 reviews
Cream Cheese Frosting
 
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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
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the corn syrup and vanilla extract.
  2. Cream together the butter, shortening and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth.
  3. With the mixer on its lowest speed, pour in the corn syrup mixture and beat for 2 minutes until glossy.
  4. Add the powdered sugar, salt, baking powder and mix until smooth.

5.0 from 6 reviews
Buttercream Frosting
 
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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
  1. Cream together the butter, shortening, vanilla extract and meringue powder in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth.
  2. With the mixer on its lowest speed, add in 1 cup of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons milk and mix until combined.
  3. Add in an additional cup of powdered sugar and salt and mix until combined.
  4. Depending on the consistency add in more sugar or milk until mixture becomes a stiff buttercream for piping.

5.0 from 6 reviews
Patriotic Red, White & Blue Cake Assembly
 
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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
  1. Using a 6-inch cake cutter cut two 6-inch cakes out of each of colored cakes (for a total of 4 round cakes).
  2. Set cut cakes aside for asseembly and discard the remaining cake or save for making cake balls.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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).
  7. Transfer the undecorated cake to the freezer and freeze for at least 8 hours.
  8. 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.
  9. Place the buttercream frosting into a piping bag with a 1M star tip.
  10. Decorate the top of the cake using the buttercream frosting by making large star-shaped dollops of frosting on top of the cake.
  11. Complete the cake deocrations by adding the patriotic sprinkles and 8-9 gold star toppers to the center of the cake
  12. Let the cake defrost completely before serving.

 

Hummingbird Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

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Hummingbird Cake - 1

I’m going out on a limb here, but I’m pretty sure most people have never heard of Hummingbird Cake. In fact, I have no idea how I eve know about the cake! If you’ve never heard of it, Hummingbird cake is a moist banana cake filled with pineapple, pecans, and sometimes coconut then topped with a rich cream cheese frosting.

I’ve always associated Hummingbird Cake with the South and in my mind, it was a true Southern dessert. I even made up my own little story of its origin. I always picture Hummingbird Cake being originally created by a sweet, old grandma with a thick Southern drawl wearing a blue gingham apron who simply dumped some tropical fruits into her banana cake recipe. She then topped it with cream cheese frosting since her favorite Red Velvet Cake is finished with the same creamy frosting!

Hummingbird Cake - Overhead

Hummingbird Cake - 2

As much I love my made up version of the Hummingbird Cake’s origin, it not even close to the truth. If you want to know the truth, read on, if you want to stick with my great Southern story, skip the nest paragraph!

Here’s the true story — which I learned while reach searching the recipe!  Hummingbird Cake was actually created in Jamaica — which makes sense when you think about it.  The cake is loaded with tropical fruits and both bananas & pineapples are abundant in Jamaica. The cake also shares its name with a Jamaican-native hummingbird species. Some say it received its name because the cake is so sweet it would actually attract the hummingbirds which feed on sweet nectar.

Hummingbird Cake - Bite!

I prefer my story but regardless of its origin, I love Hummingbird Cake because it’s super moist, flavorful, and has a wonderful texture from the mix of pineapple, coconut, pecans and luscious cream cheese frosting.

Hummingbird Cake typically calls for a cup of oil and for most recipes, 2 or more cups of sugar! I chose to lighten the recipe by halving the oil. Instead, I relied on the bananas to bring moisture to the cake.

Hummingbird Cake - Fork

When it came to the sugar in the cake itself, I chose to only use 1/3rd of the sugar in standard Hummingbird Cake recipes (2/3 cups added sugar in all). To bring some caramel notes, which pair nicely with both the bananas and pecans, I used a mix of granulated and light brown sugar while again relying heavily on the mix of tropical fruits to bring natural sweetness to the cake.

Wanting to make the frosting a bit more special than typical cream cheese frosting, I chose to create a Honey Cream Cheese Frosting. I love the flavor the honey adds to the overall cake and it’s also a bit in tribute to the Jamaican hummingbird that dines on nectar.

Hummingbird Cake - 3

With my fat and sugar swaps, this Hummingbird Cake is nothing you need to feel too guilty about eating. It’s a fruit & nut packed cake that’s super moist from mashed bananas, pineapple & coconut while being perfectly sweet when paired with the Honey Cream Cheese frosting.

I highly recommend enjoying this cake on a sunny afternoon on your patio with a bit lemonade or ice tea. After all, that’s how my Southern baking grandma would have enjoyed it when she first created the recipe!

Hummingbird Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting
 
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A fruit & nut packed cake that's super moist from mashed bananas, pineapple & coconuts while being perfectly sweet when paired with the Honey Cream Cheese frosting.
Serves: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 large bananas, mashed
  • ½ cup oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup shredded coconut
  • ⅓ cup crushed pineapple, drained
  • ½ cup chopped pecans
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (1 brick)
  • ½ cup honey
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (1/2 stick)
  • 5 cups confectioner's sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350*.
  2. Line 2 cupcake tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon then set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs and vanilla extract.
  5. Whisk in the mashed banana followed by both sugars.
  6. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and combine with a spatula or wooden spoon.
  7. Fold in the pineapple, coconut and pecans until fully combined.
  8. Evenly distribute the batter among the 24 cupcake liners.
  9. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
  10. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.
  11. To make the frosting, place the softened cream cheese and butter into an electric mixing bowl and cream together on high for 1-2 minute until fluffy.
  12. Add in the honey and mix on medium for up to 1 minute.
  13. Begin adding in the confectioner's sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing on high before each new addition.
  14. Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost the cupcakes by placing the frosting into a piping bag or spreading on top of the cupcakes with a spatula.
  15. Refrigerator the frosted cupcakes until serving.
  16. Allow the cupcakes to come to room temperature (20 minutes) before serving.

Hummingbird Cake - Fresh