Red, White and Blue Cake

A fun and easy cake decorating project for a red, white and blue cake. Make this cake for the 4th of July or Memorial Day!

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5 from 1 vote

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Total Time 45

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings8

½ recipe Vanilla Buttercream (or use the full recipe for two 8-inch cake layers)
"bright white" gel food coloring, optional
2-4 tbsp red, white and blue sprinkles
red, white and blue birthday candles

Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly spray the bottoms of two 6-inch cake pans (serves 8 people) or two 8-inch cake pans (serves 16 people) with non-stick baking spray.
Prepare the Vanilla Cake batter as instructed. Use 1/2 the recipe for a 6-inch cake or the full recipe for an 8-inch cake. Take care not to over-mix the batter, since you'll be mixing it again to add the food coloring.
Divide the batter evenly between two bowls. To one bowl, stir in 1/2 - 1 teaspoon "super red" gel food coloring. To the other bowl, stir in 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon "royal blue" gel food coloring and 1/4 teaspoon "navy blue" gel food coloring.
Scrape the batter into the cake pans. Bake 6-inch cakes for about 25-28 minutes, and 8 inch cakes for about 30-35 minutes, until the tops of the cakes spring back when gently touched or a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.
Set the pans on a cooling rack, covered loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and cool completely before frosting.

Prepare the Vanilla Buttercream as instructed. Use 1/2 the recipe for a 6-inch cake or the full recipe for an 8-inch cake.
Baker's Note: I highly recommend substituting vegetable shortening for half of the butter, for a whiter color to your buttercream, otherwise it will have a yellowish hue. You can also add a few drops of "bright white" gel food coloring to whiten the color.
Stack, fill and frost the cooled cake layers with the buttercream, then frost all over with a thin crumb coat of buttercream. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes to chill the crumb coat.
Add the sprinkles to the remainder of the buttercream. Spread a final coat of buttercream onto the cake, making it as smooth or textured as you like.
Baker's Note: Adding the sprinkles to the buttercream makes the sprinkles look much more subtle. If you like a more bold sprinkle cake, save them to sprinkle on top of the final coat of buttercream.
Finish decorating the cake with red, white and blue birthday candles on top.

Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Keyword High Altitude, July 4th, Memorial Day, Red White and Blue, Vanilla Cake

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