This American Flag Surprise Cake Recipe for July 4th is a festive and patriotic dessert perfect for celebrating Independence Day. It's also great for a birthday! This was actually my son's 11th birthday cake.
Red, white and blue layers of delicious almond flavored cake forms a surprise flag pattern when you cut into this super cute American Flag Surprise Cake.
Why I love this American Flag Surprise Cake Recipe for July 4th
• This American Flag Surprise Cake was made for my son's birthday and he loved it!
• Have you ever made a "surprise" cake? It's so much fun to serve one at a party, especially when your guests have no idea what's hidden inside.
• At my son's party, as I'm about to cut into the cake, he said, "WAIT FOR IT, WAIT FOR IT!" As I sliced into the American Flag Surprise Cake, I got lots of OOHs and AAHs from the boys as I revealed the colorful flag design on the inside of the cake!
• And this festive flag cake really isn't hard to make. I've never made a flag cake myself and I had to do it in a hurry and under pressure.
• It's also the perfect dessert for any patriotic holiday like fourth of July, Memorial Day, Flag Day or Veterans Day!
What you need
Ingredient notes
Red Velvet Boxed Cake Mix - We used Duncan Hines brand. Betty Crocker makes one too This is for the red layers of the flag cake design. Most grocery stores carry this item.
Cake Flour - This is used if you're making the white & blue layers from scratch, not all purpose flour (see below for my favorite white cake recipe). Or you can use a white box cake, if you're in a hurry.
Butter, Sugar, Egg Whites, Almond Extract, Baking Powder and Salt - These ingredients are also needed for the made from scratch layers that are white and blue.
For the Frosting - You will need Unsalted Butter, Vegetable Shortening, Powdered Sugar and Vanilla Extract. If you prefer, you can omit the vegetable shortening and use all butter.
How to make this American Flag Cake Recipe
• Heat oven to 350°F. Use a homemade cake batter for the white and blue layers. (Substitute a moist white cake mix, if desired.) Then use a box mix for the red velvet layer.
• Line three 9-inch round cake pans that are at least 1 ½ inches deep with parchment paper. Spray pans with non-stick cooking spray before and after placing the parchment paper.
• Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, make the buttercream frosting (recipe follows).
• Cut the red layer and the white layer in half horizontally. For best results, use a cake leveler to cut the layers horizontally.
• Then cut the dome of the red velvet cake off to reserve for the middle of the flag. Cut a circle out of the middle of the blue layer by cutting around the outside edge of a 4-inch bowl with a knife. Set aside the MIDDLE of the blue layer to eat later (it won't be used in the flag cake).
How to assemble this patriotic flag cake:
1 - First place one red cake layer on a cake plate. Spread with an even layer of frosting.
2 - Then place one white layer on top or red layer. Spread with frosting.
3 - Next place red layer on top of white layer. Spread with frosting.
4 - And then place blue layer (with the hole in the middle) on top of red layer.
5 - Cut a circle out of the middle of the remaining white and red layers using a 4-inch bowl as a guide.
6 - Finally place a small white circle inside blue layer. Spread with frosting, then add the small red circle on top.
Frost the entire cake with a thin layer of frosting called a crumb coat. Then frost the entire cake with the remaining frosting using an offset spatula (for best results). Add toothpick flags on top for decoration. Or if you want to be really fancy, you could add another flag design on the top of the cake using rows of raspberries for the red stripes and fresh blueberries for the stars.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make the cake layers in advance? Yes, you can bake the cake layers a day ahead. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store them at room temperature or refrigerate them if it's very hot.
What if I don't have three 9-inch cake pans? You can bake the layers in batches if you have fewer pans. Just make sure to wash and re-grease the pans between uses.
How do I level the cake layers? Use a serrated knife or a cake leveler to slice off the domed tops of the cake layers to make them flat and even.
What if my frosting is too runny? Chill the frosting in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, then whip it again to reach the desired consistency. Adding more powdered sugar can also help thicken it.
How do I store the cake? Store the assembled cake in the refrigerator, covered with a cake dome or plastic wrap, to keep it fresh. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
Can I use a different frosting? Yes, you can use any frosting you prefer, such as cream cheese frosting, buttercream, Cool Whip or whipped cream. Just ensure it pairs well with the cake flavors.
Quick tips
Use Gel Food Coloring: Opt for gel food coloring for a more vibrant blue color without altering the cake batter's consistency.
Cool Completely: Ensure cakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
Crumb Coat: Apply a thin layer of frosting (crumb coat) and refrigerate to set before adding the final layer of frosting for a smoother finish
Level Cakes: Level the tops of the cakes with a serrated knife for a more professional look and stable stacking.
Refrigerate Before Serving: Chill the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes before serving to ensure it sets properly and makes cleaner slices.
Related recipes
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American Flag Surprise Cake Recipe for July 4th
Equipment
Ingredients
For white & blue cake layers:
- 3 cups cake flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (I used organic) 2 sticks
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 5 large egg whites room temperature (I used organic)
- 1 cup whole milk room temperature (I used organic)
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Blue food coloring
For red velvet cake layers:
- 1 box red velvet cake mix prepared according to package instructions (I used Duncan Hines)
For the buttercream frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (I used organic) 2 sticks
- 1 cup vegetable shortening I used organic
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 pounds powdered sugar
- ½ cup whole milk plus more if needed (I used organic)
For decoration:
- Toothpick flags
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper. Use pans that are at least 1 ½ inches deep. Set aside. Stir together flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Make batter for white and blue layers first. Place butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium for 2 minutes. Turn mixer to low and gradually add egg whites. Continue beating until completely combined. With mixer on low, gradually add half the flour mixture and half of the milk. Mix until combined, then add remaining flour and milk. Add almond extract. Mix on medium low for 1 minute. Pour half of the batter into a prepared pan. Add blue food coloring to remaining batter. Stir to combine and pour into 2nd prepared pan.
- Meanwhile, prepare the red velvet cake mix according to package instructions. Pour all of the batter into the 3rd prepared pan. Bake all 3 layers for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into middle of cake comes out clean. If possible, bake all 3 layers on the middle rack of oven.
- Let cakes cool completely. If time, cover and refrigerate cake layers for 2 hours (they're easier to work with when chilled but you can skip this step if you don't have time).
- Cut the red velvet cake (horizontally) into 3 layers. For best results, use a cake leveler. It's ok if the top layer has a dome shape (reserve this for the top layer of cake). Then cut the white cake (horizontally) to create 2 layers. Using a 4-inch round bowl, trace a circle with a knife in the middle of the blue layer. Remove the circle. Now cut the same size circle out of one of the white layers and cut the same size circle from the top (dome shape) red velvet layer. Set aside.
For buttercream:
- Place butter and shortening in a large bowl. With an electric mixer, beat on medium high for 2 minutes. Turn to low and gradually add half the sugar and half of the milk. Keep mixing until combined, then add remaining sugar and milk. Add vanilla. Once all is combined, turn mixer up to medium high and beat for 2 minutes. Add a few more tablespoons of milk if it's too thick.
How to assemble the American Flag Surprise Cake:
- Step 1 - place one red layer on a cake plate. Spread with frosting.Step 2 - place one white layer on top or red layer. Spread with frosting.Step 3 - place red layer on top of white layer. Spread with frosting.Step 4 - place blue layer (with the hole in the middle) on top of red layer.Step 5 - place a small white circle inside blue layer. Spread with frosting, then add the small red circle on top.
Frosting the cake:
- Frost the entire cake with a thin layer of frosting called a crumb coat, then frost the cake with the remaining frosting. Add toothpick flags on top for decoration, if desired. Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
Nutrition
And here's my birthday boy, Luke. I can't believe he's already 11! Why do they grow up so fast!
From the original post, September 12, 2016:
My son LOVES flags and he especially loves the American Flag. When I asked him what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday party, of course he said, "I want a flag cake." Then I said, instead of having a flag on top of the cake, how about having a flag INSIDE the cake. He LOVED the idea!
On the day of my son's party (last Friday), I had a lot going on. Let me just say, my day didn't go as expected. My plan was to have all day to make the cake and prepare for the party while the kids were at school. Well that didn't happen. Long story short, I didn't start making the cake until AFTER the guests came and didn't finish it until about 8 pm. This was fine with the nine little boys that I had at my house though. They were happy to eat it, even if it was a little late!
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