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Perfect Red White & Blue Layer Cake Recipe Easy Homemade 4th July Dessert

red white blue layer cake - featured image
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A festive and easy-to-make red, white, and blue layer cake with tangy cream cheese frosting, perfect for summer parties and 4th of July celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • Red gel food coloring
  • Blue gel food coloring
  • 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch pans or line with parchment paper.
  2. Sift together 2 ½ cups flour, 2 ½ tsp baking powder, and ½ tsp salt in a bowl. Set aside.
  3. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter and 1 ¾ cups sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
  4. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in 1 tbsp vanilla extract.
  5. Alternately add dry ingredients and 1 cup milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix on low speed just until combined.
  6. Divide batter evenly into three bowls. Leave one plain (white), add red gel food coloring to one bowl, and blue to another. Stir gently until color is uniform.
  7. Pour each colored batter into prepared pans. Smooth tops with spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  8. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto cooling racks until completely cool.
  9. Beat 8 oz cream cheese and ½ cup butter together until smooth. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until combined, then add 1 tsp vanilla and pinch of salt. Beat on medium-high for 2 minutes until fluffy.
  10. Place blue cake layer on serving plate. Spread a generous layer of frosting on top. Add white cake layer, repeat frosting, then top with red cake layer. Cover entire cake with remaining frosting, smoothing sides and top.
  11. Chill cake 30 minutes before serving for best slicing.

Notes

Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without thinning batter. Chill frosting if too soft before spreading. Let cake layers cool completely before frosting to prevent melting. Trim domed tops for cleaner layers. For gluten-free, use almond flour blend; for dairy-free, substitute oat milk and use coconut cream frosting.

Nutrition

Keywords: red white and blue cake, 4th of July dessert, layer cake, cream cheese frosting, patriotic cake, summer party dessert

Find it online: https://dahliadishes.com/perfect-red-white-and-blue-layer-cake-recipe-easy-homemade-4th-july-dessert/