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–+ servings

American Flag Cake

close up shot of American Flag Cake
This beautiful red, white, and blue American flag cake is the perfect dessert for any Memorial Day or 4th of July gathering!
Prep Time 25 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16
Calories 429 kcal

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 2½ cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1¾ cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ¾ cup butter
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk

Almond Cream Cheese Icing

  • 2½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 cup butter
  • ½ cup cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • pinch salt

Toppings

  • 25 strawberries
  • 50 blueberries

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12x17-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Cream butter and sugar with a paddle attachment in a stand mixer for 4 to 5 minutes on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
  • While butter and sugar are creaming, whisk together the dry ingredients.
  • Beat in the eggs one at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl after each addition and then add the vanilla extract.
  • Add sour cream and vegetable oil and mix until combined.
  • Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk ⅓ at a time, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Do not over mix!
  • Spread the batter into the pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Check at 15 minutes. Allow the cake to cool while you slice the strawberries in half and prepare the icing.
  • For the icing, mix the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed for 1 minute with the whisk attachment.
  • Add sugar all at once and turn the mixer on low to combine. Once combined, add cream, salt, and almond extract, and mix on medium-high speed for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Ice cake and decorate with strawberries and blueberries. Use a star icing tip to pipe stars in between blueberries. Pipe a shell border around the cake to finish the edges if you wish.

Notes

  • You can make your own buttermilk using whole or 2% milk and lemon juice or distilled vinegar. For every 1 cup of milk, stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.
  • Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time. 
  • Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature or you will end up with lumps in your icing.
  • It’s important to make sure that your fresh fruit is completely dry when you put it on the cake, otherwise, it can cause the icing to get soggy and it will ruin the look of your beautiful cake.

Nutrition

Sodium: 308mgCalcium: 72mgVitamin C: 11mgVitamin A: 862IUSugar: 21gFiber: 1gPotassium: 164mgCholesterol: 100mgCalories: 429kcalTrans Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 19gFat: 30gProtein: 5gCarbohydrates: 37gIron: 1mg