Flag Cake with Fresh Berries
Celebrate the Fourth of July with our show-stopping Patriotic Flag Cake! Decorated with fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, this festive dessert can be made in either a round or square shape. Get creative with flavor twists like lemon or almond cake, and try different frostings like cream cheese or whipped cream. Visit Satisfy Your Cravings food blog at Satisfyyourcravings.com for the full recipe, step-by-step instructions, and tips to make your holiday celebration extra special.
Equipment
- For Baking the Cake:
- Mixing Bowls: Several large and medium-sized bowls for mixing ingredients.
- Electric Mixer: Stand mixer or hand mixer for creaming butter and sugar and mixing the batter.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: For accurately measuring ingredients.
- Spatula: For scraping down the sides of bowls and spreading batter.
- Whisk: For combining dry ingredients.
- 9x13-inch Baking Pan or 9-inch Round Cake Pans: Depending on whether you are making a rectangular or round cake.
- Parchment Paper: For lining the cake pans (optional but recommended).
- Cooling Rack: For cooling the cakes after baking.
- For Making the Frosting:
- Mixing Bowl: Another large bowl for making the frosting.
- Electric Mixer: Stand mixer or hand mixer for whipping the frosting.
- For Assembling and Decorating:
- Offset Spatula or Frosting Spreader: For spreading frosting evenly on the cake.
- Piping Bag and Tips: Optional, for more precise decorating with frosting.
- Ruler or Guide: To help keep lines straight when arranging the berries.
- Star-Shaped Cookie Cutter: Optional, for creating star shapes in the frosting (if not using a piping bag).
- Serving Platter or Cake Stand: To present the finished cake.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 1/2 Cups All-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 Tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 1 Cup Unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 3/4 Cups Granulated sugar
- 4 Large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 Tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 Cup Whole milk, at room temperature
For the Frosting:
- 1 Cup Unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 Cups Powdered sugar
- 1/4 Cup Heavy cream
- 2 Tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/4 Tsp Salt
For the Decoration:
- 2 Cups Fresh blueberries
- 2 Cups Fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 2 Cups Fresh raspberries
Instructions
Preparing the Cake:
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Preparing the Frosting:
- Beat Butter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add Sugar and Cream: Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low speed until combined. Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
Assembling the Flag Cake:
- Frost the Cake: Once the cake has cooled completely, spread an even layer of frosting over the top using a spatula.
- Create the Flag Design:Blueberries: Arrange the blueberries in the top left corner to represent the stars.Stripes: Create alternating rows of sliced strawberries and raspberries to form the red stripes of the flag.
- Chill: Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the frosting to set.