Red, white, and blue cake is the perfect 4th of July cake! Everything goes in one bowl and this patriotic cake is one layer so it’s super easy!
I love making my easy One Layer Cake because it’s just right for smaller occasions when you don’t have time or don’t want the trouble of multiple layers and multiple bowls for this or that.
I thought it would be the perfect cake to transition to this 4th of July cake—which would also work as a Memorial Day cake or any other time when you want to serve a patriotic cake.
How to decorate
You can decorate this pretty little Red, White, and Blue cake with different combinations depending on the occasion you’re serving it for. I chose to use strawberries and blueberries with a white buttercream frosting.
I wanted to keep it simple and not try to make some fancy flag design, just a circle of berries to give it some color.
You may also like my 4th of July Cupcakes!
Ingredients
The ingredients for this little berry cake are just your basic cake ingredients:
- Butter
- Vegetable Oil
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Buttermilk
- Vanilla and almond extract
- Cake flour
- Leaveners: baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- Assorted berries: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries
How to make red, white, and blue cake
Prepare pan
Grease and flour cake pan and line with parchment paper, then grease and flour the parchment paper.
Mix flour
Place flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and blend for about 30 seconds using a hand-mixer.
Cook’s Tip: Use parchment paper when sifting flour for less mess and it’s much easier to pour the flour into a bowl.
Mix milk and eggs
In a large measuring cup, stir together buttermilk, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla until blended. Set aside.
Make batter
Add butter then vegetable oil to flour and mix until it clumps and appears pebbly. Then pour in buttermilk until batter is light and fluffy. (Please see recipe card for specific instructions on how to do this.)
Bake
Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
After your Red, White, and Blue cake has cooled completely, frost with Homemade Buttercream Frosting and then decorate with berries.
Tips
- Don’t use a dark or non-stick cake pan. Regular aluminum cake pans distribute heat evenly and are best for baking.
- Watch the cake carefully and don’t over-bake as that can lead to dry cake. You want just a nice golden brown on the top.
- Use quality ingredients—no store-brand butter in this cake!
How to freeze cake
You can easily make this Red, White, and Blue cake ahead of time and stick it in the freezer for when you’re ready to serve it. If doing so, don’t frost the cake. Here’s the best way to freeze cake:
- Wrap the cake layer in plastic wrap and then wrap in plastic wrap again.
- Next, wrap the plastic-covered cake layer in tin foil to give it more protection against freezer burn and odors.
- Lay the cake layer on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer. Once the cake is frozen you can remove the baking sheet.
- To thaw, simply lay the cake layer on the counter for an hour or two.
For more patriotic desserts, check out this list of 4th of July Desserts.
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Red, White, and Blue Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups cake flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter, diced
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 whole large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Assorted red and blue berries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Butter and flour one 9-inch cake pan, then line the pan with parchment paper. Spray and flour the parchment paper, shaking out the excess flour.
- In a large measuring cup, add the buttermilk, eggs, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat with a fork until blended. Set aside.
- Sift cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar into a large bowl and blend on low using a hand mixer for about 30 seconds.
- With the mixer running on low, add the butter, one piece at a time. Pour in the vegetable oil. Mix until the flour and butter clump together and appear pebbly, about 30 seconds after the vegetable oil has been added.
- Pour in a little more than half of the buttermilk-egg mixture and mix on the lowest speed until blended, about 10 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix until starting to appear light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Without turning off the mixer, add the remaining buttermilk mixture in a slow stream.
- Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat at medium-high speed for about 15 seconds until well-mixed.
- Pour batter evenly into the prepared cake pan and bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
- Cool pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to loosen. Invert the cake onto a plate, peel off the parchment, then invert back onto the wire rack. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Notes
Baking Tips:
- Don’t use a dark or non-stick cake pan. Regular aluminum cake pans distribute heat evenly and are best for baking.
- Watch the cake carefully and don’t over-bake as that can lead to dry cake. You want just a nice golden brown on the top.
- Use quality ingredients—no store-brand butter in this cake!
How to Freeze the Cake:
- Without frosting, wrap the cake layer in plastic wrap and then wrap in plastic wrap again.
- Next, wrap the plastic-covered cake layer in tin foil to give it more protection against freezer burn and odors.
- Lay the cake layer on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer. Once the cake is frozen you can remove the baking sheet.
- To thaw, simply lay the cake layer on the counter for an hour or two.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published June 5, 2018, and on July 1, 2019, was updated with one or more of the following: step-by-step photos, video, updated recipe, new tips.
