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This Fireworks 4th of July Cake recipe has four layers; funfetti cake, red velvet chocolate cake, cream cheese and vanilla frosting, and patriotic sprinkles. It’s an explosion of flavor and one easy yet impressive cake recipe!
Fireworks 4th of July Cake
Can you spot the stars and stripes? This American cake is a serious showstopper! What makes it so showstopping is the patriotic sprinkles which help hide any flaws that happen in the assembly. You are going to love how easy it is to put this cake together and will be even happier with the results.
I made the first layer of this 4th of July cake red velvet and I followed my red velvet cupcakes recipe for it. And the second layer is made of Homemade Funfetti Cake. But both cake layers can easily be made with a cake mix.
To finish off this layer cake recipe, just coat it with an easy cream cheese and vanilla frosting. Then lots of red, white, and blue sprinkles to hide any mistakes in this delicious American flag cake.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- So festive and fun!
- In between each layer is a decadent frosting: cream cheese frosting to go with the red velvet and vanilla frosting to go with the funfetti
- An easy cake to make with the family- the kids will love it
- You can choose between using a cake mix or making it 100% from scratch
Ingredients needed
- Sugar: I always use granulated sugar for my cakes
- Cocoa powder: unsweetened cocoa powder since we are adding sugar
- Baking soda and Baking Powder: for leavening – different for the different cakes so be sure to read the recipe.
- Buttermilk: I learned how to make buttermilk at home so I will be using that instead of the store-bought
- Vegetable oil: it’s the best oil to use for baking since it keeps the cake so moist
- Vinegar: I’m using white vinegar to help the baking soda rise
- Vanilla extract: makes the cake taste so good, especially with the buttermilk
- Food coloring: red food coloring to make this chocolate cake a red velvet one
- Butter: melted to make a soft and moist cake
- Sprinkles: I used nonpareils, but you can also use jimmies
- Frostings: Cream cheese frosting and vanilla buttercream!
Semi-Homemade Help
Want to cut down on some of the steps to make this cake? Here is how you can make it semi-homemade with mixes, either using all of these or just pick and choose. I love using homemade frosting and cake mix – no one knows it’s a mix with homemade frosting!
- Use vanilla cake mix and add the sprinkles
- Use red velvet cake mix
- Use canned vanilla frosting
- Use canned cream cheese icing!
How to make a 4th of July cake
MAKE THE RED VELVET CAKE:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F then butter and flour two 9-inch cake rounds.
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl: flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt. Then whisk the rest of the ingredients in a measuring cup: buttermilk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract.
- Stir both wet and dry ingredients together in one large bowl. Once fully combined, stir in the red food coloring carefully.
- Pour the cake batter into one of the prepared pans.
- Bake for 20-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
MAKE THE FUNFETTI CAKE:
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Mix butter and sugar in a large bowl. Then add your eggs one at a time and finally the vanilla.
- Add buttermilk with the dry ingredients, and mix until the batter comes together.
- Stir in the patriotic sprinkles.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs sticking to it. Cool completely before frosting.
How to assemble 4th of July Cake
- Torte each cake layer. (This means cut it in half horizontally.)
- Frost the red velvet cake layer with half the cream cheese frosting. Then top with half the funfetti cake and frost with the vanilla frosting. Then frost the entire cake with a light layer of vanilla frosting.
- Sprinkle the cake with your hands, pressing handfuls of sprinkles into the sides and all over the top of the cake.
- Chill until set then serve at room temperature.
Expert Tips
- Frost your American flag cake over the sink. The sprinkles will go everywhere if you don’t!
- You can skip torting the cakes and just make a 2 layer cake if you want.
FAQs
How to decorate a 4th of July cake?
Use any red, white, or blue sprinkles you like. I used nonpareils, but you can also use jimmies sprinkles.
Can you freeze this cake?
Yes, this cake recipe is freezer friendly. Store covered in the freezer and it should keep for up to one month.
Fireworks Cake
Make a Fireworks Cake for a patriotic Fourth of July Dessert. Layers of Red Velvet Cake and cream cheese frosting mixed with homemade funfetti cake and vanilla frosting make this the perfect patriotic dessert recipe!
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cake (or use a cake mix):
- 1 ⅔ 206g cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup 198g granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 237ml buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring
Funfetti Cake (or use a cake mix):
- 1 cup 124g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup 113g unsalted buter, melted
- ¾ cup 154g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ 7ml tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup 166 ml buttermilk
- ½ cup sprinkles any colors
Cream Cheese Frosting (or use canned):
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup 113g butter, room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups 452g powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Frosting (or use canned):
- 1 cup 227g unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups 452g powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon 15 ml vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2-5 tablespoons 30-75ml heavy whipping cream
- 24 ounces Sprinkles any color, for coating
Instructions
Make the red velvet cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake rounds.
- Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt in a large bowl.
- Whisk buttermilk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla in a large measuring cup and whisk into dry ingredients until combined. Stir in food coloring carefully.
- Pour batter into one of the prepared pans. Bake for 20-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Make the Funfetti Cake:
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Mix butter and sugar on medium speed in a large bowl using a hand or a stand mixer until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla.
- Add the buttermilk alternately with the dry ingredients, mixing between each, starting and ending with the buttermilk, and mixing just until the batter comes together. Stir in sprinkles.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs sticking too it. Cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Beat butter and cream cheese with a hand mixer in a large bowl until smooth, then mix in salt.
- Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and beat in between each addition. Add vanilla and continue mixing a smooth frosting forms.
Vanilla Frosting:
- Beat butter with a hand or a stand mixer until creamy. Slowly add in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until a crumbly mixture forms.
- Mix in vanilla and salt, then add 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Mix until smooth, adding more cream until you reach your desired consistency.
Assemble Cake:
- Torte each cake layer.
- Place red velvet cake layer on cake plate. Frost with half the cream cheese frosting. Top with half the funfetti cake and frost with one quarter of the vanilla frosting. Repeat layers.
- Frost the entire cake with a light layer of vanilla frosting.
- Place the cake so one side of it is over the kitchen sink. Use your hands to press handfuls of sprinkles into the sides and all over the top of the cake.
- Chill until set. Serve room temperature.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 720kcal | Carbohydrates: 114g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 387mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 84g
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Your cakes look so festive and delicious … unfortunately, i am on a Keto diet so all I can do is drool over them. If I ever lose the 80 pounds I have to lose, these are the treats I plan on making. Good job at making them so attractive …
Okay, this cake is a serious showstopper! And I love that what makes it so showstopping also helps hide any flaws that happen in assembly. Double win in my book!
What a great cake for Fourth of July. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
A “showstopper dessert?” Dang! This is the epic grand finale in the fireworks show. That looks too damn fantastic, Dorothy.
Wow, I wish we would have stayed longer the day you made this. It would have been worth getting stuck in traffic. YUM!
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