This 3-layer Red White and Blue Cake decorated with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles is the perfect dessert for your patriotic holiday celebrations.
Course Dessert
Cuisine 4th of July, American
Keyword 3 layer, 4th of July, cake, patriotic, red, white and blue, velvet cake
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 40 minutesminutes
Idle Time 45 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour45 minutesminutes
Servings 16
Calories 898kcal
Equipment
3 8-inch round pans
Mixer
Ingredients
White Velvet Layer
¼cupunsalted butter
½teaspoonsalt
1cupgranulated sugar
1egg
½cupmilk
½cupvegetable oil
⅛cupwarm water
1 ½teaspoonswhite vinegar
½teaspoonvanilla extract
¼teaspoonalmond extract
1 ¼cupall-purpose flour
½teaspoonbaking soda
¼teaspoonbaking powder
Red Velvet Layer
¼cupunsalted butter
½teaspoonsalt
1cupgranulated sugar
1egg
½cupmilk
½cupvegetable oil
⅛cupwarm water
1 ½teaspoonswhite vinegar
¼teaspoonvanilla extract
¼teaspoonalmond extract
1 ¼cupall-purpose flour
1 ½tablespoonscocoa powder
½teaspoonbaking soda
¼teaspoonbaking powder
Red food dye
Blue Velvet Layer
¼cupunsalted butter
½teaspoonsalt
1cupgranulated sugar
1egg
½cupmilk
½cupvegetable oil
⅛cupwarm water
1 ½teaspoonswhite vinegar
¼teaspoonvanilla extract
¼teaspoonalmond extract
1 ¼cupall-purpose flour
1 ½tablespoonscocoa powder
½teaspoonbaking soda
¼teaspoonbaking powder
Blue food dye
Red, white, and blue sprinkles - optional
Cream cheese frosting
16ouncescream cheese – the brick- not the whipped variety – room temperature
1cupbutter 2 sticks – room temperature
3tspvanilla extract
5cupsconfectioner’s sugar
Instructions
Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Coat 3, 8-inch round pans with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Using 3 separate bowls you will make all three layers at the same time.
Add the butter and salt to each bowl and beat together with a hand mixer.
Then add the granulated sugar to each bowl and beat until creamy.
Now add the egg, milk, vegetable oil, warm water, white vinegar, and extracts to each of the bowls. Once again use the hand mixer to combine everything.
In the bowl for the white velvet layer first add the flour, baking soda, and baking powder, then mix until the batter is smooth to complete that layer.
Then add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder to the red and blue velvet bowls, mixing with the hand mixer until the batters are smooth.
Add 3-4 drops of red food dye to the red velvet bowl and 3-4 drops of blue dye to the blue velvet bowl. Use a rubber spatula to mix in the colors in each and finish off those batter mixtures.
Pour each of the batters into one of the prepared round pans that have been sprayed with nonstick spray earlier.
Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until whipped.
Add in the butter and beat again until well blended.
Slowly mix in the vanilla and 1 cup of the confectioner’s sugar until just incorporated.
Continue adding the sugar, one cup at a time, and mixing until just incorporated.
Once the sugar is just blended in, increase the speed of the mixer and whip on high for 1-2 minutes to really aerate the frosting and get everything blended well.
You can then spread the frosting onto a cooled cake to decorate. If you plan on piping the frosting, I do recommend chilling it in the refrigerator for about 1-2 hours so it is firm enough to hold shape before using. This way your decorations don't sag before you can chill the whole, finished dessert.
Decorate
Place the bottom layer as the blue velvet.
Add frosting to that layer, place the white layer next, frosting again, and then the red on top, frosting everything.
Sprinkle with red, white, and or blue sprinkles if desired.