Fourth of July Flag Cake

 This Fourth of July Flag Cake is an easy, festive dessert to serve on Fourth of July! It feeds a crowd, so it’s perfect for all of those big parties you’ll be attending! Brown butter vanilla cake + cream cheese frosting = heaven! 

For some reason, I’m all about dessert in the summer, so be sure to check out this Slab French Silk Pie, this Banana Cream Pie with Chocolate Ganache, and this Peanut Butter French Silk Pie. 

Fourth of July Flag Cake

Looking for the perfect dessert to bring to your Fourth of July party?? I’ve got ya covered! Not only is this cake a showstopper for your table scape, it’s DELICIOUS.  The cake itself is an adaptation of this white Texas sheet cake, but I added in more flavor with brown butter and brown sugar, giving the cake a richer, more bold taste, which I love. 

I adore the taste of almond in desserts, especially when paired with fruit, so I also upped the amount of almond extract in the cake, and the result is SO GOOD. It’s one of those flavors people have a hard time pinpointing, but leaves such a distinct, wonderful taste on your palate. 

If you’re not new around here, then you know I love brown butter. Like, a lot. It adds a lovely nutty depth of flavor in just about anything it encounters, so if I have a chance to swap it out for plain butter in a recipe, I’m going to take it. Here, it’s perfectly complimentary to the almond extract and brown sugar, and it pairs so well with the cream cheese frosting. It’s a subtle difference in flavor, but it will really leave an impact with your guests. 

Browning the butter is obviously an extra step you need to take, but even with it, you’ll find this cake is incredibly simple to throw together. After the butter is browned, you basically just need to throw everything into a bowl, mix it, then bake. Done. 

How to make Fourth of July Flag Cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10×15 sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray.
• Brown the butter! You know the drill: Add butter to a medium saucepan. Turn the heat on medium-high, once the butter melts and starts to brown, swirl the pan until the butter is a deep brown color and smells nutty. Turn the heat off and add water. 
• Add white sugar, brown sugar, salt, flour, and baking soda to a bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
• Put the butter and water back on the heat and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, pour over flour and sugar mixture. Add sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Use a wooden spoon to stir the batter just until combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached.
• To make the frosting, add butter and cream cheese to the bottom of a stand mixer. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup a time, mixing until smooth each time. Add vanilla and milk at the end, mix until smooth.
• Spread cream cheese frosting evenly on cake. Place blueberries in the corn of the cake and layer strawberries on. Can be chilled and served later! Make sure the cake sits out at least 15-20 minutes before serving. You don’t want it to be cold!

Can Fourth of July Flag Cake be made ahead of time? 

YES! Make the cake and frosting the day before. Chill in the fridge separately. Pull the frosting out at least 30 minutes before assembly and then follow instructions to complete. 

How do I slice the strawberries? 

Ok this may seem like a silly question, but the prettiest way to prepare the strawberries is to cut off the tops, then slice from the bottom to the top. Place the strawberries on the cake, pointed bottom to the left. It’s so much prettier! 

Tips and Tricks for recipe Success

• Make sure your cream cheese and butter for the frosting are at room temperature. This will make for a smooth frosting! 
• For an extra salty bite, sprinkle a little bit of fleur de sel over the finished product.
• To keep the cake fluffy and soft, be sure to only mix the ingredients until they’re combined, that’s it! 
• This is a thin cake, so be sure you don’t overcook it! Check it at 15 minutes, and if a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs attached, it’s done. 

The perfect Fourth of July Menu

• The BEST Pasta Salad
• The BEST Brown Butter Onion Dip
• Grilled Prosciutto Chicken with Pesto Cream Sauce
• Everyday Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad
• Sparkling Rosé Sangria

Fourth of July Flag Cake

Yield: 30-35 pieces

 This Fourth of July Flag Cake is an easy, festive dessert to serve on Fourth of July! It feeds a crowd, so it's perfect for all of those big parties you'll be attending! Brown butter vanilla cake + cream cheese frosting = heaven! 

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Ingredients

Cake

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. almond extract
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 12 ounces strawberries, sliced
• 1 cup blueberries

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 12 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10x15 sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Add butter to a medium saucepan. Turn the heat on medium-high, once the butter melts and starts to brown, swirl the pan until the butter is a deep brown color and smells nutty. Turn the heat off and add water. Whisk. Set aside for a minute.
3. Add white sugar, brown sugar, salt, flour, and baking soda to a bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
4. Put the butter and water back on the heat and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, pour over flour and sugar mixture. Add sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Use a wooden spoon to stir the batter just until combined.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Make sure the batter is evenly spread out. Put in the middle rack in the oven. Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached, about 15-18 minutes. Cool completely.
6. To make the frosting, add butter and cream cheese to the bottom of a stand mixer. Mix on mediums speed until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, a 1 cup a time, mixing until smooth each time. Add vanilla and milk at the end, mix until smooth.
7. Spread cream cheese frosting evenly on cake. Place blueberries in the corn of the cake and layer strawberries on. Can be chilled and served later! Make sure the cake sits out at least 15-20 minutes before serving. You don't want it to be cold!

Notes

Recipe adapted from All Recipes