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–+ servings
An overhead view of a cake that is decorated with blueberries, sliced strawberries, and vanilla icing to look like an American flag.

American Flag Cake

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 12
Calories: 695kcal
Author: Kris Longwell
This dessert is about as festive as they come. The cake is moist and so flavorful. The buttercream icing is the perfect match for the white cake filling. Add the fruit within 1 to 2 hours before serving.
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Equipment

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 2¾ cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting the pan
  • 2½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 3 egg whites
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar divided
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups buttermilk

For the Icing and Decorating the Cake

  • 1½ cup unsalted butter 3 sticks, room temperature
  • 1 lb cream cheese room temperature
  • ¾ lb powdered sugar about 3 cups
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ pint blueberries fresh
  • 1 pint strawberries fresh, stemmed and sliced

Instructions

Prepare the Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Grease the cake pan with butter and then sprinkle flour all over it, shaking the pan to remove excess flour. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
    2¾ cups all-purpose flour, 2½ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, or, in a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with 1 cup of sugar until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes. Set aside.
    3 egg whites
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the remaining 1 cup of sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides once or twice. Mix in the whole egg and vanilla extract.
    ¾ cup unsalted butter, 2 cups sugar, 1 whole egg, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Turn the mixer to medium-low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour, and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides and then beat for another 30 seconds.
    1½ cups buttermilk
  • Use a spatula to gently fold the egg whites into the batter until fully incorporated, taking care not to over-mix and deflate the peaks.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the pan cool for at least 10 minutes, and then invert onto a board and let cool completely before icing.

Ice and Decorate the Cake

  • Make the icing by adding the softened butter, softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract into a large bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to combine the ingredients until a smooth consistency is reached.
    1½ cup unsalted butter, 1 lb cream cheese, ¾ lb powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Use an offset spatula to ice the top and sides of the cake. Place rows of blueberries in the top left corner of the cake, about a 5"x7" rectangle. Make four rows of "stripes" with the strawberries across the top of the cake. Pipe in rows of icing (with the large star tip) between the strawberry "stripes" and along the edges of the top of the cake. Use the small star tip to make 3 to 4 rows of "stars" across the top of the blueberries.
    ½ pint blueberries, 1 pint strawberries

Video

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 
The cake can be made and iced (the base icing) up to 24 hours in advance of serving. If possible, cover the cake with an inverted roasting pan to keep it from drying. Add the fruit and piped icing within 1 to 2 hours before serving. 
Leftovers will keep covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. The fruit will spoil faster than the cake. You may need to remove the fruit if kept in the fridge for more than several days. 
The cake (pre-iced) can also be frozen for up to several months. Let thaw completely before icing and decorating. 

Nutrition

Calories: 695kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 388mg | Potassium: 308mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 68g | Vitamin A: 1.301IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 2mg