4th of July Cake

4th of July Cake is the perfect dessert to enjoy while celebrating Independence Day. This funfetti-style bundt cake is so easy and delicious!

I sure love this time of year. Summers up here in North Idaho are positively GLORIOUS! So of course I look forward to it for the 9 other months of the year.

One thing in particular that I love is the 4th of July. I love all things red, white, and blue and that includes the things I make for our party spread while celebrating the holiday. My favorite – this 4th of July Bundt Cake. So cute and delicious!

This cake is so fun because it is inspired by my homemade funfetti cake – which I highly recommend you give a try too. I just love sprinkles and look for any reason to add them to my dessert recipes.

But because it is summer and more casual – I decided to go with a bundt cake instead of my usual 2-3 layered cakes. There’s just something special about a bundt. I love to make them- especially for special occasions like a holiday.

Check out how cute this cake turned out. It’s so soft with the perfect moist crumb. I know you’ll love it too!

fourth of July cakes

Here are some commonly asked questions

Can this cake be frozen?

Yes, I do it often. Once baked – this cake can be frozen at all stages of the creation process. I like to remove a freshly baked and cooled cake from the pan, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze it for later use. (this is also handy when you want to work with cold cakes to keep the frosting from getting too soft.)

You can also gently wrap the completely decorated cake and freeze it until you need it. Remember that the frosting or icing won’t be completely firm and can still be dented if something gets pushed up against it while in the freezer.

Just make sure to thaw it in the fridge the night before as it does taste best when not frozen. I also like to leave it at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving so the frosting is more creamy than stiff.

How to keep a bundt pan from sticking to the pan

First – I highly recommend using a non-stick or silicone pan. But just because you are using one of these types of pans doesn’t mean you can skip adding additional non-stick to the pan.

When it comes to non-stick, you want to make sure you are coating liberally and then flouring. You can often skip this step by using something like a cooking spray made for baking.

My favorite way that is nearly fool-proof is bakers release. It is my “go-to” when it comes to making my cakes release cleanly and easily. See below for more info.

4th of July cake ideas

What is bakers release?

Bakers release is a combination of oil, flour, and shortening that makes releasing cakes and other baked goods almost effortless.

To make Bakers Release – it is as simple as 1,1 & 1. 

• equal parts of all-purpose flour, shortening, and cooking oil – I like to do 1 cup of each.

Mix the ingredients together – whisking well. Store in an airtight container in the pantry or refrigerator. When ready to use, dip a pastry brush into the mixture and spread it over the cake pan.

How do I properly measure the flour?

The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your recipe too dry.

However – if you fluff your flour with a spoon, then gently scoop the flour into the measuring cup, taking care to not pack the flour – that should work for this recipe.

easy bundt cake

What is bundt cake?

Basically a bundt cake is a cake that is baked in a bundt pan. A bundt pan is a round, donut-shaped cake pan that was inspired by a traditional European cake known as Gugelhupf.

Don’t miss these other great bundt cake recipes!

• Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cheesecake Filling
• Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake
• Vanilla Bundt Cake
• Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Kahlua Ganache
• Banana Coconut Bundt Cake
• Apple Cider Donut Cake
• Bourbon Cake
• Rum Cake
• Lemon Blueberry Swirl Bundt Cake
• St. Patrick’s Day Cake
• 7-Up Pound Cake

bundt cake

How to make the perfect patriotic bundt cake

• Start with a WELL-GREASED pan – even if using silicone
• Try using flavorless food color so you get the best tasting cake
• Silicone pans making flipping the cake out easier
• Not all ovens bake the same – the time given is an estimate
• Account for the climate and your elevation – they can play a factor in baking time
• Room temperature ingredients make the cake moist – don’t skip this step
• Mix in the order stated in the recipe – don’t over-mix to prevent air bubbles
• You can add food coloring if desired to change it up
• Only check the cake at the end to avoid adding cool air into the oven while it is baking
• Let cool in the pan on a wire rack before turning out onto the cake plate
• Stick with the toothpick test for the most accurate determination of doneness
• If the cake is browning too much due to having to increase the time, you can tent the top with foil for the final minutes
• Glaze only after the cake has cooled.

glaze for bundt cake

How to make a 4th of July Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a standard 9” bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, vanilla, and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy– about 2 minutes. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Add the eggs one at a time and fully incorporate each one before adding the next.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder.
5. At low speed, gradually alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk. First, add in ⅓ of the flour mixture. Then add in half of the milk, followed by another ⅓ of the dry ingredients. Then add in the rest of the milk followed by the rest of the dry ingredients.
6. Mix just until no large lumps of flour remain. You don’t want to overmix!
7. Add in the sprinkles and fold them in gently.
8. Transfer the batter to the prepared bundt pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean– about 55-60 minutes.
9. Allow the bundt cake to cool for 5 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge and turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Glaze

1. Whisk the confectioner’s sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl fitted with the whip attachment.
2. Pour over the top of the cooled cake.

Ingredients for 4th of July Cake

For the Bundt Cake

• butter
• granulated sugar
• pure vanilla extract
• large eggs
• all-purpose flour
• cornstarch
• baking powder
• milk
• red white, and blue sprinkles

To make the glaze

• confectioner’s sugar
• heavy cream
• pure vanilla extract

What are the best sprinkles for this cake?

This is important – just because the package says “sprinkles” doesn’t necessarily mean that it is in-fact sprinkles.

I see a lot of people using colored sanding sugar that is labled as sprinkles.

This will not work as well because when that sugar gets wet – like when mixed into a moist dough or batter or when placed in the refrigerator, it will sweat & the color will bleed out.

How to soften the butter to room temperature?

First

There are a couple of ways to do this. The first being that you can take the butter (& any other ingredients that need to be at room temperature) out, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep for baking.

I usually start with all my chilled ingredients and pull everything I need out onto the counter before getting started – so I know for sure I have everything before I’m mid-way through I realize I’m out of something.

But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.

Second

I place the butter in the microwave – wrapped in the paper. (don’t do this if it is wrapped in foil) Then I microwave for 2 seconds – flip – go another 2 seconds – flip again – and continue for 2 seconds on each side.

This is usually enough to get it perfect – sometimes stopping before if it feels soft enough. Take care when doing this method – overly softened butter from the microwave WILL ALTER the end result of the recipe. Don’t over-do it.

Third

My third method is to place the wrapped butter sticks in a zip-top bag and place it in a bowl of warm water. I do this with the eggs too. If the water isn’t too hot it can be THE PERFECT way to get “room-temperature” ingredients.

Why cool the cake first before flipping out?

If you try to flip the cake while it is still hot or even warm, it hasn’t had a chance to firm up yet. Flipping a warm cake increases the likelihood of the cake not releasing from the pan entirely, falling apart, or breaking when it is flipped. Trust me – it is a big fat bummer to have this cake you are so excited about and then have only half of it come out properly, The whole thing is a wash and you have to turn it into something like truffles instead.

4th of July Cake Recipe

• bundt pan
• mixing bowl
• whisk
• butter
• granulated sugar
• pure vanilla extract
• large eggs
• all-purpose flour
• cornstarch
• baking powder
• milk
• red white, and blue sprinkles
• confectioner’s sugar
• heavy cream

If you love this Easy Patriotic Cake recipe, you’re going to love these other patriotic treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

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