Red, White and Blue Cake
An easy Red, White, and Blue Cake that will wow your guests! A tender vanilla cake with whipped vanilla bean frosting is covered in patriotic sprinkles and topped with french macarons for an elegant display!
This is an easy Red, White, and Blue cake for the upcoming July 4th weekend celebrations. It’s not too early to start planning. I got the idea for this cake when I saw the sprinkles at the check-out counter of my grocery store. They always place the most mundane items along with the checkout, don’t they? I had to sneak it into the cart before Mr. J could see otherwise I would have received his favorite remark “you have a million other sprinkles you don’t even use”. Just like the speeches I get when I fall in love with yet another pair of shoes! Oh well, he saw them when we were unpacking the groceries and it was too late. Did I mention I have a shopping problem too?? Hmmm, this is becoming a confessional so let’s focus on the cake.
I baked the cake just so I could decorate it with the sprinkles so I went with a simple vanilla butter cake with whipped vanilla bean frosting. It’s a great recipe for a moist fluffy cake and I loved how it complimented the creamy vanilla bean frosting.
I also made a batch of blue vanilla macarons to top the cake for a little extra touch and I wasn’t sure how they would look on top of a cake. But I love how they add some character to this simple cake.
For an upcoming July 4th weekend event, I would probably bake a more summer cake flavor like this lemon cake or strawberry lemonade cake though, and keep the decorations the same. I love these sprinkles…can you see the cute little stars? My favorite.
Get the macaron recipe HERE.
Red, White and Blue Cake
A patriotic red, white and blue cake that is made of fluffy vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream is adorned simply with sprinkles.
Ingredients
For Vanilla Cake:
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 5 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 ¼ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups cake flour, twice sifted
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes
For Whipped Vanilla Bean Frosting:
- 3 ½ sticks (1 3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean, scraped
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper circles. Grease parchment and set aside.
- Whisk together a third cup of the milk, egg whites, egg, lemon extract and vanilla bean paste.
- Sift the cake flour in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the rest of the dry ingredients including the sugar and stir together on low speed for 30 seconds
- Add the butter one piece at a time and blend on low speed for 30 seconds. Then add the remaining milk, and mix on low speed until moistened. Increase speed to medium and mix for 1½ minutes. Be careful not to over mix. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the egg/milk/extract mixture in 3 separate batches mixing on medium speed after each addition until combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pans and bake in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted in center of cake.
- Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing and cooling completely on wire racks.
For the Whipped Vanilla Bean Frosting:
- Whip butter for 8 minutes on medium speed using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer. The butter will become pale and creamy
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix on low speed for 1minute. Then increase speed to medium and mix for 6 minutes until the frosting is very light, creamy and fluffy.
- Best used right away.
Assembly:
- Frost and decorate cake as desired with red, white and blue sprinkles. Top with macarons, if desired.
Notes
Get the macarons recipe HERE
Whoa, girly, this is such a fun and festive cake!!! I love the macarons on top, too.
Thanks Ashley!
This is awesome and beautiful 🙂 Perfect for summer and 4th of July!
Following you on Pinterest now and will have some fun repinning your beautiful food 😉
Thanks!! I’m loving your blog too!
Love how you topped it with macarons!
I just found this cake from a link party on Watch Out Martha and I am SO glad I did! This cake is so cute and looks so good! I love that you added macaroons to the top, such a nice touch!
Ally
Thanks for stopping by Ally!
Love the cake! And don’t worry, you’re not the only one with a shopping problem 🙂
Great!! I need help though 😛
How pretty! I love the pop of color that the blue macarons give the cake. You did a great job. Thank you for sharing, Z. Visiting from Time to Sparkle party.
Thanks!
wow! this is gorgeous! almost too pretty to eat…almost!
Hehehe almost 😉
Gorgeous cake!! The Vanilla frosting sounds so divine, love that you are using real vanilla in there seeds and all! You are certainly talented at making beautiful cakes!
Thanks! I got some vanilla beans and I’m loving their intense flavor.
wow, you make such beautiful things!! i think it’s funny that baking calms you down, because for me.. it stresses me out! haha.
by the way, i mentioned you in my latest post! (i hope you don’t mind, i put a link under your name) it’s about girls, i watched both seasons! 🙂
D, it shouldn’t stress you out! Maybe we need to bake together 😛
And I just read your review…I totally agree with you and makes me think why I like such a sad show lol!
I’m a stress baker too, but mostly because I like getting to eat when I’m all done haha. This is such a pretty but simple cake. I love the little macaron toppers.
Hhahaah! I know the feeling. Lucky for me, my husband and best friend love sweets more than I do so they eat most of it always.
Wow, this cake is so pretty! The macaroons add a gorgeous touch.
Thanks! I love the macarons too.
I love your cake! I so wish I could make macaroons that turn out right!! I would love for you to link up at Party In Polka Dots!
Shelley
http://www.piggyinpolkadots.com/2013/06/party-in-polka-dots-27-linky-sweet.html
That is just too beautiful for words! Very very pretty!
Stopping by from party-in-polka-dots.
Thanks!
Your cake turned out so cute! Great pics too:@)
Lovely cake! The macarons add such a classy and lively pop of color. Perfect for the Fourth of July!
Toodles,
Sara
Thanks Sara!
Your cake is beautiful and sounds really good too! I love the sprinkles. Saw you over on What’s Cooking, Love.
Thanks!!
So Pretty!!! I love the confessions! My Hubby Feels the same way! Thanks for linking up at Tasty Tuesday’s!!! I am one of the co-hosts this month!
Thanks Chandra for stopping by! Maybe our husbands just need to accept this shopping addict haha.
super fun! I just posted my features for the week and YOU are part of them :o) Come on over and check it out. I’d also LOVE for you to pin, share on FB or +1 the collage that features your project… Lets get the word out!!! Please also grab a featured button too. thanks for linking up!
http://www.nap-timecreations.com/2013/06/the-red-white-blue.html
Thanks Emily! Shared already 🙂
This looks like such a fun and festive cake. Seething about it reminds me of my childhood on 4th of July waiting for the fireworks at the park. It really cool to see a cake that makes me nostalgic and resonants with me in such a way. Awesome cake!
Tenns @ New Mama Diaries
Thanks! It does scream festive and I am glad it brings back some fun childhood memories for you. I love the fireworks and July 4th and always wait for them too.
Super cute, and it sounds delicious!
Thanks 😉
Wow…this cake is just too awesome! I love the macarons on top 🙂
Thanks Regina for stopping by!
Gorgeous! Had to stop by and check this out! Love the blue macaroons too! Pinned!
Thanks!!
You were featured at Party In Polka Dots today!
Hugs!
Shelley
http://www.piggyinpolkadots.com
Shelley you are too kind 🙂
Gorgeous cake so perfect for July 4th! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Thanks Karly!
I still can’t get over how beautiful this cake is! 🙂 Thank you so much for linking up with me this week at Tasty Tuesdays! I’ve pinned this & shared it with my followers! Please be sure to stop back by the party and check out some of the other links!
Thanks! I know you are the macaron queen so I’m glad you liked it 🙂
OMG!! Love this cake! Stunning! I’ve pinned it 🙂 Thanks for sharing on Two Cup Tuesday!
Thanks Karyn!
This looks incredible, i wish i was in american for 4th of july just so i had an excuse to make this. i’d love for you to link it up at a link party i’m hosting
http://thevelvetmoonbaker.blogspot.ie/2013/06/sweet-savoury-sunday-17.html
You don’t need an excuse Tash…plus I’m sure any kind of sprinkles will make this a great birthday cake.
This cake is so pretty, this would be perfect for the 4th! Thanks for sharing at Showcase Your Talent Thursday! I pinned this and will be sharing on Facebook.
Thanks for sharing Alyssa!
this is so stinkin’ cute! I love the macaroons around the top! I might just have to try this one for the fourth!
Thanks!! Let me know if you do, would love to see 🙂
This is absolutely adorable! I love the macarons! Thanks for sharing at Sweet & Savory Saturdays #18!
~Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later!
http://www.dessertnowdinnerlater.com
Thanks Amber!
I just saw your cake featured at Dessert Now, Dinner Later’s Sweet & Savory Saturdays party and had to come over and tell you how much I L-O-V-E your cake!!! So fun and festive!! Pinning 😉 Thanks for sharing! Have a fantastic 4th and congrats on your well deserved feature too! :*)
Thank you so much Brenda!! Have a great 4th as well!!
YUMMY! Stopping by from the All Things Summer link party! Would love to have you also link this up at the Ladies Only Blog Share link party! Our theme this week is Red, White & BBQ. 🙂
http://mommifried.com/ladies-only-blog-share-link-party-red-white-bbq/
hi lorraine here love this recipe and I know what you mean about baking/cooking when we are stressed I love to get it all out when I cook something good. I found you through the happy baker’s link on Mom’s Monday Mingle following you through google+
Robin thanks for stopping by!
I love this cake! Where did you get that cute milk bottle> it is so cute!
Shamene, thank you! I actually found that milk bottle at a flea market.
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