This American Flag Cake is made healthy and gluten-free as well. It’s easy to make and the perfect patriotic recipe for the 4th of July.
Even though this has the 4th of July written all over it, it’s really the perfect cake for all sorts of picnics and summer gatherings. Of course, if you want to make it for the 4th of July, it’s fun to use the berries to make a flag.
But with its buttery yellow cake topped with vanilla buttercream, the sky is the limit, beyond flag-themed toppings! The cream cheese frosting from my Carrot Cake would also be a great bet too if you want to mix it up.
Tips: While the flag topping is fun, it does leave a few pieces of cake with less fruit. So it’s nice to serve extra berries on the side to pile on when you serve it.
How to make this American Flag Cake
- Start by mixing together the dry ingredients, making sure to break up any lumps of almond flour, (pictured above).
- Then mix in the wet ingredients to form a cake batter texture.
- Next, bake the cake until it’s puffed in the middle. A toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean, or with moist crumbs.
- Let the cake cool completely on a wire cooling rack before frosting it.
- Then decorate the top with sliced strawberries and blueberries in the pattern of the flag.
This cake does sink a little in the center, so no worries, it all evens out with frosting!
Once the cake has cooled, frost it evenly with the buttercream, and decorate it with berries. I used blueberries all in a row to create the ‘stars’, and sliced strawberries to create the ‘stripes’.
This cake does need to be refrigerated within a few hours if you top it with fruit, and it keeps well for up to 3 days. However, the buttercream does get very firm in the refrigerator. So it’s best if the pieces of cake are allowed to come back up to room temperature first. Or you can use the cream cheese frosting I mentioned above since it does well in the refrigerator.
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American Flag Cake
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 18 pieces 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Vanilla-scented cake topped with buttercream and berries, perfect for 4th of July!
Ingredients
2 cups fine almond flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 Teaspoon sea salt
2 Teaspoons baking powder, see notes
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 eggs
6 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Teaspoon almond extract
Buttercream:
2 sticks salted butter, 8 ounces, softened
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 Teaspoon almond extract
2–3 Tablespoons heavy cream
Fruit Topping:
2–3 cups blueberries, see notes
2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF, and lightly grease a 9″x13″ glass baking dish. Make sure to take the butter out of the refrigerator for the frosting so it has time to soften.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, tapioca starch, sea salt, baking powder, and baking soda stirring until no lumps remain. Add the maple syrup, eggs, butter, vanilla, lemon juice, and almond extract. Stir just to combine, then pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Use a spatula if necessary to even out the top of the cake.
Bake for 20-24 minutes, or until the cake is puffed in the middle and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Cool the cake to room temperature on a cooling rack.
To make the frosting, add the softened butter to a mixer with the whip attachment. Beat the butter until it’s smooth. Then add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and almond extract. Beat on low speeds until the powdered sugar is combined. Add 2 Tablespoons of the heavy cream and beat again starting on low and working up to high. Beat the frosting until it’s fluffy, 1-2 minutes, adding the extra tablespoon of heavy cream if the frosting seems too stiff.
Spread the buttercream over the cooled cake, then top with the berries using the blueberries to create the ‘stars’ and the sliced strawberries to create the ‘stripes’.
Serve the cake with the extra berries.
Notes
1 cup of the blueberries is more than enough to make the ‘stars’ and the rest of what’s called for for the berries is for serving on the side.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
This is so festive and perfect for July 4th!
Thanks, we’re definitely making it again for the 4th!
I love this cake! It’s so adorable and perfect for Fourth of July!
Thanks so much!
Such a beautiful cake and so simple to decorate that even the kiddos could help! I’m saving this for the 4th!
I sure hope you have fun making it together!
Just the right dessert for 4th of July. I have a few more days to make it
Thanks and I sure hope you enjoy it!
So perfect for the 4th! Love how easy it is to make, too.
I always try for easy to make!
How fun and pretty is this cake?? Definitely going on my 4th of July menu. Yum!
It’s going on our 4th of July menu too!
What a gorgeous cake! I love that the cake part is maple-sweetened. And the frosting sounds so tasty, too!
Thanks so much!
My kiddos would be So thrilled if I made this, have to add it to my menu for the 4th!
I sure hope you all enjoy it! 🙂
Sheet cake is the best idea!! Love the texture the almond flour gives this cake!
They’re definitely much easier than a layered cake, so they’re my go-to!
This is super tasty. Loved it.
Glad you enjoyed it, and we should really make it again next week!