American Flag Cake

A rectangular cake decorated as an American flag with blueberries in the corner and rows of halved strawberries on white frosting. Surrounding the cake are fresh strawberries, blueberries, and a red, white, and blue cloth.

3 from 1 vote

This American Flag Cake is a festive summer dessert made with a light and fluffy white cake, a homemade stabilized whipped cream frosting, and fresh berries arranged to look like the American flag. It’s perfect for patriotic holidays like the 4th of July or Memorial Day, and it comes together easily in a 9x13 pan—no layers or piping required. The whipped cream holds up beautifully, making it ideal for outdoor parties, potlucks, or backyard barbecues.

Prep Time25

Cook Time30

Cooling & Decorating1

Total Time1 55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: kara

Ingredients

For the White Cake

2 ½ cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ cup unsalted butter softened
¼ cup neutral oil avocado, canola, or vegetable
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
5 large egg whites room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk room temperature
½ tsp almond extract optional

For the Whipped Cream Frosting

2 ½ cups heavy whipping cream cold
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp instant vanilla pudding mix for stabilizing

For the Flag Decoration

~1 ½ cups blueberries
~1 lb strawberries hulled and sliced lengthwise

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour a 9x13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter and oil with the sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
Beat in the egg whites one at a time until fully incorporated. Add vanilla and almond extract (if using).
On low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk, starting and ending with the dry. Mix just until combined—don’t overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Make the Frosting

In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and instant pudding mix on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form (2–3 minutes). Do not overbeat.

Assemble the Flag

Spread the whipped cream frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
In the top-left corner, arrange blueberries in a rectangle to represent the stars section.
Lay sliced strawberries in rows across the rest of the cake to form red stripes, leaving space between each row for the white frosting “stripes.”

Notes

Make-ahead tip: You can bake the cake a day in advance and store it (unfrosted) at room temp. Frost and decorate the day of serving for best results.
Berry prep: Be sure to pat your berries dry after rinsing to keep them from bleeding into the whipped cream.
Whipped cream tip: Don’t skip the instant pudding mix—it stabilizes the frosting so it holds up longer, especially for outdoor events.
Serving suggestion: For clean slices, chill the decorated cake for 30–60 minutes before serving.
Storage: Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Nutrition