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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Every year, I try to bring a dessert to our 4th of July get-together that’s both festive and fuss-free. That’s how this star-spangled Bundt cake came to life—vibrant layers of red, white, and blue tucked inside a soft, buttery cake, topped with a smooth vanilla buttercream glaze and those fun red, white, and blue chocolate stars. It’s become my go-to for summer celebrations.
Instead of the usual flag sheet cake or store-bought pie, I love bringing something homemade that looks like it took hours—but really didn’t. That’s the magic of this Bundt. The texture is rich and tender thanks to sour cream, and it’s simple to color and pour for those patriotic layers. Just like with my Lemon Bundt Cake or Red Velvet Bundt Cake, I’ve found a few tricks that keep this one soft and showstopping.
One of my favorite tips? After baking, I brush the cake with cake syrup to lock in moisture—especially if I make it the day before. It’s the same trick I use for my Classic Vanilla Cake and even my Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. I also always flour my Bundt pan really well (learned that the hard way after one stuck disaster!) and let it cool completely before even thinking about glazing.
There was one year I got a little heavy-handed with the food coloring… and my red, white, and blue cake came out looking more like a superhero birthday cake. Since then, I’ve been extra careful with color—and let me tell you, a little goes a long way!
Watch how I make this recipe
Why I Love This Recipe
- You get bold color without the hassle of layered cake.
- The texture is super soft, not dry.
- Chocolate stars take it from simple to celebration.
- You can prep it a day ahead—major bonus.
If you’ve ever made my Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake or Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Toffee Glaze, you’ll feel totally at home with this one.
Tools That Make It Easier
Luckily, this homemade American beauty is overall pretty easy to make and will not require fancy equipment nor a lot of kitchen tools to make it successfully. If you have ever made a bundt cake from scratch then you pretty much already know what cake- making tools to grab.
- Hand mixer
- Glass mixing bowls
- Bundt cake pan
- Blending whisk
- Round Cooling Grid
- Sifter
- Disposable Vinyl Gloves
What You’ll Need From Your Pantry
So, what is the key to making this cake stand out in stunning patriotic colors? It’s all in the ingredients! From the colorful homemade cake to the homemade chocolate stars, it’s all about using the right ingredients!
For Patriotic Bundt Cake:
- 3 cups of cake flour or all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup butter at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- Food coloring: red and blue
Bundt cake pan coating:
- 3 tablespoon vegetable shortening
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Vanilla glaze:
1 can vanilla buttercream frosting
Garnishes:
Red, white, and blue homemade chocolate stars
Before You Start: My Quick Tip
- Always, always flour your pan. A stuck Bundt is heartbreaking.
- Let the cake cool fully before adding glaze.
- For maximum moisture, brush on cake syrup before glazing—it’s my go-to move for Bundts and layered cakes alike.
- Prep a day ahead if possible, and store in a cake container to keep it fresh.
- Want cleaner white color? Add a touch of white food coloring to that layer.
You can read more about this in my How to Grease a Bundt Pan and How to Remove a Bundt Cake from a Bundt Pan posts—they’ve saved my cakes more than once.
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Let’s Make It Together
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.
- In a separate large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light.
- In another bowl, whisk eggs, vanilla, and sour cream.
- Gradually beat the egg mixture into the butter and sugar.
- Add dry ingredients a little at a time until just combined.
- Divide batter into three bowls—color one red, one blue, and leave one white.
- Grease and flour your Bundt pan well.
- Layer red, then white, then blue batter into the pan—don’t mix.
- Bake for 50–65 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let it rest in the pan 10 minutes, then turn onto a rack and cool completely.
I like to cover mine with a towel and leave it for a couple hours—same technique I use with my Carrot Bundt Cake from Cake Mix to keep moisture in.
Glaze & Garnish
- Warm up your frosting in a melting pot or microwave-safe bowl until it’s pourable.
- Drizzle it over your fully cooled cake.
- Let glaze set before decorating.
- Gently press chocolate stars into the glaze using gloves.
Just like with my Royal Icing cookies, glaze timing is everything—don’t rus
Recipe variations
- Swap vanilla glaze for cream cheese frosting.
- Use fresh berries instead of chocolate stars.
- Add lemon or almond extract to the batter.
- Try a chocolate base and keep the décor patriotic.
- Or layer in sprinkles like I did with my Funfetti Bundt Cake.
Craving chocolate? My Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Chocolate Hearts always gets attention.
Storing Your Bundt Cake: Ensuring Freshness and Flavor
Whether you’re enjoying leftovers or preparing your cake in advance, here’s how to keep it tasting fresh:
- At Room Temperature:
For short-term storage (up to three days), keep the cake under a cake dome or wrapped in plastic wrap on the counter. Your Bundt cake will stay fresh for up to 3 days. This method is perfect for cakes that will be eaten in a short period. - Refrigerate for Longevity:
Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container if you need to keep it fresh for up to five days. It can last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Remember to let it come back to room temperature before serving to ensure the best flavor. - Freeze for Future Enjoyment:
Freezing is ideal for extended storage. Wrap your Bundt cake securely in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil, and freeze. Before freezing, mark the packaging with a Sharpie to note the date. Your cake will remain fresh for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and allow it to reach room temperature before enjoying. This method is ideal for planning ahead or keeping leftovers tasting as good as new.
By following these detailed serving and storage tips, you can enjoy your Bundt cake at its best, whether it's freshly baked or saved for later. Proper storage ensures every bite remains moist, flavorful, and just as satisfying as when it first came out of the oven.
More Festive Favorites
Need more red, white, and blue ideas?
- Chocolate Covered Pretzels for 4th of July
- 4th of July Charcuterie Board
- Pinwheel Cookies for the 4th of July
- Watermelon Bites Dipped in Chocolate
- Fruit and Vegetable Board for Playdates
4th of July Bundt Cake
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Cake flour or all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 4 Eggs
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 Cup Sour cream
- 1 Cup Butter room temperature
- 1 ¾ Cups Sugar
- Food coloring Red and blue
- White food color optional
Bundt cake pan coating
- 3 tablespoon Vegetable shortening
- 2 tablespoon All-purpose flour
Vanilla glaze
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 350°F so it’s ready when your batter is.
- In a medium glass bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt, then set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a hand mixer until the mixture turns pale and fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract, and sour cream until smooth and creamy.
- Slowly add the egg mixture to the butter mixture, one-third at a time, mixing in between each addition until fully combined.
- Now mix in the dry ingredients, also in thirds. Beat gently after each addition until the batter is nice and smooth.
- Divide the finished batter evenly between 3 clean bowls.
- Tint one bowl red and one blue using just a touch of food coloring (a toothpick is great for this!). Leave the third bowl plain for the white layer.
- Stir each bowl of batter well with a spatula until the color is fully mixed in.
Bundt cake pan coating
- To prep your pan, grease the inside thoroughly with vegetable shortening, making sure every corner is lightly coated.
- Dust a little flour over the greased pan, turning it to coat every surface, then gently tap out any excess.
- Pour the red batter into the bottom of the prepared Bundt pan and spread it evenly.
- Carefully spoon the white batter right on top—do not swirl or mix the layers.
- Add the blue batter on top of the white one, again keeping the layers separate.
- Bake the cake for 50–65 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edges to help loosen it.
- Turn the cake out onto a wire rack, cover loosely with a clean towel, and let it cool completely—about 1-2 hours.
Vanilla glaze
- Scoop the tub of vanilla buttercream frosting into a candy melting pot or a small saucepan.
- Gently heat it up, stirring constantly with a heat-safe spatula, until it thins to a pourable glaze.
Garnish
- Once the cake is fully cool, place it on a cake stand and drizzle the warm glaze all over the top.
- Let the glaze set for at least 2 hours before moving on to the final step.
- When everything is fully set, decorate with your red, white, and blue chocolate stars—and enjoy your festive creation!
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From My Kitchen to Yours
July 4th Theme
- How to Make American Flag Chocolate Covered Pretzel Twists
- How to Make American Flag Mini Cupcakes for 4th of July
- Homemade Chocolate Graham Crackers in Fun Star Shapes
- Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods for 4th of July Parties
- Watermelon Popsicles with Chocolate Drizzle
- Fast Homemade Vanilla Cake Recipe – Bake and Frost in 3 Hours
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Food Photography & Video Tips from My Studio
Here’s a peek at the tools, gear, and camera setups I use to film my recipe videos and photograph food at home. Over the years, I’ve tested dozens of different setups, and now I’m sharing what actually works for me—whether I’m filming overhead shots for YouTube or styling still photos for my blog. If you’re curious about how I create the content you see here, these posts are a great place to start.
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