American Flag Cake
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American Flag Cake
A celebration cake with extra charm, this red, white and blue layer cake hides a fun flag-inspired surprise inside.
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02 hrs 15 min
Prep Time
4 hrs
Total Time
16
servings Ingredients
Cake
4 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 12 tablespoons baking powder
34 teaspoon salt
2 14 cups granulated sugar
34 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, softened
9 large Land O Lakes® Eggs (whites only)
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1 12 cups milk
12 teaspoon red gel food color
14 teaspoon blue gel food color
Cream Cheese Frosting
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
12 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, softened
2 pounds (8 cups) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
14 teaspoon salt
How to make
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STEP 1
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round cake pans; set aside.
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STEP 2
Combine flour, baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon salt in bowl. Set aside.
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STEP 3
Place granulated sugar and 3/4 cup butter into another bowl; beat at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until creamy. Add egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla; mix well. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture alternately with 1 1/2 cups milk, beating after each addition just until mixed.
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STEP 4
Divide batter in half; tint one half red. Divide remaining batter in half; tint one half blue and leave other white.
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STEP 5
Pour each batter into individual prepared pans. Bake white and blue layers 17-19 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Bake red layer 33-37 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on cooling rack. Loosen edge of cakes by running knife around inside edge. Carefully remove cakes from pans to cooling rack; cool completely.
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STEP 6
Combine cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter in bowl; beat at medium speed until fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Slowly add powdered sugar, beating after each addition until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla and enough milk for desired spreading consistency; beat until well mixed. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt; beat until well mixed.
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STEP 7
Cut domed top off red cake horizontally to create flat top. Cut remaining red cake and white cake in half horizontally, creating 5 layers total.
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STEP 8
Cut 5-inch circle from parchment paper. Cut domed top of red cake and 1 white cake layer into 5-inch circles, using parchment paper guide. Reserve outer rings for another use. Repeat process with blue layer; reserve inner circle for another use.
Tip: Cake Layers
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STEP 9
Place 1 (9-inch) red layer, cut-side up, onto cake plate. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Place 1 (9-inch) white cake layer on top, cut-side down. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Place 1 (9-inch) red layer on top, cut-side down. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting.
Tip: Ready to Assemble
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STEP 10
Trim 5-inch red cake layer so red and white layer together are same height as blue layer. Spread white layer with 1/3 cup frosting; place red layer cut-side up on top, pressing gently to attach. Insert red and white layer, red-side up, into center of blue layer. Place assembled layer on top of cake.
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STEP 11
Spread thin layer of frosting over entire cake; refrigerate until set. Frost cake with remaining frosting.
Tip #1
Use leftover cake for trifle, parfaits, cake pops, or another layer cake.
Tip #2
To bake with only 2 (9-inch) cake pans, bake white and blue layer first, store red cake batter in refrigerator until ready to use. Remove white and blue layer, let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Clean 1 cake pan; grease and flour. Bake red cake 30-35 minutes.
810 Calories
27 Fat (g)
95 Cholesterol (mg)
590 Sodium (mg)
135 Carbohydrates (g)
2 Dietary Fiber
9 Protein (g)
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And don't forget to tag us @landolakesktchn.
And don't forget to tag us @landolakesktchn.
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