Active Time

　　90 minutes

　　Total Time

　　4 hours

　　As much as we love a simple no-bake summer dessert (this easy cheesecake is a perpetual favorite), your Independence Day cookout requires a showstopper. Forget fireworks—this Fourth of July cake is the real spectacle.

　　In this patriotic layer cake, an alternating stack of red velvet and white cakes mimics the stripes of the American flag. Yes, you will need to make two separate batters, but both recipes are straightforward. The white cake recipe differs from a standard vanilla cake in that it uses only egg whites (not the yolks) for a brighter color. Flavored with vanilla extract and lemon zest, it’s the perfect counterpoint to the rich red velvet cake. For the red velvet cake batter, it’s important to use natural cocoa powder—avoid Dutch-process or extra-dark cocoa, which would dull the red color. Don’t have time to bake cake from scratch? Swap in boxed cake mix. We won’t tell.

　　No need to fuss over buttercream that’ll melt in the summer heat: Cover the cake with tangy cream cheese frosting, then garnish with a tumble of fresh berries—we like a mix of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and/or blueberries. From there, let your creativity run wild with the decorations: Shower on red and blue sprinkles or stick in some sparklers for extra flair.

　　Not quite the Fourth of July cake recipe you’re looking for? Check out our American flag cake decked with fruity stars and stripes, or this poke cake marked with vivid blueberry jello stripes. Find these and more, like Gourmet’s classic strawberry shortcake and Elvis’s favorite pound cake, in our roundup of Fourth of July desserts.

　　

Ingredients

12 servings

　　

Red cake layers

2½ cups (287 g) sifted cake flour, not self-rising (sift before measuring)

　　¼ cup (21 g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (such as Hershey’s; not Dutch-process or extra-dark cocoa)

　　1 tsp. baking soda

　　¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt

　　1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, softened

　　1½ cups (300 g) sugar

　　1 cup (8 oz.) vegetable oil

　　2 large eggs

　　1 (1-oz.) bottle (2 Tbsp.) red food coloring

　　1½ tsp. white or cider vinegar

　　1½ tsp. vanilla extract

　　¾ cup (6 oz.) sour cream mixed with ¼ (2 oz.) cup water

　　

White cake layer

1⅓ cups (150 g) sifted cake flour, not self-rising (sift before measuring)

　　½ tsp baking soda

　　¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt

　　3 large egg whites

　　¼ cup (2 oz.) sour cream mixed with 2 Tbsp. water

　　5 Tbsp. (2½ oz.) unsalted butter, softened

　　¾ cup (150 g) sugar

　　⅓ cup (2¾ oz.) vegetable oil

　　1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest

　　1 tsp. vanilla extract

　　

Frosting

2½ (8-oz.) packages cream cheese (20 oz. total), softened

　　2½ sticks (10 oz.) unsalted butter, softened

　　2½ Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

　　2 tsp. vanilla extract

　　¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt

　　3¼ cups (385 g) powdered sugar

　　

Fruit topping

1 pint (8 oz.) strawberries, preferably small; halved or quartered if large

　　1 pint (12 oz.) blueberries

　　½ pint (6 oz.) blackberries

　　

Special Equipment

2 or 3 (9") round cake pans, large sifter or sieve, electric stand mixer (optional), pastry brush, offset metal spatula (for frosting cake)

　　

Red cake layers

Step 1

Heat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9" round cake pans, then line bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Butter paper and dust pans with some additional flour, knocking out excess.

　　

Step 2

Resift cake flour together with cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.

　　

Step 3

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer (fitted with paddle attachment if using stand mixer) at medium-high speed until combined well, then add oil and beat until very pale and creamy, about 3 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla extract.

　　

Step 5

Reduce speed to low and mix in flour mixture and sour cream mixture in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and mixing until batter is smooth.

　　

Step 6

Divide batter between pans (about 3 cups in each) and smooth tops. Rap pans on counter a couple of times to expel any air bubbles. Bake in middle of oven until a wooden pick comes out clean and cake begins to pull away from sides of pans, 25 to 30 minutes. Keep oven on.

　　

Step 7

Cool layers in pans on racks 10 minutes, then run a thin knife around edge of pans. Invert layers onto racks and peel off parchment paper. Cool layers completely.

　　

White cake layer

Step 8

Butter one 9" round cake pan, then line bottom with parchment paper. Butter paper and dust pan with some additional flour, knocking out excess.

　　

Step 9

Resift cake flour together with baking soda and salt into a bowl. Whisk egg whites in another bowl with sour cream mixture until combined.

　　

Step 10

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer (fitted with paddle attachment if using stand mixer) at medium-high speed until combined well, then add oil and beat until very pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in zest and vanilla extract.

　　

Step 11

Reduce speed to low and mix in flour mixture and sour cream mixture in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until batter is smooth. Transfer batter to pan and spread evenly. Rap pan on counter a couple of times to expel any air bubbles.

　　

Step 12

Bake in middle of oven until a wooden pick comes out clean and cake begins to pull away from side of pan, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a thin knife around edge of pan. Invert layer onto rack and peel off parchment paper. Cool layer completely.

　　Do ahead: Cake layers can be made 1 day ahead and chilled or 1 week ahead and frozen. Wrap well in wax paper and then in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag. No need to thaw before assembling cake (cake is easier to frost when layers are chilled or frozen), but allow plenty of time for cake to thaw and come to room temperature after frosting it.

　　

Frosting

Step 13

Beat together cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixture until creamy and smooth. Beat in lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt.

　　

Step 14

Sift powdered sugar into a bowl and add to cream cheese mixture. Mix on low speed until incorporated, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until smooth.

　　

Frost cake

Step 15

Brush loose crumbs from cake layers with a pastry brush.

　　

Step 16

Put a red velvet layer, bottom side up, on a cake plate or stand. Spread 1 cup of frosting over layer. Cover with white layer, bottom side up, and spread with another cup of frosting. Top with second red velvet layer, bottom side up.

　　

Step 17

Spread a thin layer of frosting around sides and over top of cake. (This is called crumb-coating. It tamps down any loose crumbs to keep them out of the top layer of frosting and fills in any crevices. This is particularly important with red velvet cake layers.) Chill or briefly freeze cake just until frosting is firm.

　　

Step 18

Spread sides and top of cake with remaining frosting. Chill or briefly freeze cake just until frosting is firm.

　　Do ahead: Cake can be frosted 1 day ahead and kept in a cake keeper, chilled. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.

　　

Fruit topping

Step 19

Toss together fruits in a bowl. Just before serving, top cake with about 1½ cups fruit. Serve remaining fruit on the side.

　　Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed on Epicurious in June 2011. Head this way for more of our best Fourth of July recipes →