Flag Layer Cake Recipes

RED, WHITE AND BLUE LAYERED FLAG CAKE

Steps:

• To make red cake layers: Heat oven to 350°F. Grease or spray two 8-inch round pans; place 8-inch round piece cooking parchment paper in bottom of each pan. Grease or spray parchment paper. In large bowl, beat red cake layer ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on high speed about 2 minutes or until smooth. Spread in pans. Bake 29 to 34 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool 10 minutes; run knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes. Gently remove from pans to cooling rack; remove parchment paper. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Flatten cake layers by trimming off rounded tops. Cut layers in half horizontally to make 4 thin red layers. In 1 layer, cut small round out of center, using 4-inch biscuit cutter. Wrap and freeze 1 thin layer and the layer that was cut out of; save for another use.
• To make blue cake layer: Heat oven to 350°F. Grease or spray 8-inch round pan; place 8-inch round piece cooking parchment paper in bottom of pan. Grease or spray parchment paper. In medium bowl, beat all blue cake layer ingredients except sprinkles with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on high speed about 2 minutes or until smooth. Fold sprinkles into batter. Spread in pan. Bake 29 to 34 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool 10 minutes; run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Gently remove from pan to cooling rack; remove parchment paper. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Flatten cake layer by trimming off rounded top. Do not cut in half horizontally. Cut small round out of center, using 4-inch round biscuit cutter. Wrap and freeze 4-inch round; save for another use.
• To make white cake layer: Heat oven to 350°F. Grease or spray 8-inch round pan; place 8-inch round piece cooking parchment paper in bottom of pan. Grease or spray parchment paper. In medium bowl, beat white cake layer ingredients with electric mixer on high speed about 2 minutes or until smooth. Spread in pan. Bake 29 to 34 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool 10 minutes; run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Gently remove from pan to cooling rack; remove parchment paper. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Flatten cake layer by trimming off rounded top. Cut layer in half horizontally to make 2 thin white layers. In 1 layer, cut small round out of center, using 4-inch biscuit cutter. Wrap and freeze the layer that was cut out of; save for another use.
• To assemble cake: Place 1 red cake layer on cake stand or serving platter; spread 1/3 cup frosting on top. Top with 1 white cake layer; spread 1/3 cup frosting on top. Top with second red cake layer; spread 1/3 cup frosting on top. Gently top with blue layer. Carefully spread thin layer of frosting on cut edge inside of blue cake layer. Gently insert white 4-inch cake round; top with frosting and then red 4-inch cake round; press slightly. Frost side and top of cake using remaining frosting. Top with sprinkles. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

CANADIAN FLAG CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 11X17-inch baking pan with 1-inch high sides.
• Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar and butter together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat one egg at a time into the butter mixture; beat in sour cream and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. With mixer at low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk just until combined. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl and finish mixing with a rubber spatula. Pour batter into prepared pan; spread to corners of pan and smooth top with a spatula.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cake completely, about 30 minutes. To remove cake from pan, run a paring knife between cake and pan. Cover cake pan with plate or cooling rack; invert to transfer cake onto plate.
• Beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract together in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low; slowly pour in cream. Once cream is incorporated, turn mixer speed to medium-high; beat until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.
• Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over top and sides of cake, smoothing the top. Place 2 to 3 rows of overlapping strawberry slices parallel to short sides of cake for the two red stripes of the Canada flag. Trace out a maple leaf shape in center of cake with a toothpick; use points of strawberry slices to create points of maple leaf. Cut a strip of strawberry for the leaf stem; fill in the area of the maple leaf with sliced strawberries. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve.

FLAG LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans; line with parchment rounds and butter parchment. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
• With a mixer on medium speed, beat butter until softened, 2 minutes. Add sugar; continue beating until pale and fluffy, 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
• Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with buttermilk and beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat just until incorporated.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake, rotating halfway through, until cakes are golden brown and a tester inserted into centers comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack; let cool 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and let cool completely.
• In a bowl, combine strawberries with strawberry jam. In another bowl, combine blueberries with blueberry jam.
• With a large serrated knife, trim cake tops level; split each cake in half horizontally. Fill a small pastry bag with 1/2 cup buttercream; cut a 1/4-inch tip. Transfer one layer to a cake stand or platter. Pipe a circle of buttercream around outside of cake (to keep blueberry mixture from spreading out), then spread blueberry mixture evenly inside circle. Place another cake layer on top; spread evenly with 1 cup buttercream. Place a third cake layer on top; pipe a circle of buttercream around outside of the cake, then spread strawberry mixture evenly inside circle. Place remaining cake layer on top. Spread buttercream over top and sides of cake to form a crumb coat; refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Spread remaining buttercream over top and sides of cake, using an offset spatula to smooth sides and create swirls on top.

FLAG CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare the raspberry purée: In a medium saucepan, stir together the raspberries, sugar and salt. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until the berries start to break down, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a potato masher or large fork to smash the berries until they are soft and lumpy.
• Strain the purée over a large bowl, discarding the solids. (You should have about 1½ cups/360 milliliters of purée.) Stir in the vanilla extract, and let cool to room temperature.
• Make the cake: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, whip the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the bowl well. With the mixer still on medium speed, add the cream gradually in a slow, steady stream, pausing for a moment if the milk begins to splash up.
• Continue to whip the mixture on medium speed until it forms soft peaks. Scoop about half of the whipped cream (about 3¼ cups) into the bowl with the raspberry purée, reserving the remaining half in the mixer bowl. Use a whisk to mix the raspberry mixture and cream just until combined. (It should still look thick, but also smooth and creamy. Do not overwhip.)
• Line a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, pressing it firmly into the base, corners and sides and leaving enough excess to wrap the surface of the cake later. Transfer ⅓ of the white whipped cream mixture to a disposable piping bag, or a zip-top bag with a ½-inch opening cut from a lower corner of the bag. (Working with a batch at a time keeps the cream from becoming overworked as you squeeze the bag.) Pipe back and forth to fill the base of the pan with an even layer of white cream. (Alternately, you could dollop the cream into the pan and spread into an even layer.) Arrange 8 saltines evenly on top of the cream, pressing gently to affix them. Pour or spoon ⅓ of the raspberry whipped cream mixture into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Arrange 8 saltines evenly over the raspberry-cream cheese mixture, pressing gently into it.
• Repeat this process twice more, layering the white whipped cream, saltines, raspberry whipped cream and saltines again until the pan is full. The final layer or two may rise slightly above the top rim of the pan, which is O.K.! (If you can't fill your pan any more, and still have a little cream left, save it in the refrigerator to use as a topping for ice cream.)
• Use the excess plastic wrap to cover the top of the assembled cake. Transfer it to the fridge for 12 hours or overnight.
• Unwrap the top of the cake, then invert the pan onto a platter or serving dish. The cake should easily pop out of the loaf pan, but if it doesn't, you can use the plastic wrap to help to pull it away from the pan. Remove and discard the plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve. The cake slices well directly from the refrigerator, but for even cleaner, sharper slices, you can freeze the cake for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving. When ready to serve, pile raspberries and blueberries on top of the cake and dust with confectioners' sugar.

FLAG SHEET CAKE

Steps:

• Trim any rough edges from cakes using a serrated knife. Place four strips of parchment paper around the perimeter of a serving platter. Place first layer, bottom side up, on serving platter. Using an offset spatula, spread cake with 2 1/2 cups frosting. Top with remaining layer, bottom side up. Spread entire cake with 5 1/2 cups frosting. Place remaining frosting in a large pastry bag fitted with a star tip (such as Ateco #35). Remove parchment paper strips.
• Using the tip of a toothpick, outline the shape of a flag on the cake. Fill the upper left-hand corner with a single layer of blueberries. Place one row of raspberries across upper edge of cake to form first red stripe. Pipe one row of stars just below raspberries to form first white stripe. Repeat process with remaining raspberries and frosting until you have 7 red and 6 white stripes.

ALL-AMERICAN FLAG CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Stir yellow cake mix, 1 cup water, vegetable oil, and eggs in a mixing bowl until moistened; beat with a mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
• Bake cake in the preheated oven until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Poke holes about 1 inch apart all over the cake with a fork.
• Dissolve strawberry gelatin in boiling water in a bowl and pour gelatin slowly over the cake, letting gelatin seep into holes. Refrigerate cake until gelatin sets, about 1 hour. Transfer cake to a serving platter and cut in half horizontally.
• Mix instant vanilla pudding mix with milk in a bowl and whisk until thickened, about 2 minutes; stir in 1/2 cup blueberries. Spread blueberry filling onto bottom of cake and place top of cake over the filling. Spread 2 cups whipped topping smoothly over top and sides of cake and arrange 1/2 cup blueberries in a square in the upper left corner of the cake for stars. Arrange alternating layers of strawberries and miniature marshmallows into horizontal red and white stripes.

AMERICAN FLAG COOKIE CAKE

Steps:

• For the shortbread: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and brown sugar. Cut the butter into pieces, and using 2 forks or your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until it's the consistency of wet sand. Press the dough firmly and evenly into a nonstick 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake until the shortbread is pale golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the baking sheet on a wire rack. Once it has cooled, use a sharp knife to carefully cut around the edges then invert the shortbread onto a serving platter.
• For the toppings: Make the frosting by beating the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the butter and continue beating on low speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract then sift the confectioners' sugar into the bowl and mix on low speed just until combined. (Overmixing will cause the frosting to be too runny.)
• Spread the cream cheese frosting in an even layer on the shortbread. Arrange 6 of the blueberries in the top left corner in each of 5 rows to form the blue portion of the flag. Arrange the raspberries in about 6 horizontal rows across the cake, leaving about 1 inch between each row, to form the stripes. Place the white chocolate chips between the blueberries to form the stars.
• Using a sharp knife, slice and serve the cookie cake immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve the same day. To make the cake in advance, wrap the shortbread tightly in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for up to 2 days. Refrigerate the frosting for up to 2 days. Then assemble the cake shortly before serving so the berries don't release juices into the frosting.