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4th of July Cake with Fresh Berries and Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

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4 from 11 reviews

This impressive 4th of July Sheet Cake is a festive, crowd-pleasing dessert perfect for celebrating Independence Day. Featuring a rich, moist butter cake layered with a smooth cream cheese frosting, the cake is decorated with fresh blueberries and raspberries to resemble the American flag. With its classic flavors and patriotic presentation, this cake serves 36 and is ideal for large gatherings and summer parties.

Ingredients

Cake

  • 18 tbsp. (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sour cream (not low-fat), at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt (or 3/4 teaspoon regular salt if kosher salt is unavailable)
  • 1 tsp. baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 1/2 lb. (3 (8-oz.) packages) cream cheese (not low-fat), at room temperature
  • 1 lb. (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 lb. powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Decoration

  • 2 half-pints blueberries
  • 3 half-pints raspberries

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 17-by-12 1/2-inch sheet cake pan thoroughly to prevent sticking. This large pan accommodates the full recipe which serves 36.
  2. Mix Butter and Sugar: Using a mixer on high speed, beat the unsalted butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy—about one minute. This step helps incorporate air for a tender crumb.
  3. Add Eggs: Incorporate the eggs two at a time into the butter and sugar mixture, mixing after each addition to ensure they are fully combined and the batter remains smooth.
  4. Add Sour Cream and Vanilla: Stir in the sour cream and pure vanilla extract until the batter is smooth and creamy.
  5. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, and baking soda. This ensures even distribution and lightness in the cake.
  6. Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Lower the mixer speed to low and gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture in increments, mixing after each addition just until combined. Avoid over-mixing to keep the cake tender.
  7. Pour Batter and Spread: Pour the thick cake batter into the prepared pan. Use a knife or offset spatula to spread it evenly across the surface.
  8. Bake the Cake: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, checking for doneness at 20 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean when the cake is done.
  9. Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting: In a mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese and unsalted butter together until smooth and combined. Add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract, continuing to mix until the frosting is creamy and homogenous. Scrape sides once during mixing.
  10. Frost the Cake: Spread about half of the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Use a toothpick to loosely mark the star area on the cake surface for decoration.
  11. Decorate with Frosting and Berries: Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip with up to 2/3 of the remaining frosting. Fold down the top corners to control flow and pipe two lines of frosting at the bottom of the cake. Add two rows of raspberries above the frosting lines, then pipe another two frosting lines. Continue this pattern to create alternating rows resembling the American flag stripes. Add blueberries in the marked star area to complete the patriotic theme.

Notes

  • Make sure all dairy ingredients are at room temperature to ensure smooth batter and frosting.
  • This recipe makes a very large cake; it can be halved for smaller gatherings.
  • Do not overmix the batter once dry ingredients are added to keep the texture light and tender.
  • Use sifted powdered sugar in the frosting for a silky texture without lumps.
  • Fresh berries give the best flavor and appearance when decorating.
  • If desired, adjust the size of the sheet pan and baking time correspondingly.

Find it online: http://recipesbyliza.com/4th-of-july-cake-with-fresh-berries-and-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/