Easy 4th of July Cake {Tiered Cake}

Use this step by step tutorial to make a beautiful 4th of July cake. All decorations are done with fondant and inspired by red, white and blue colors.

This cake is my spin on the classic red white and blue colors of the American flag. It's a two tiered cake with the top tier being taller than the bottom tier. All the decorations are done in homemade marshmallow fondant. I used the same colors in these 4th of July Cupcakes (Red White and Blue Cupcakes) which are such a hit on Independence Day parties.

How to make 4th of July cake (Fourth of July cake) recipe from scratch?

1. Bake cakes- Red velvet cake was perfect for this holiday.
2. Let them cool- Until room temperature.
3. Make icing- Cream cheese frosting was the perfect classic pairing with red velvet cake.
4. Assemble bottom tier– Place large cake on cake stand, ice it and cover in red fondant, trim excess, push dowels in center for support.
5. Assemble top tier- Place one cake on cake board, ice top, place other cake on top, ice entire cake, cover in white fondant, place it gently on bottom tier cake.
6. Decorate- With blue fondant branches and red flowers.

Variations for red white and blue cake

Use other colors- This cake was especially made for Independence day and thus, the relevant colors were used. However, use the same tutorial to make this cake in other color combinations to match various holidays and party themes.

Flavor fondant- Use extracts. Make sure the flavor compliments the cake and frosting.

Use other types of flowers- Just make sure they are colored red. Try these Buttercream Flowers (With Russian Piping Tips) or these Royal Icing Flowers (Sugar Flowers) or these Easy Wafer Paper Flowers or even these Fondant Flowers or these cute and Easy Fondant Roses (Ribbon Roses). You can also try real edible flowers.

Try other cake flavors- Such as Marble Cake or Banana Chocolate Chip Cake.

Try other frosting flavors- Such as Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting or Marshmallow Frosting.

Decorate with sprinkles- There are so many patriotic sprinkle blends in the market these days. Use those, in addition to the flower decorations.

Make a larger tiered cake- Add an additional bottom tier that’s 10 inches wide and 3 inches high.

Tips and Techniques for 4th of July patriotic cake

Don’t frost or decorate warm cakes- Because the warmth will cause the icing and fondant to melt and make a sticky mess.

Homemade fondant flowers vs. Store-bought fondant flowers- Either can be used. Making them at home is cheaper and also allows you to make different sizes and shapes. Regardless, both will work well.

Homemade fondant vs. Store-bought fondant- Both work well. Store-bought fondant is obviously convenient and it can also be bought pre-colored but homemade version tastes amazing.

Use gel colors for coloring fondant- This works much better than liquid colors because gel colors are thicker and more concentrated and will not make the fondant wet and sticky.

Use very little water for sticking pieces- Because if a lot of water is used, it can cause the colors to bleed on the white fondant and make it messy. It can also make fondant very sticky. I highly recommend using a paintbrush and tapping it on the edge of a bowl to get rid of excess water.

Use wooden dowels for support- You can also use bubble tea straws. This is very important because it prevents the top tier from falling over or digging into the bottom tier.

Storage

Room temperature- Decorated cake can be left at room temperature for 24 hours as long as there is no fruit filling that requires refrigeration.

Refrigerate- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. However the fondant decorations will become slightly sticky and tacky from the moisture in the fridge.

Freeze- Unfrosted cakes and frostings can be stored separately in a sealed container for up to 1 month. When you are ready to enjoy it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then, decorate as per instructions below.

Make ahead instructions- This cake can be baked and decorated 1 day in advance and stored at room temperature until you are ready to serve.

More 4th of July desserts (patriotic desserts)

• Homemade Chocolate Fudgesicles
• Mini Oreo Bites (No Bake)

Recipe