Fireworks, backyard barbecues, long summer nights — the Fourth of July calls for something festive. This year, as the U.S. marks its 250th anniversary, the dessert should feel just as celebratory.
Enter: a red, white and blue confetti cake that brings both. This lemon-almond layer cake pairs fresh berries with cream cheese frosting and a full coating of sprinkles.
The result feels nostalgic but elevated. The kind of centerpiece that earns its place on the table.
Yes, it takes effort. But the payoff is clear: clean layers, bright color, balanced flavor and a finish that looks as good as it tastes.
Pro Tips for Success
Before you start, keep these pro tips in mind:
- Use a small amount of shortening for a brighter white crumb. For a richer flavor, substitute all butter.
- Scrape the bowl frequently to ensure a smooth, even batter.
- Adjust extracts to taste — vanilla and coconut work well, or keep it classic with all vanilla.
- Use a cardboard round to invert cakes cleanly and prevent tearing.
- No turntable? Use a microwave plate and wheel as a rotating base.
- Insert a bamboo skewer through layers to stabilize during frosting.
- Finish sides with a bench scraper for clean edges.
- Don’t chase perfection — sprinkles cover everything.
- Always line pans with parchment to prevent sticking.
From mixing technique to final presentation, recipes like this reflect the kind of hands-on training used in the Institute’s Pastry & Baking Arts programs — where students build speed, precision and confidence in real kitchen conditions.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (8 ounces) butter, softened
- ½ cup (4 ounces) shortening
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup buttermilk
- Red food coloring
- Blue food coloring
- 3-4 tablespoons red, white and blue sprinkles
Directions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch cake pans and line with parchment.
- Cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, egg whites and extracts. Mix until smooth.
- Whisk flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add half of dry ingredients to mixer. Mix.
- Add milk. Mix.
- Add remaining dry ingredients, then buttermilk. Mix until smooth.
- Divide batter into three bowls.
- Color one blue, one red. Stir sprinkles into third.
- Divide into pans. Bake 20–25 minutes, until set.
- Cool briefly in pans, then turn out and cool completely.
Lemon-Almond Simple Syrup
Yields ½ cup
Ingredients
- ½ cup simple syrup
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract
Directions
- Combine ingredients.
- Chill until ready to use.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Yields 6 cups
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (16 ounces) cream cheese
- 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Cream butter until smooth.
- Add cream cheese. Mix until combined.
- Add sugar and salt. Mix.
- Add vanilla. Whip until light and fluffy.
Assembly
Ingredients
- Blue cake layer
- Sprinkle cake layer
- Red cake layer
- ½ cup simple syrup
- 6 cups frosting
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup sliced strawberries
- 1¼–1½ cups sprinkles
Directions
- Level cake layers.
- Place blue layer on cake round.
- Brush with syrup.
- Spread frosting. Top with blueberries.
- Add sprinkle layer. Repeat with syrup, frosting, strawberries.
- Top with red layer.
- Frost top and sides.
- Chill 20–30 minutes.
- Press sprinkles onto cake to coat.
- Serve or refrigerate up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
More by Jenny McCoy
