Every 4th of July growing up, we headed to my grandparents' house for the same picnic, every single year - and I wouldn't have changed a thing about it. There was always a red and white checkered tablecloth on the picnic table, the smell of charcoal in the air, and a croquet set out on the lawn that somehow turned into a full family rivalry by mid-afternoon. Someone always "accidentally" knocked someone else's ball into the flower bed.
And somewhere on that tablecloth, between the potato salad and the deviled eggs, there was always a flag cake. Red strawberries, blue blueberries, white frosting - it looked like someone had really gone all out, but the truth is this cake is shockingly simple. It's the dessert that gets the most "ooohs" for the least amount of effort, and it's the first thing to go at every cookout I've ever brought it to.
If you want a dessert that looks like you tried way harder than you did, this is it!
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Why You'll Love This
- It looks impressive but comes together with frosting, whipped topping, and fresh berries - no fancy techniques required
- You can use a store-bought cake if you're short on time (no judgment here!)
- It's the perfect make-ahead dessert - decorate it the morning of and let it chill until party time
- Kids love helping arrange the berries, which makes it a fun family activity
- It's a guaranteed conversation starter at any 4th of July or Memorial Day spread
Ingredients
- 1 (9x13) baked yellow cake
- 2 (16 oz) cans vanilla frosting
- 8 oz whipped topping, thawed
- 1 lb strawberries
- ⅔ cup blueberries
Tools Needed
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Large bowl
- Electric mixer
- Piping bags and tips (optional) - Piping Tip K28 and Piping Tip 18
Directions
Cut the stems off the strawberries, then cut each strawberry in half.
Add both cans of frosting to a large bowl and beat on high speed for 1-2 minutes to fluff it up.
Add the whipped topping and beat on low until fully incorporated.
Spread about half the frosting in an even layer over the cake. Chill the cake and remaining frosting in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Starting at the bottom of the cake, arrange a row of strawberries from left to right.
Move up about a strawberry's width and make your next row, left to right.
In the upper left corner, arrange blueberries in a block, ending about a strawberry's width up from your last row, and about ⅓ of the way across the cake. Place them as they fit - blueberries come in all shapes and sizes!
Add your next row of strawberries starting at the bottom edge of the blueberries, then finish with one final row on top.
Add about ½ cup of frosting to a piping bag with the small tip, and the rest to a piping bag with the large tip.
Use the large tip to pipe stars in the gaps between the rows of strawberries.
Use the small tip to pipe stars in the gaps between the blueberries.
Chill until ready to serve.
Tara's Tips
- If your strawberries are extra large, cut them into smaller pieces so your "flag stripes" stay neat and even
- No piping bags? No problem - just dollop the frosting between the rows with a spoon for a more rustic (and honestly, just as charming) look
- Make sure your whipped topping is fully thawed before mixing, or you'll end up with lumps
- This is one of those recipes where a store-bought cake works just as well as homemade - save your energy for the berry arranging!
Serving Ideas
This flag cake is the star of the dessert table, but it plays well with others. Try serving it alongside Red White and Blue Fruit Skewers for extra berry power, or Red White and Blue Fruit Pizza if you want a whole patriotic dessert spread.
Either way, your picnic table is about to look like the Fourth of July threw up confetti - the good kind!
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The whipped topping frosting holds up well chilled, but this cake is best enjoyed within the first day or two while the berries are at their freshest.
4th of July Flag Cake
The flag cake that disappears first at every 4th of July BBQ! Soft cake, fluffy frosting, and fresh strawberries and blueberries arranged into a flag design!
Ingredients
- 9x13 baked yellow cake
- 2 - 16 oz cans vanilla frosting
- 8 oz whipped topping, thawed
- 1 lb strawberries
- ⅔ cup blueberries
Instructions
- Cut the stems off the strawberries, then cut each strawberry in half.
- Add the 2 cans of frosting to a large bowl and beat on high speed for 1-2 minutes to fluff the frosting up a bit.
- Add the whipped topping and beat on low until incorporated.
- Use about half the frosting to spread in an even layer over the cake. Chill the cake and the rest of the frosting in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Start at the bottom of the cake and arrange a row of strawberries from left to right.
- Next, go up about a width of strawberries and make your next row from left to right.
- Next, arrange blueberries in the left corner, ending about a width of strawberries up from the last row of strawberries, and about ⅓ of the way into the cake. Just place them as they fit since blueberries tend to come in a variety of sizes.
- Now, your next row of strawberries will start at the bottom edge of the blueberries, then the last row of strawberries will be on top.
- Now add about ½ cup or so of frosting to a piping bag equipped with the small tip, and the rest to a piping bag equipped with the large tip.
- Now you will use the full bag equipped with the large tip to pipe stars in between the rows of strawberries.
- Then you will use the smaller bag and tip to pipe stars in the gaps between blueberries.
- Chill until ready to serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
14Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 90Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 4gUnsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 14mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 1gSugar: 10gProtein: 1g
This one's for every backyard, every checkered tablecloth, and every family croquet match that got a little too competitive. Happy 4th!
