Easy Firecracker Cake {Red White & Blue Bundt}

Are you looking for an easy showstopper cake recipe that is perfect for the Fourth of July?  If so, this Easy Firecracker Cake is the perfect recipe.  Layers of red, white and blue cake take a classic firecracker cake to the next level with the fresh fruit and cream cheese frosting.  You don’t want to miss this bundt cake. 

Table of Contents

• What is a Firecracker Cake?
• What goes into this Recipe
• How to make a Firecracker Cake
• Expert Tips
• Recipe FAQs
• Do you love patriotic desserts?  Try these recipes…
• Firecracker Cake {Red White & Blue Bundt}

What is a Firecracker Cake?

A firecracker cake is a festive and patriotic cake that is perfect for a 4th of July celebration, Labor Day and Memorial Day.

The colorful cake has layers of red velvet, white and blue cake batter. It also has a frosting and sprinkles {or fresh fruit} on top of the cake.

You can also make this Flag Fruit Pizza, Patriotic Fruit Salad and 4th of July Cookie Bars.

What goes into this Recipe

• Cake Mix- Vanilla or white cake mix are both great options and help get wonderfully deep colored cake batter.
• Buttermilk- Added to the cake batter to help transform the cake into a red velvet cake.
• Cocoa- Used in the red and blue batter to flavor it and help get great color.
• Vanilla Extract- Adds a great flavor to the frosting of the cake.  Almond extract would also be super delicious!

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make a Firecracker Cake

1. Start with a vanilla cake box mix {or white cake mix}.  Add eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk and water to a medium bowl with the cake mix. Mix together using a hand held mixer {or by hand} until everything is nicely incorporated.

2. To get the cocoa part of the cake, add 1/2 teaspoon of cocoa to two separate bowls and add one cup of the batter to each small bowl. Then add 3-4 drops of red food coloring to one bowl of batter for a deep red cake batter. Add 2-3 drops of blue food coloring {you could also add a little violet to deepen the color} to the other bowl for blue batter. Stir to combine.

3. To get awesome layers of red, white and blue in the cake, start with a bundt cake pan that has been liberally sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Add 1/4 cup of red batter to the bottom of the pan and on one side. Top with 1/4 cup of the leftover white cake batter.

4. Then a 1/4 cup of the blue cake batter in the center of the white batter and another layer of white. It is important to add a layer of white between the red and the blue so that you don’t get purple. Continue with the same sequence of batter, red, white, blue, white, red, white, blue, white…until all of the batter is gone. The cake batter will flow into the other side of the pan and fill the bottom of the pan.

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 28-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs. As it bakes it will create a striping pattern. Remove from the oven, place on a cooling rack and allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a cake plate to cool completely.

6. Combine the cream cheese frosting ingredients in a large bowl and mix until the mixture is thick. To get a glaze consistency, microwave the frosting for 30 seconds.  Stir and then continue to microwave in 15 second increments until it is pourable. Cover the top of the firecracker cake with the cream cheese frosting glaze and then add your favorite red and blue fruit to the center of the cake.  I chose raspberries and blueberries but strawberries and blackberries work too! 

Expert Tips

• Start with a good nonstick Bundt pan. This will help to ensure that the cake won’t stick to the pan.
• Spray your Bundt pan liberally with nonstick spray {even if it is nonstick} right before adding the batter. If you spray the pan too soon it will pool at the bottom of the pan and could make the cake stick to the pan easier.
• Don’t over bake your Bundt cake.  Check it at 28 minutes and then check every couple of minutes after that.
• Let your cake cool in the Bundt pan for 10 minutes before inverting it.  This is a magical number!  Don’t try too soon or it will stick.
• Top your Firecracker Cake with an amazing frosting or glaze to ensure that it stays moist and cover any imperfections. The addition of sprinkles or fresh fruit is also beautiful.

Recipe FAQs

Do you love patriotic desserts?  Try these recipes…

Did you try this recipe?
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