Flag Cake Recipe

Forks rest alongside a glass baking dish with a cake decorated to look like the American flag.

5 from 1 vote

Flag Cake is a perfectly festive dessert for Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day, or the Fourth of July. Topped with cream cheese frosting and berries, it’s always a hit!

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Total Time1 10

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 617kcal

Author: Cassie Johnston

Ingredients

For the Lemon Cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter softened
2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
4 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon extract or 1 tablespoon lemon zest

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
½ cup salted butter 1 stick, room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 ½-4 cups powdered sugar sifted (see notes)

For the Toppings:

8 ounces blueberries
16 ounces strawberries 1 clamshell package
½ cup mini marshmallows
1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13” pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Stir the 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
Cream 1 cup unsalted butter and 2 cups sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 2-3 minutes.
Add 1 cup milk, 4 eggs, and 1 teaspoon lemon extract to a large measuring cup or bowl. Whisk until combined.
Add the wet and dry ingredients into the creamed butter, blending just until the mixture is combined. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed in.
Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake cake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Add 8 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup salted butter, 1 tablespoon milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and one cup of the powdered sugar to a large bowl. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, blend ingredients. Continue adding more powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until frosting is smooth and creamy.
Frost the entire top of the cake.
Wash fruit and pat dry.
Place 8 ounces blueberries in a rectangle formation at the top left of the sheet cake.
Slice stems off 16 ounces strawberries and discard. Cut strawberries into thin slices. Line the strawberry slices up, overlapping each other slightly, making 4 lines across the cake (see photos).
Line ½ cup mini marshmallows in between strawberries.
Finish off the cake with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, focusing on the blueberries.

Notes

Start with 3 ½ cups of powdered sugar and add more as needed to get the right texture (smooth and creamy).
Sifting the powdered sugar is an important step for making smooth, creamy frosting.
You can swap raspberries for the strawberries if you prefer.
If the strawberries are particularly juicy, after slicing them, pat the strawberries dry so they don’t leak red juice on the frosting.
This cake can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store it in the fridge, sealed with plastic wrap or a cover.

Nutrition