Firecracker Cake (Red, White, and Blue Bundt Cake)
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Firecracker Cake will be the star of your 4th of July celebration. Make this red white and blue bundt cake with 5 ingredients, then bake, decorate, and celebrate!! The perfect holiday dessert! Perfect for Memorial Day, a fourth of July cookout, or any patriotic holidays!
A simple, delicious treat gets a holiday twist with this firecracker cake recipe. It’s so tender and moist that no one will know it was made with a box mix!
Who says that good cakes can’t come from a boxed cake mix? This classic Firecracker cake is one of those easy recipes that literally makes the perfect cake.
Top with fluffy white frosting – and you’re good to go!
Using cake mix is one of those secret tricks that many home bakers use because it creates the perfect dessert every time.
I love to add lots of sprinkles because there is extra space on the top of the cake, and that is perfect for red and blue sprinkles!
New recipes like this are super fun to make – and don’t forget that you can add different toppings as well.
Cream cheese frosting, regular frosting, or even some blue frosting on top of the cool cake is fair game!
Red, white, and blue desserts like this prove that you don’t need a round cake pan to create a sweet treat.
Just grab a bundt cake pan, the simple ingredients and perfect box cake mix, and you’ll have the best festive dessert – ever!
Firecracker Cake
Instant pudding adds plenty of flavor, while fresh egg whites and a can of Sprite create an irresistibly fluffy texture.
Want to create a stunning display of desserts? Place this 4th of July cake in the center of your table along with a big bowl of cheesecake fruit salad and these gorgeous red white and blue popsicles.
Triple Berry Parfaits are a great option for guests who want something healthier, and you could even add a tray of Stars and Stripes layered shots for the adults to indulge in.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Cake Mix – White cake mix is a must for your 4th of July dessert to turn out right. Any other flavor will affect the colors of the batter.
- Pudding – Any brand of instant pudding will work for red white and blue bundt cake, but it needs to be vanilla, white chocolate, or cheesecake flavor.
- Sprite – You’ll want a clear lemon-lime variety like Sprite, 7-Up, or Sierra Mist. Avoid Mountain Dew — it’s the wrong flavor and has added color.
If you only have mini cans (7.5oz), just make up the difference with water.
Red White and Blue Cake Tips and Tricks
- Skip the yolks. Again, anything that isn’t clear or white will affect the color of the batter, making it impossible to get a red white and blue cake.
- Tip for coloring batter: Mix in a small amount and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before deciding if you need to add more.
Gels will deepen over time, so aim for a shade or two lighter than you want the finished firecracker cake to be. - Let it cool. If the red white and blue bundt cake is too hot when decorating, it will simply absorb the icing altogether.
It should be slightly warmer than room temperature for best results.
What You’ll Need For This 4th of July Cake
- Bundt Pan – This is one of my favorite brands because the special nonstick coating means you don’t have to spray or flour your pan first!
- Stand mixer or large mixing bowl with a hand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment
- Mixing Bowls – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all.
- Gel Food Coloring creates vibrant hues without affecting the consistency of the batter. The Wilton Color Performance line is another great option and may be available in stores.
- Cookie Scoops – These make it easier to alternate the different colors and cause fewer drips than using a spoon.
4th of July Dessert FAQ
You sure can! What’s great about this recipe is that it can be adapted for any holiday celebration.
Having one bowl of batter remain white adds a nice contrast, but feel free to color all three bowls with whichever combination matches your theme.
While I haven’t tried it myself, I don’t see why not!
Because the base of the pan is wider than the top, you may want to use a little less batter for whichever color you will be pouring in first.
Otherwise, the layers of your 4th of July cake may be different heights once baked.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Cake Recipes
Firecracker Cake (Red, White, and Blue Bundt Cake)
Ingredients
- 15 ounce box white cake mix
- 3.4 ounce box instant pudding mix, can use vanilla, white chocolate, or cheesecake flavor
- 4 large egg whites
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 8 ounces Sprite
- Red food coloring
- Blue food coloring
Icing
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons Sprite
- Red white, and blue sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, mix together the cake mix, pudding, and egg whites.
- Beat in the vegetable oil until combined.
- Gently mix in the soda on low speed until smooth.
- Divide the batter into three separate bowls and color one them with red food coloring and one with blue and leave one plain.
- Grease a 10-cup bundt pan (I used this one: https://amzn.to/2SCLsLD) and use small or medium cookie scoops or tablespoons or portion out the dough in the pan, alternating to try to put the different colors next to each other.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes clean from the thick part of the cake.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before flipping onto a cooling rack or plate to cool completely, about another 40 minutes before icing.
- To make the icing, simply whisk together the sugar and soda until the desired consistency is reached. Then pour over the top of the cooled cake and top with sprinkles.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published June 2021. Updated and republished June 2024
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Love this cake recipe! Cannot wait to try it for July 4th this year! Thank you Slow Roasted Italian for offering such terrific recipes and your expert advice on making them. I truly love your newsletters and Social Media posts!!
Oh, MERCY! This cake looks delicious & an eye catcher as well! Thank you soooo much! God bless! 🙂
It looks so colorful and festive.
This cake impressed my family when I brought it over for a 4th of july bbq! Everyone was excited about it and it was gone so fast. It tasted just as good as it looked!
Oh wow, this firecracker cake is a showstopper! Easy to make and absolutely delicious. Donna and Chad never disappoint with their recipes.