Ina Garten’s American Flag Cake is made with unsalted butter, sugar, extra-large eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract, flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, and baking soda. This delicious American Flag Cake recipe creates a festive dessert that takes about 110 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 20 people.
More Ina Garten Recipe:
? Why You’ll Love American Flag Cake Recipe
- Festive and Fun: This cake is perfect for celebrating patriotic holidays or special events with its vibrant flag design.
- Delicious Flavour: The combination of buttery vanilla cake and creamy cream cheese icing makes every bite irresistible.
- Simple to Make: Despite its impressive appearance, the recipe is straightforward to follow, even for beginners.
- Feeds a Crowd: With enough slices to serve up to 20 people, it’s an ideal choice for large gatherings or parties.
- Customizable Design: You can easily adjust the fruit decorations to suit different themes or occasions.
? Ina Garten American Flag Cake Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature) or 255 grams
- 3 cups sugar or 600 grams
- 6 extra-large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 cup sour cream (at room temperature) or 240 milliliters
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or 7.5 milliliters
- 3 cups flour or 360 grams
- 1/3 cup cornstarch or 40 grams
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or 5 milliliters
- 1 teaspoon baking soda or 5 milliliters
For the Icing:
- 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature) or 450 grams
- 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese (at room temperature) or 680 grams
- 1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted or 450 grams
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or 7.5 milliliters
To Assemble:
- 2 half-pints blueberries or 300 grams
- 3 half-pints raspberries or 450 grams
? How To Make Ina Garten American Flag Cake
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan (45 by 33 by 4 cm).
- Make the Cake Batter: Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, two at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until smooth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients and Mix: Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake the Cake: Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake to room temperature.
- Prepare the Icing: In a large bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese, sifted confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until smooth.
- Assemble the Cake: Spread three-fourths of the icing over the cooled cake. Outline the flag design on the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Arrange 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake to create red stripes. Use the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip to pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and icing to complete the flag design. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries.
- Serve the Cake: Serve the cake directly from the pan or, if desired, turn it out onto a board using parchment paper when greasing and flouring the pan.
? Recipe Tips
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature for a smoother batter and better cake texture.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off to avoid adding too much flour, which can make the cake dense.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Mix the batter just until combined to keep the cake light and fluffy. Overmixing can make it tough.
- Cool the Cake Completely: Allow the cake to cool completely before icing to prevent the frosting from melting and sliding off.
- Use a Toothpick for Icing Design: Outline the flag design with a toothpick before decorating to ensure even and accurate placement of fruit and icing.
? How To Store Leftovers American Flag Cake?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover American Flag Cake cool to room temperature. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate. It stays fresh for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Cool leftover American Flag Cake completely before wrapping it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
? What To Serve With American Flag Cake?
This delicious American Flag Cake pairs well with fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries. It also can be served alongside vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a simple fruit compote for a tasty dessert experience.
FAQ’S:
How Can I Prevent The Cake From Sticking To The Pan?
To prevent sticking, make sure to butter and flour the pan thoroughly. You can also line the bottom with parchment paper for extra insurance.
What Should I Do If My Icing Is Too Runny?
If the icing is too runny, add more sifted confectioners’ sugar until it reaches the desired consistency. Be sure to mix it well to avoid lumps.
Can I Use Low-fat Sour Cream Or Butter for This Recipe?
Using low-fat sour cream or butter may affect the texture and taste of the cake. It’s best to use full-fat ingredients for the best results.
How Can I Fix A Lumpy Icing?
If your icing turns out lumpy, beat it again with an electric mixer until smooth. You can also sift the confectioners’ sugar before adding it to the mixture to prevent lumps.
More Ina Garten Recipe:
Ina Garten American Flag Cake Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 slice (based on 20 servings)
- Calories: 420
- Total Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
- Sodium: 280 mg
- Potassium: 140 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 55 g
- Dietary Fiber: 1 g
- Sugars: 45 g
- Protein: 4 g
Ina Garten American Flag Cake
Description
Ina Garten’s American Flag Cake is made with unsalted butter, sugar, extra-large eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract, flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, and baking soda. This delicious American Flag Cake recipe creates a festive dessert that takes about 110 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 20 people.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
For the Icing:
To Assemble:
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan (45 by 33 by 4 cm).
- Make the Cake Batter: Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, two at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until smooth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients and Mix: Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake the Cake: Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake to room temperature.
- Prepare the Icing: In a large bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese, sifted confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until smooth.
- Assemble the Cake: Spread three-fourths of the icing over the cooled cake. Outline the flag design on the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Arrange 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake to create red stripes. Use the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip to pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and icing to complete the flag design. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries.
- Serve the Cake: Serve the cake directly from the pan or, if desired, turn it out onto a board using parchment paper when greasing and flouring the pan.
Notes
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature for a smoother batter and better cake texture.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off to avoid adding too much flour, which can make the cake dense.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Mix the batter just until combined to keep the cake light and fluffy. Overmixing can make it tough.
- Cool the Cake Completely: Allow the cake to cool completely before icing to prevent the frosting from melting and sliding off.
- Use a Toothpick for Icing Design: Outline the flag design with a toothpick before decorating to ensure even and accurate placement of fruit and icing.
Ina Garten American Flag Cake