Description
A traditional recipe for a moist buttermilk sheet cake decorated to resemble the American flag, perfect for patriotic celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Frosting: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk (or more as needed)
- For Decoration: Blue food coloring
- Red food coloring
- White nonpareils or small candies (for stars)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 13×9 inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk and vanilla extract. Gradually add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, beating until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Prepare the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until combined. Add the vanilla and milk, beating until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add more milk if needed to reach a spreadable consistency.
- Divide the frosting into three portions: one large portion for the white stripes, one medium portion for the blue field, and one portion for the red stripes.
- Tint the medium portion with blue food coloring. Tint the red stripe portion with red food coloring. Keep one portion white.
- Frost the entire cooled cake with a thin layer of white frosting (the crumb coat). Chill for 15 minutes.
- Apply the remaining white frosting to cover the cake, leaving a rectangular section in the upper left corner clear for the blue field. Create 7 horizontal stripes using the white and red frostings, alternating colors.
- Fill the reserved upper left rectangle with the blue frosting.
- Place the white candies or nonpareils on the blue section to represent stars.
Notes
- Buttermilk helps create a tender crumb; do not substitute with regular milk if possible.
- For the cleanest stripes, use a piping bag fitted with a large round tip to pipe the red and white stripes before smoothing them with an offset spatula.
- Chill the cake briefly after applying the blue field to help set the color before adding the stars.
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 55g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 105mg