Firecracker Bundt Cake
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Make your celebrations pop with this Firecracker Bundt Cake. This stunning cake takes a shortcut using a boxed cake mix and is red, white, and blue inside and out! It’s the perfect dessert for your 4th of July celebration or any patriotic holiday.
This post was originally created in May 2012 and updated in April 2024 with new images and more information for the reader.
Summer is coming, so we will be celebrating a couple of patriotic holidays. Whether you’re serving it at a Fourth of July barbecue, Memorial Day picnic, or Labor Day gathering, this easy Firecracker Bundt Cake will enhance the festive atmosphere and become the centerpiece of your dessert table.
Surround the cake with other festive desserts like these mini patriotic sugar cookie cups, or these strawberry blueberry lemon bars. Have some of these fresh Berry Frozen Yogurt Cups in the freezer to serve, too.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Time-Saving Solution: Using a cake mix and already-made frosting, you can enjoy the satisfaction of homemade baking without much cleanup.
- Festive Presentation: The bold colors of the firecracker cake instantly evoke feelings of patriotism and celebration.
- Perfect Baking Recipe for Beginners: If you’re new to baking or feel intimidated by from-scratch recipes, a cake mix provides a reassuring starting point. With easy instructions, even novice bakers can achieve professional-looking results with ease.
Firecracker Bundt Cake
The Firecracker Bundt Cake features layers of red, white, and blue moist vanilla cake and the top is drizzled with red, white, and blue frosting and festive sprinkles. Using a boxed cake mix and prepared frosting makes this cake a time-saver and the result is a dazzling presentation of Americana.
Can I use a from-scratch cake recipe?
By all means, yes you can use your homemade cake recipe. You can also make a boxed cake taste like a homemade cake as I did in this jazzed-up white cake recipe.
Can you use a cream cheese frosting?
Yes, you can and I have used this cream cheese frosting on the cake many times. It’s my go-to frosting recipe and has never failed me.
How do I store the Cake?
Cover any leftovers with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. The cake will stay fresh for up to 4-5 days when stored in a cool area. To freeze: I do not recommend freezing the frosted cake, but you can freeze the unfrosted cake in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw completely (in the refrigerator) before frosting.
Can I Bake this Bundt Cake ahead of time?
Yes, you can bake the cake the day before you are serving it and then all you need to do is prepare the frosting and decorate it.
Can I change the 4th of July colors?
Of course! This festive bundt cake can be decorated for any holiday theme or occasion. It would be a fun cake to serve at a baby or bridal shower. Change the colors for Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or Easter.
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🥣Equipment
- 10-cup bundt pan
- small mixing bowls
- large mixing bowl
- hand held mixer
- spatulas
- nonstick spray
📃Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix (any brand will work)
- Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on the cake mix box
- Red food color
- Blue food color
- 1 container of white frosting
- Red White, and Blue sprinkles
Directions
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Generously grease a 10-cup bundt pan. I used nonstick spray making sure I got in the crevices and the center tube well.
Mix the cake batter as directed on the box using the water, vegetable oil, and egg whites listed. Then pour 1 cup of the batter into a small mixing bowl; stir in red food color until well mixed. Repeat with another 1 cup of the batter into a separate small bowl using the blue food color until well mixed. Leave the remaining cake batter white.
Pour red cake batter into the pan, spreading over the bottom of the pan. Carefully pour the remaining white batter over the red batter in the pan. Finally, pour the blue batter over the white batter. (Blue batter does not need to cover white batter completely; it looks better if it just forms a ring in the center of the white batter.)
Bake as directed on the box or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 38 – 42 minutes. Check the baking times accordingly. I like to check a few minutes before the minimum baking time. Mine was done at the 38-minute mark.
Cool cake in pan 5 minutes before inverting out of the pan. Place a cooling rack over a cookie sheet. Turn the pan upside down onto the cooling rack. Cool cake completely, about 30 minutes before frosting.
When the cake is cool, divide the canned frosting evenly into 3 microwavable bowls. I started with a layer of white frosting. Microwave the bowl of frosting uncovered on High for a few seconds until smooth enough to drizzle over the cake. It doesn’t take more than a couple of seconds, With a spoon, drizzle all of the white frosting back and forth around the cake in a striping pattern.
Repeat microwaving another bowl of white frosting until smooth. This time, stir in a few drops of red food color until well blended. Drizzle over the cake, scattering frosting back and forth. Lastly, repeat with the remaining bowl of frosting and add the blue food color, making sure red, white, and blue frostings can be seen on the cake. Let all the colors “peek” through.
End with sprinkling festive Red, White, and Blue sprinkles on top of the cake. Let cake stand at room temperature until frosting is set before serving.
Tips and Tricks
- Bump up the vanilla flavoring of the cake mix by adding a teaspoon of clear vanilla extract to the cake mix or try almond extract.
- Any already-made frosting will work as long it is white. Try a buttercream frosting, or cream cheese icing.
- In place of the layers of frosting, you can choose to drizzle melted white chocolate and then top with fresh berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.
- Add the zest of a lemon to the cake batter for more flavor.
- You can also add more cake layers by using less cake batter in each bowl. Try making this a rainbow cake for a birthday or celebration.
Other Festive Bundt Cakes To Try
- Blood Orange and Cardamom Bundt Cake – great for Spring, Mother’s Day, Brunches, and more.
- Easy Black Forest Bundt Cake – serve as a Valentine’s Day or Christmas dessert.
- German Chocolate Bundt Cake (with homemade coconut icing) – Delicious any time!
- Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake – perfect to bake for the Spring and Summer.
Printable Recipe Card
Firecracker Bundt Cake
Equipment
- 10 cup bundt pan
- Electric hand mixer
- small mixing bowls
- large mixing bowl
- spatulas
Ingredients
- 1 box vanilla or white cake mix, PLUS the ingredients on box to make cake.
- Red food color
- Blue food color
- 1 container white frosting
- Red, white and blue sprinkles
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325 degrees. Generously grease a 10-cup bundt pan. I used nonstick spray making sure I got in the crevices and the center tube well.
- Mix the cake batter as directed on the box using the water, vegetable oil, and egg whites listed. Then pour 1 cup of the batter into a small mixing bowl; stir in red food color until well mixed. Repeat with another 1 cup of the batter into a separate small bowl using the blue food color until well mixed. Leave the remaining cake batter white.
- Pour red cake batter into the pan, spreading over the bottom of the pan. Carefully pour the remaining white batter over the red batter in the pan. Finally, pour the blue batter over the white batter. (Blue batter does not need to cover white batter completely; it looks better if it just forms a ring in the center of the white batter.)
- Bake as directed on the box or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 38 – 42 minutes. Check the baking times accordingly. I like to check a few minutes before the minimum baking time. Mine was done at the 38-minute mark.
- Cool cake in pan 5 minutes before inverting out of the pan. Place a cooling rack over a cookie sheet. Turn the pan upside down onto the cooling rack. Cool cake completely, about 30 minutes before frosting.
- When the cake is cool, divide the canned frosting evenly into 3 microwavable bowls. I started with a layer of white frosting. Microwave the bowl of frosting uncovered on High for a few seconds until smooth enough to drizzle over the cake. It doesn’t take more than a couple of seconds, With a spoon, drizzle all of the white frosting back and forth around the cake in a striping pattern.
- Repeat microwaving another bowl of white frosting until smooth. This time, stir in a few drops of red food color until well blended. Drizzle over the cake, scattering frosting back and forth. Lastly, repeat with the remaining bowl of frosting and add the blue food color, making sure red, white, and blue frostings can be seen on the cake. Let all the colors “peek” through.
- End with sprinkling festive Red, White, and Blue sprinkles on top of the cake. Let cake stand at room temperature until frosting is set before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“Blogghetti” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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