American Flag Red Velvet Sheet Cake

A Patriotic Dessert, this American Flag Cake is a rectangular Red Velvet Sheet Cake topped with blueberries, rows of strawberries and raspberries as red stripes, and white frosting piped as stars and stripes.

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American Flag Red Velvet Sheet Cake

This American Flag Red Velvet Sheet Cake is soft, rich, and topped with cream cheese frosting and fresh berries for an easy patriotic dessert.

Course cake, Dessert

Cuisine American, Baking

Keyword American Flag Red Velvet Sheet Cake, berry flag cake, homemade red velvet cake, usa flag cake

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 40

Chill Time 30

Total Time 1 5

Servings slices

Calories 691

Author Erren Hart

Ingredients

For the Cake

1¾ cups granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups buttermilk at room temperature
10 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vinegar white or apple cider
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon red food coloring gel

For the Cream Cheese Whipped Buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened
8 ounces cream cheese softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar plus more as needed
⅓ cup heavy cream plus a little more if needed
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

For Decoration

Fresh blueberries
Fresh strawberries halved
Fresh raspberries

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, oil, vinegar, vanilla, and red food coloring until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Spread the batter evenly in the pan and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely.
In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium-high until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Mix in the vanilla and salt. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the heavy cream and whip on high for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. Adjust consistency with a touch more sugar or cream as needed.
Spread about two-thirds of the frosting evenly over the cooled cake using an offset spatula. Smooth the surface to create a clean base layer. Reserve the remaining one-third for piping and details.
In the top-left corner, arrange whole blueberries in neat rows to form the stars section. For the stripes, alternate rows of halved strawberries and double rows of raspberries with swirls of white frosting between each red stripe. Use the remaining frosting to fill in any open spaces around the blueberry section.
Refrigerate the finished cake for 30–60 minutes to help the frosting set, then slice and serve. The cake can be made a day ahead — just cover and chill until ready to serve.

Notes

Erren’s Top Tips

Use room temperature ingredients for a smoother batter and better rise.
Don’t overmix once the batter comes together.
Dry the berries well before placing them.
Use an offset spatula for a smooth finish.
Chill before slicing for clean squares.

Variations & Add-Ins

Swap the berries with sliced cherries or red currants for a different look.
Add an extra tablespoon of cocoa powder for a deeper chocolate flavor.
Turn the recipe into cupcakes and decorate each with a mini flag design.

Storage & Freezing

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Let slices sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.
Freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 2 months and thaw overnight before decorating.

Nutrition