Pioneer Woman American Flag Cake

Pioneer Woman American Flag Cake is a festive red velvet sheet cake with cream cheese frosting and patriotic sprinkles, ready in about 80 minutes. That makes it a go-to dessert for Fourth of July parties, Memorial Day cookouts, or summer potlucks since everything comes together on one pan.

The step that makes or breaks this cake is cutting the parchment stencil, because uneven strips leave the flag looking crooked. That's why you want to measure and mark 13 equal lines before cutting, so each stripe comes out clean.

Most flag cakes use fresh berries on white frosting, but Ree goes with colorful nonpareils over a red velvet base instead. That swap creates sharper stripes, and the red cake underneath adds a hidden pop of color when you cut into it.

Pioneer Woman American Flag Cake

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Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

1

hour 

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

894

kcal

A rich buttermilk cake tinted red and baked flat, then topped with cream cheese icing and a layered nonpareil flag design.

Ingredients

• For the Cake:
  

• Cooking spray
  

• 2 1/2 c. cake flour
  

• 1 tsp. baking soda
  

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  

• 1 oz. (2 tbsp.) liquid red food coloring
  

• 1 1/2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
  

• 1 1/2 tsp. distilled white vinegar
  

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  

• 1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
  

• 1 1/4 c. vegetable oil
  

• 2 large eggs
  

• 1 c. buttermilk

• For the Frosting:
  

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  

• 1 lb. powdered sugar
  

• Pinch of salt
  

• 1 tbsp. whole milk, plus more if needed

• For Decorating:
  

• Red, white, and blue nonpareils (not mixed), for decorating

Directions

• Prep the dry and wet mixes: Preheat the oven to 350ºF and spray a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Once that's set, whisk the cake flour, baking soda, and salt in one bowl and the food coloring, cocoa, vinegar, and vanilla in another.
• Mix the batter: Combine the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large bowl, then beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. From there, reduce to low and beat in the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. After the last addition, pour in the food coloring mixture and beat on high for 20 to 30 seconds until evenly tinted.
• Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the surface, then bake until a toothpick in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. After that, transfer to a rack and let cool completely in the pan before frosting.
• Make the frosting: Combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and salt in a large bowl, then beat on medium speed until smooth. Next, stir in the milk, adding more as needed, and frost the cake evenly with an offset spatula.
• Cut the parchment stencil: Trim parchment to match the cake surface, then position it with a long side facing you and mark 13 equal stripes across it. Also mark a square from the upper left corner going halfway across and down to the seventh stripe.
• Apply the blue sprinkles: Cut out the square and lay the remaining parchment on the frosted cake, pressing gently, then cover the exposed corner with blue nonpareils. Once the corner is filled, lift the cake to pour off excess sprinkles and carefully peel off the parchment.
• Finish the flag stripes: Cut the parchment into 13 strips, then lay every other strip where the white stripes go and fill the gaps with red nonpareils. After pouring off the excess, peel away all the strips and scatter white nonpareils over the blue square.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, KitchenAid 5-speed hand mixer, Wilton 9-inch angled spatula, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make this cake the day before?

You can bake the cake a day ahead and store it covered at room temperature, but wait to frost and decorate until serving day. That way the cream cheese stays firm, so the sprinkles stick and the stripes come out crisp.

How long does this cake last in the fridge?

Covered tightly, the frosted cake keeps about 3 days in the fridge, though the sprinkle colors may bleed into the frosting after day one. When you're ready to serve, pull it out 30 minutes early since cream cheese frosting tastes best at room temperature.

Can I use a different cake flavor instead of red velvet?

Any flavor works here, but white or vanilla shows off the flag design best since the inside won't compete with the sprinkles. Still, red velvet adds a fun surprise when you cut a slice, so the choice comes down to how much color you want.

What if I don't have a large rimmed baking sheet?

You can use a 9-by-13-inch pan instead, though the cake will be thicker and the flag proportions will shift slightly. Once it's in the oven, add a few extra minutes and check with a toothpick, since a deeper batter takes longer to bake through.

Why do the sprinkles bleed into the frosting?

Nonpareils have a candy coating that softens with moisture, so work quickly once you start decorating and press them gently without rubbing. Then pour off the excess right away, because any sitting sprinkles will bleed their color into the icing.