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Delicious Patriotic Vanilla Sheet Cake Recipe with Easy Berry Buttercream Frosting

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A simple yet festive vanilla sheet cake topped with a creamy, fresh berry buttercream frosting in red, white, and blue colors, perfect for patriotic occasions and summer gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 2 ½ teaspoons (12g) baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons (10ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
  • 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract (for frosting)
  • ½ cup (about 75g) fresh or frozen strawberries, pureed and strained
  • ½ cup (about 75g) fresh or frozen blueberries, pureed and strained
  • Pinch of salt (for frosting)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or line with parchment paper.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together sifted flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Using an electric mixer, beat softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until fluffy and pale.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
  5. Add dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with milk in two parts (start and end with flour). Mix gently on low speed just until combined.
  6. Pour batter evenly into prepared pan and tap gently to release air bubbles.
  7. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cake should be golden and spring back when pressed.
  8. Cool cake in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  9. While cake cools, blend strawberries and blueberries separately until smooth, then strain each purée through a fine mesh to remove seeds and pulp.
  10. Beat softened butter for frosting until creamy (~2 minutes). Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed until incorporated.
  11. Add vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to frosting. Divide frosting into three bowls.
  12. Stir strawberry purée into one bowl for red frosting, blueberry purée into another for blue frosting, and leave one bowl plain for white frosting.
  13. Spread white buttercream evenly over cooled cake. Use piping bags or spatula to add stripes or swirls of red and blue frosting on top.
  14. Chill frosted cake in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to set buttercream before slicing and serving.

Notes

Use fresh berries in season for best flavor; frozen berries work if well strained to avoid excess moisture. For dairy-free version, substitute butter with plant-based spread and milk with non-dairy milk. Avoid overmixing batter to keep cake tender. Frost cake only when completely cool to prevent buttercream melting. Warm spatula under hot water and dry before smoothing frosting for a smooth finish.

Nutrition

Keywords: vanilla sheet cake, berry buttercream, patriotic cake, Fourth of July dessert, easy vanilla cake, berry frosting, summer cake, patriotic dessert

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