My boy turned 10 last weekend. His 1st double digit birthday… a monumental event. It was celebrated with Nutella-topped toast for breakfast, a baseball game where he played his favorite positions (pitcher & 1st base), a Padre’s game and a sleepover with two best friends. I always ask my little guy what sort of cake he desires for his birthday. This year it was a red, white and blue cake. And as I do every year, I asked my boy a few questions on his birthday…
What did you get for your birthday?
a food blog!!- www.RecipeBoy.com
How do you feel about that?
Yayyy! I get to be like my Mom now.
What are your plans for your food blog?
I’ll make recipes, tell stories, review cookbooks and products that I like, and I’ll be doing my OWN photography too.
What recipe ideas do you have lined up for your blog?
So far, I’m thinking Snicker’s Bar Pie, Twix Cheesecake Pie, Grammy’s Tuna Casserole, Salisbury Steak, and something from Matt’s On a Stick cookbook.
Who do you hope to inspire?
all kids! I’d like to inspire kids to write food blogs themselves and to make easy recipes.
What famous food people do you hope to meet someday?
The Pioneer Woman, Picky Palate, Bobby Flay and that guy from Man vs. Food
What do you like to do when you’re not in the kitchen?
play sports (my favorites are football and basketball)
What are your favorite subjects in school?
recess, math and reading
What’s the last book you read?
Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars
What are you favorite foods?
Oreo-stuffed chocolate chip cookies, corn on the cob, pancakes with fresh raspberries and ravioli with marinara sauce
Love this kid and love that he’s interested in growing up as a foodie! What a proud mama I am! Check out RecipeBoy’s food blog: www.RecipeBoy.com. With a little guidance from Mom, he’ll be doing all of his own cooking, writing, and photography. And I’m sure he’ll be thrilled if he begins getting some regular readers. His first post is up, and he’s already hard at work on his 2nd!
Red, White and Blue Cake
Recipe Details
Ingredients
- 2½ cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups buttermilk
- 4 large egg whites
- 1½ cups granulated white sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- red and blue gel paste coloring
Instructions
- Center two racks in the oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Spray three 8 or 9 inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Add a spoonful of flour to each, shake it around and tap out the excess.
- Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg whites.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to blend together butter and sugar; beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the mixture is very light. Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the buttermilk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the buttermilk and eggs, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2 minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.
- Divide the batter evenly between three glass bowls. Color two of the bowls of batter, one dark red and one dark blue. Just add the color a little at a time until you reach the hue you'd like. Scoop each of the batters into their own prepared pan.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes for 8 inch rounds (15 to 20 for 9 inch), or until the cakes have risen and are springy to the touch. A toothpick inserted into the centers should come out clean. Transfer cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up on wire racks.
- When cooled, frost the cake as you would a 3 layer cake, frosting each layer before adding the next, and then covering the whole cake with frosting. For frosting recommendations see tips below.
Notes
- Don't use liquid food coloring to dye the cake batter. You'll end up adding too much liquid to the mixture and it won't turn out great. Gel paste coloring can be found at baking supply stores or craft stores. It's concentrated, and it will give you the deep red and blue hues you're looking for in this cake.
- I like to use one of two frosting recipes for a cake like this: Pipeable Cream Cheese Frosting or Wedding Cake Buttercream.
Can you freeze this cake?
Yes.
When you stack the three cakes, how do you make them even. Do you level them? If so, what method do you suggest. Thanks!
I like to use bake even cake strips (found on Amazon or at craft/cake supply stores), but if you don’t have those then you can use a sharp serrated knife to gently cut off the tops to make them even.
Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Recipe Girl you have done it again!! I love this cake. How fun with the different layers and the frosting and sprinkles on top. Perfect for a 4th of July party. I just had to share with my followers too!
I’m using a 11×15 pan…would like to create this same idea, can you tell me how much of the above ingredients I would need to achieve this.
Thank you!
not really sure- you’ll just have to experiment!
I’m laughing right now, because I have a post coming out tomorrow morning for Dodger Blue Velvet Cupcakes. Mine didn’t come out blue…more aqua! I used the blue gel coloring too, but maybe used too much. Your cake is the perfect blue. I should’ve Googled blue cake BEFORE I made them, not after. lol
Can I freeze the cake before I ice it? Making it for a large group.
If you wrap the layers individually with plastic wrap, they should be fine in the freezer until you are ready to defrost and ice it.
Do you need to make any adjustments for this cake to make it at high altitude? I live at 6,000ft and I am going to make this for my daughter’s first birthday and I want it to be perfect. Any advice would be great!
I’m terribly sorry, but I don’t have any knowledge about high altitude baking!
I was on your homepage on the little computer and wanted to share my love for tbis recipe! 🙂 thanks.
HI!
I tried this cake last week and my colors were very muted. I used 1 whole tube of the blue and red, but they looked pink and green. How many did you use?
thanks!
Orietta
Not sure what you mean by “tube…” I either use the little jars of Wilton’s concentrated paste or the AmeriColor gel. I just keep adding until I get the color I’m looking for, but it’s never a whole container. That stuff is pretty darn concentrated!
Hey again, umm.. can i use butter and add less salt instead here??
Here’s the rule of thumb on that http://www.ochef.com/865.htm
Is it ok i use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour? will it make a difference?
Yes, it makes a difference. Here’s a link that explains… http://bakingbites.com/2007/05/subbing-all-purpose-flour-for-cake-flour/
How cool! My son likes to cook too, although he’s been content to do guests posts on my blog.
How stinking cute!!! Happy birthday to your boy!!! That cake is gorgeous. My little girl is 4 years old now but I hope one day she will enjoy food and blogging as much as I do. Okay…I’m off to check out RecipeBoy!
Wow, it’s a French flag inside a cake – that would be perfect for celebrating Bastille Day when it comes up in July! Thanks!
Congrats to RecipeBoy on the big 1-0!
That looks so cool! Congratulations to your son 🙂 What a great idea to incorporate baking and kids…I’m sure he’s bound to be an inspiration.
Such a cute cake! I love it when confections are themed–thanks for sharing! 😀
This looks wonderful… I am wondering if my 4 year old will be asking me for a blog soon!!!
I noticed your comment on the Dianne J piece today, I had wanted to go to BlogHer Food though couldn’t make it, I probably would have been worried about approaching you but I wouldn’t be now after reading your comment! 🙂
Such a beautiful cake! Do you think this recipe would be suitable for a 9×11 pan?