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Lemon-Berry Firecracker Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 102 reviews

Celebrate patriotic flavors with this vibrant Lemon-Berry Firecracker Cake, featuring layers of lemon-infused white cake batter swirled with raspberry and blueberry jams and colorful gel food coloring. Finished with a zesty lemon glaze and festive sprinkles, this cake is perfect for summer gatherings, especially on the 4th of July.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake:

  • Cooking spray (for greasing pan)
  • 1 box white cake mix (15.25 oz)
  • 1 package instant lemon pudding mix (3.4 oz)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup lukewarm water

For the Colored Batters:

  • 1/4 cup raspberry jam
  • 7 drops red gel food coloring
  • 1/4 cup blueberry jam
  • 7 drops blue gel food coloring

For the Lemon Glaze and Decoration:

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lukewarm water (remaining from total)
  • 1/4 cup red, white, and blue sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a bundt pan thoroughly with cooking spray to ensure the cake doesn’t stick, then set it aside.
  2. Make Basic Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the white cake mix, instant lemon pudding mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and 1 cup lukewarm water. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and all ingredients are well blended, creating a lemon-flavored white cake batter.
  3. Divide Batter: Evenly divide the batter into three separate bowls to prepare for the colorful layers.
  4. Prepare Red Batter: To the first bowl, add raspberry jam and 7 drops of red gel food coloring. Mix until the batter is uniformly colored and blended with the jam.
  5. Prepare Blue Batter: To the second bowl, add blueberry jam and 7 drops of blue gel food coloring. Stir until well combined.
  6. Plain Batter: Leave the third bowl with the plain lemon batter as is for the white layer.
  7. Layer Batters in Pan: Pour the plain batter first into the greased bundt pan, followed by the red batter, and then the blue batter on top. Use a knife to gently swirl the batters together for a marbled effect, creating a beautiful colorful pattern inside the cake.
  8. Bake: Place the bundt pan in the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once done, let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
  9. Cool Cake: After cooling briefly, invert the cake onto a wire rack and allow it to cool completely before glazing.
  10. Prepare Lemon Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and 1 tbsp lukewarm water until smooth and pourable.
  11. Glaze and Decorate: Drizzle the lemon glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Immediately sprinkle the red, white, and blue sprinkles over the glaze before it sets to give a festive finishing touch.

Notes

  • Use lukewarm water to help the cake mix and pudding blend smoothly.
  • Swirling the batter gently helps create a marbled look without mixing the colors too much.
  • Allow the cake to cool completely before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting and running off.
  • If you prefer a thicker glaze, add more powdered sugar; for thinner, add more lemon juice or water.
  • Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Keywords: Lemon cake, Berry cake, Patriotic dessert, Bundt cake, Swirled cake, Summer dessert, 4th of July cake, Lemon glaze

Find it online: https://dylangranv.com/lemon-berry-firecracker-cake-recipe/