The Recipe Critic

Firework Bundt Cake

June 25, 2022

This firework bundt cake is exploding with colors and flavor! It not only looks impressive but it tastes so delicious that you will definitely be making this for every Fourth of July!

Fourth of July celebrations not only have the most fun activities but they have the best food! If you need something to bring to a celebration then try out this California Spaghetti Salad, this Fresh Strawberry Pie, or this Very Berry Cheesecake Salad!

The side view of a slice of firework bundt cake being served on a silver cake server.

Firework Bundt Cake Recipe

I am SO excited to share this recipe with you because I just think it’s so cool! It not only incorporates all of the classic red, white and blue colors for the Fourth of July holiday but when you view it from the top, it actually looks like a firework! It takes the celebrations right from the sky and puts them straight onto your table.

This firework bundt cake is the absolute perfect celebratory cake. It is so moist and delicious that your teeth sink into every bite. It will not only impress every single guest by how it looks on the outside but… just you wait until they see the inside. Swirled with red, white, and blue cake, this cake keeps you celebrating from the inside out! Don’t miss out on this cake for your celebrations this year, it’s just too good!

Ingredients in a Firework Bundt Cake

Don’t let this list of ingredients intimidate you. It may be long but they are very simple and you probably already have just about everything on hand at home already! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

Cake

  • Cake Flour: I used cake flour because it gave it a great dense texture. See my tip below on how to easily make your own!
  • Granulated Sugar: Sweeten up your cake with som sugar so that it has a delicious flavor!
  • Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These will help the cake to rise.
  • Salt: The salt will enhance all of the flavors in the cake.
  • Buttermilk: If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand then you can make it at home using this recipe.
  • Milk: I used 1 percent milk but you can use whatever is in your fridge.
  • Vanilla Extract: Add in a splash of vanilla flavoring to this cake!
  • Almond Extract: This is optional but when combined with the vanilla, it makes a deliciously sweet flavor.
  • Vegetable Oil: If you want your cake to be nice and moist, don;t skip out on the oil!
  • Egg Whites: Let your eggs sit out on the counter before you mix this all together and let them get to room temperature.
  • Red and Blue Food Coloring: This is what will get you that beautiful swirled firework bundt cake.

Glaze

  • Powdered Sugar: This tastes sweet and dissolves easily making it the perfect ingredient to get a smooth glaze.
  • Butter: I used salted butter in this glaze.
  • Clear Vanilla Extract: Clear vanilla extract keeps the frosting pure white and doesn’t have a muddied tint.
  • Milk: Add more or less to change the consistency of your glaze for this firework bundt cake.
  • Red and Blue Food Coloring: This is how you will get this cake looking so festive!
4 pictures showing how to tint the batter and the frosting to be red, white and blue.

How to Make a Firework Bundt Cake

The one thing that you need to make sure that you have on hand is a bundt pan! That shape is necessary to really getting the full effect of this beautiful cake!

Cake

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 12-cup bundt cake pan with nonstick spray, I prefer to use one with flour in it.
  2. Sift: In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Combine: To the same bowl add the buttermilk, milk, vanilla, almond extract, and oil. Beat with a mixer until fully combined and smooth.
  4. Fold: In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until they reach medium stiff peaks. Gently fold into the cake batter. Pour � of the batter into one bowl and another � into a third bowl. Tint the batters to become red batter and blue batter by using food coloring, leaving the original bowl white and uncolored.
  5. Bake: Layer the colored batter in the bundt pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake. Let cool completely before glazing.

Glaze

  1. Whisk: Whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time until it falls in ribbons off the whisk but sits on top of the glaze in the bowl for a few seconds before melting back in.
  2. Tint: Separate the glaze into 3 small bowls. Tint one bowl red and one bowl blue and stir to mix. Add each color to its own piping bag using a spoon to scoop it in.
  3. Pipe: Snip the ends of the piping bags and drizzle quickly across the top of the cake, so it resembles a firework bursting. Add patriotic sprinkles, if desired to this firework bundt cake. Serve and enjoy!
The side view of a firework bundt cake.

Don’t Have Cake Flour? Make Your Own! 

If you are wanting to make this firework bundt cake but don’t have any cake flour on hand, don’t worry! You can easily make your own in less than 5 minutes with only two ingredients: cornstarch and all-purpose flour.

  • To make 1 cup of cake flour: Take your all purpose flour and measure out 1 cup. Remove 2 tablespoons of the flour and place the rest of the flour in a bowl. Add 2 table spoons of cornstarch to the flour in your bowl. Whisk together and use as a substitute for 1 cup of cake flour. Repeat until you have the amount that your recipe calls for.
The top view of a firework bundt cake with a few pieces slices so that you can see the marbles red white and blue inside.

How to Store a Bundt Cake

This firework bundt cake will probably be all gone but just in case you are lucky enough to have any leftovers, here is how you can store it for later!

  • In the Fridge: Because my house can get warm in the summer and cause the frosting to droop, I like to store this bundt cake in the fridge. I place it in an airtight container (they have specific ones to make storing a bundt cake easy- try this one). It will last about 5 days in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature before serving
  • On the Counter: You can also store your cake in an airtight container on your counter if you prefer. It will last about 4-5 days.
A slice of firework bundt cake on a plate with a gold fork.

More Bundt Cakes to Try!

If you loved this bundt cake so much and need ideas on what to make outside of your 4th of July celebrations, I have you covered! I’ve rounded up some more of my favorite bundt cake recipes that you can use all year long!

Print

Firework Bundt Cake

This firework bundt cake is exploding with colors and flavor! It not only looks impressive but it tastes so delicious that you will definitely be making this for every Fourth of July! 
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Firework Bundt Cake, Fourth of July
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 People
Calories 348kcal
Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

Cake

  • 2 ¼ Cup Cake Flour
  • 1 ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
  • ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • ½ Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Cup Buttermilk
  • ¼ Cup Milk
  • 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • ½ Teaspoon Almond Extract Optional
  • ½ Cup Vegetable Oil
  • 4 Large Egg Whites Room Temperature
  • Red Food Coloring
  • Blue Food Coloring

Glaze

  • 3 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons Salted Butter Melted
  • ½ Teaspoon Clear Vanilla Extract
  • 1-4 Tablespoons Milk More As Needed
  • Red Food Coloring
  • Blue Food Coloring

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 12-cup bundt cake pan with nonstick spray, I prefer to use one with flour in it.
  • In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • To the same bowl add the buttermilk, milk, vanilla, almond extract, and oil. Beat with a mixer until fully combined and smooth.
  • In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until they reach medium-stiff peaks. Gently fold into the cake batter. Pour � of the batter into one bowl and another � into a third bowl. Tint the batters red and blue using food coloring, leaving the original bowl white and uncolored.
  • Layer the colored batter in the bundt pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake. Let cool completely before glazing.

Glaze

  • Whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time until it falls in ribbons off the whisk but sits on top of the glaze in the bowl for a few seconds before melting back in.
  • Separate the glaze into 3 bowls. Tint one bowl red and one bowl blue. Add each color to its own piping bag.
  • Snip the ends of the piping bags and drizzle quickly across the top of the cake, so it resembles a firework bursting. Add patriotic sprinkles, if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 207mg | Potassium: 147mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 131IU | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 0.3mg

  • Share:

You Might Also Like

0 comments