This Red White and Blue Bundt Cake is a fun and colorful Fourth of July cake that you can be proud to share at any picnic or barbecue this summer.
Every year around this time we look forward to going to Fourth of July picnics with friends and families and setting off fireworks and eating patriotic desserts.
Although, let me just say we are not super crazy about the part where we spend money on things we are just going to blow up. Don't get me wrong, fireworks and sparklers are totally fun, and we enjoy setting a few off each year.
But while we are holding our dollar sparklers, we will enjoy all the big fireworks that everyone else in the neighborhood are setting off.
One of my all time favorite things to do around holidays is to bake fun themed desserts. Firecracker Cupcakes, anyone?
As soon as I saw star marshmallows at Walmart, I knew I wanted to do some sort of fireworks display on a cake. I bought star marshmallows, lollipop sticks, white chocolate melts, red, white, and blue sanding sugars, and a patriotic star sprinkle mix.
Oh, and while I was there a bag of red, white, and blue M&M's jumped into my cart too. I knew I could find a fun use for them, and if not, I could just make more Fireworks Cookies and Cream Cookies.
How to make Star Marshmallow Sparklers
Line the marshmallows up on different sized lollipop sticks from biggest to smallest. Make sure you don't push the stick through the top marshmallow.
Spoon melted white chocolate into a small plastic baggie and cut one tip off. Slowly outline the star marshmallows with the chocolate and fill it in.
Top each marshmallow with colored sugars to match the marshmallow color.
FYI: Buy extra marshmallows to make extra marshmallow sparklers. My kids were fighting over who got to eat the last few on the cake.
How to make a Red White and Blue Bundt Cake
The biggest surprise in this patriotic bundt cake are all the fun swirls of colors inside. The fun thing is that you can totally do any color of cake this way.
- Mix up a vanilla cake mix using the package directions, then divide the cake batter evenly into three bowls. (full recipe at bottom of post)
- Use red and blue gel food colors to tint two of the bowls of batter. Pro Tip: Using gel food colors is better because they do not add extra liquid to your batter.
- Drop spoonfuls of different colors in a greased bundt pan. Make sure to alternate the colors as you fill the pan.
- Bake and cool.
As the red white and blue cake bakes, the colors will swirl together into a fun tie-dyed look. Every piece will look totally different as you cut it.
Decorating a bundt cake
- Drizzle the top of the Fourth of July cake with melted white and chocolate candy melts, then add a generous amount of star sprinkles.
- Or you could frost the cake with vanilla frosting before adding the sprinkles, if you prefer that instead.
Right before serving add a row of red, white, and blue M&M's around the edge of the cake, fill the center of the bundt cake with the rest of the candies, and arrange the marshmallow sparklers in the top of the cake.
You are all set to impress your friends and families this year. Just let them know you are bringing the fireworks this year. Believe me, these edible fireworks are not going to cost you as much as the real ones.
Other Fourth of July desserts
Swirls of colors make these Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars a fun and delicious dessert for picnics and BBQ's.
Homemade Vanilla Cherry Pie Cupcakes are a fun way to celebrate any party. The hidden pie filling and the star topper add an extra fun flair.
Patriotic Glazed Funfetti Donuts will brighten any morning. Swirls of red, white, and blue and lots of sprinkles will make everyone smile.
This easy Lemon Cream Berry Pie has rows of blueberries and raspberries on top giving it a pretty red, white, and blue look.
These easy No Bake White Chocolate Cheesecake Parfaits have layers of cookies and fruit. They are the perfect no bake dessert to share this summer.
Recipe
Red White and Blue Bundt Cake
This Red White and Blue Bundt Cake is a fun and colorful Fourth of July cake that you can be proud to share at any picnic or barbecue this summer.
Ingredients
- 1 white cake mix
- 3.4 ounce box instant vanilla pudding
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup oil
- 1 cup milk
- red and blue gel colors
- star marshmallows
- lollipop sticks
- ¾ cup white candy melts, divided
- ½ cup chocolate candy melts
- red, white, and blue colored sugars
- red, white, and blue star sprinkle mix
- red, white, and blue M&M candies
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray.
- Place the cake mix, dry pudding mix, sour cream, eggs, oil, and milk in a mixing bowl. Beat on low for 1 minute, then beat on medium for 2 minutes.
- Divide the cake batter evenly into 3 bowls. Tint two of the bowls red and blue using the gel colors.
- Spoon the batter alternately into the prepared pan until all the batter has been used.
- Bake for 55 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then flip out onto a plate to cool completely.
- Place the marshmallows on the lollipop sticks.
- Melt ¼ cup white candy melts according to the package. Spoon the chocolate into a plastic bag.
- Outline the tops of the marshmallows carefully. Fill in the outline with more chocolate and sprinkle with the colored sugars.
- Melt the chocolate candy melts according to the package directions. Place in a plastic baggie and cut one tip off. Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake.
- Melt the remaining white candy melts. Place in a plastic baggie and cut one tip off. Add the sprinkles quickly before the white candy melts can set.
- Add the M&M candies around the edge of the cake and fill the center with more. Place the star lollipops at angles in the cake.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 263Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 74mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 0gSugar: 18gProtein: 4g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
**The post for Red White and Blue Bundt Cake was first published on June 26, 2015. The photos have been updated, and it was republished on June 19, 2019.
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures
This cake is so festive!
Amanda
This cake is gorgeous! So festive!!!
Jocelyn
Thank you!
Cyndi - My Kitchen Craze
You are a genius Jocelyn!! This cake looks perfect and fun for the 4th. Love all the colors! 🙂
Jocelyn
Well, I don't know about genius 🙂 but keep the compliments coming! LOL!
Lisa | Sweet 2 Eat Baking
This look crazy good, Jocelyn. The way you’ve glazed it and the sprinkles totally looks like fireworks. And the inside? Beautiful!
Jocelyn
Thank you!!!
Jennie+@onesweetmess
I'm all for watching someone else's hard earned money being blown up and set on fire, just not my own 🙂 Love this festive bundt cake.
Jocelyn
Hahahaha! Yes, let them waste their money on lights and sound.
Lori
Where did you find the star-shaped marshmallows?
Jocelyn
I bought them at Walmart and Target this year. I hope that helps.
Shannon
This looks so amazing!! What a great idea! Tis the season of all things red, white and blue!!
just stopping by from Link Party Palooza!
Shannon 🙂
Julianne @ Beyond Frosting
oh my gosh STOP! This is totally cute!
Jocelyn
Thank you so much 🙂 This was a fun one to work on!
Michelle @ My California Kitchen
I love those marshmallows!! This cake is so much fun! Hope you have a great 4th of July!
Jocelyn
Thank you!
Chels+R.
I'm not big on spending money on fireworks either. But they are fun to watch. This is a super fun cake. I love the M&M's flowing out of it.
Jocelyn
They are really fun to watch...as long as the people doing it are careful! I'm glad I added the M&M's to the center...it was so fun to cut into!
heather+@french+press
colorful food is just so much more fun! love this Jocelyn
Jocelyn
I totally agree with you about colorful food being so much fun!
Danae @ Recipe Runner
This is one serious show-stopping 4th of July dessert! Such a fun and festive cake!
Jocelyn
Thank you so much!
Katalina @ Peas & Peonies
This is the most festive bundt cake I have seen. Gorgeous, nicely done!
Jocelyn
Thank you!
Jen | Baked by an Introvert
What a fun way to celebrate the 4th! So many layers of colors! This cake is a show stopper!
Jocelyn
Thank you!
Mir
This cake is CRAZY, Jocelyn. I love how you went that one step farther and added M & Ms to the marshmallows and glaze!
My neighbors used to set off fireworks, and then they actually caught a tree on fire, burned down part of their house, and almost got to ours. I was SO. MAD. Cakes being cray cray is good, but not the neighbors!
Jocelyn
Oh, my goodness! That is seriously so crazy and scary! Let's just stick to crazy cakes and leave the fireworks in the store!
Kellie @ The Suburban Soapbox
I love how festive this cake is! Perfect for next week!
Jocelyn
Thank you!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
Wow is this gorgeous, Jocelyn! I don't think I've ever seen a bundt cake quite like this! I love the festive coloring! So beautiful and looks delicious!
Jocelyn
Thank you! This was such a fun cake to create and decorate!