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A fun and festive bundt cake, this Firecracker Cake is great for the upcoming holidays. With red, white, and blue cake and decorations, this is a standout!

Slice of Firecracker Cake on white plate with whole cake in background.

I love a good festive cake and you will surely get that with this Firecracker Cake! It is super fun and easy as we start out with a cake mix.

Whether you’re making this for memorial day party or the Fourth of July, this cake brings flavor and color in all the right ways.

I have absolutely nothing against using a cake mix in any recipe, especially if you are new to baking, they really help you get the feel of how to get started.

This one is doctored up slightly by separating the cake mix out and coloring and also decorating with fun and festive colors and sprinkles.

This Patriotic Bundt Cake will be the showstopper at your next gathering. Everyone will be running toward this fun and tasty cake, at least that has been our experience!

I’ve made it for many a 4th of July celebration and will for years to come. It’s a perfect dessert that my family has come to expect.

Bundt cakes are one of my favorites to make and they serve a lot of people, so they are a great cake to bring anywhere but also to just enjoy at home. This Firecracker Cake is right up there with the best of them.

Some of our other favorite bundt cake recipes that we have on our site include: Chocolate Bundt Cake, Strawberry Cheesecake Bundt Cake and Banana Bundt Cake.

Finished Firecracker Cake decorated on cake plate.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

Minimal and easy-to-find ingredients help this cake come together easily.
You can change up the colors on this festive dessert for any occasion.
This firecracker cake recipe serves a crowd.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):

Box white cake mix
Vanilla pudding mix, dry
Whole milk
Egg whites
Vegetable oil
Red gel food coloring
Blue gel food coloring
Red candy melts
White candy melts
Blue candy melts
Red, white and blue or star sprinkles for decorating

Ingredients needed to make a Firecracker Cake.

HOW TO MAKE FIRECRACKER CAKE:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan and set aside.
In a large bowl combine the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, egg whites and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat on medium speed for two minutes.
Divide the mixture evenly into three separate bowls.
Add the red food coloring to one of the bowls and mix until well combined. Repeat with the blue food coloring in another of the bowls. The third bowl will remain uncolored.
Drop spoonfuls of the three different colored batters into the prepared bottom of the pan in a random pattern and fill it. Ensure the batter is evenly distributed on all sides of the pan.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Melt the candy melts according to the package directions in microwavable bowls.
Add the melted candy melts to three small resealable bags, one for each color. Cut the tip of one of the corners on each bag. Drizzle the melted candy melts over the top of the cake once it is completely cool.
Immediately add the sprinkles while the candy melts are still wet. Allow candy melts to set before slicing and serving.

Step by step photos on how to make a Firecracker Cake.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:

DO I HAVE TO USE A CAKE MIX?

No! We use a cake mix because it really makes this cake come together quickly and easily.

If you have a homemade white cake recipe that you would like to use for this classic firecracker cake, feel free to use that.

CAN I USE OTHER COLORS?

Absolutely, if you want to make this cake for other occasions such as Christmas, Halloween, Easter, or a birthday you can switch out the food coloring.

We suggest that you use gel food coloring because it has more saturation than regular food coloring and produces a brighter more vibrant color with a lesser amount.

WHAT SIZE BUNDT PAN DO I NEED?

This requires you to use a standard bundt pan, which is 10-12 cups.

If you do not have a bundt pan, you can easily buy one at Walmart or Amazon.

This can also be spooned into a 9×13-inch pan if you do not want to go buy a bundt pan.

Cake server removing one slice of Firecracker Cake.

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ANY ADDITIONS?

I definitely think of this as my Fourth of July Cake.

Festive red, white and blue desserts are just plain fun. Don’t forget to share yours on social media!

Cream cheese frosting: Spread on top for an extra layer of creamy sweetness.
Fluffy white frosting: Pipe on top for added texture and sweetness, making the cake even more festive.
Strawberries and blueberries: Arrange on top for a fresh fruit garnish that enhances the patriotic theme.
Blue sprinkles: Sprinkle on top along with the red and white sprinkles for added color and festivity.
Edible glitter: Sprinkle on top of the melted candy for a sparkling effect.
Whipped cream: Dollop on top of each slice for extra indulgence, perfect for July celebrations.
Marshmallow fluff: Drizzle on top for a sweet and gooey addition to the cake.

ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?

When you tell your friends and family about this red, white and blue firecracker bundt cake, they’ll be super impressed.

It’s always great to have easy recipes like this one up your sleeve.

Vegetable oil: Use melted butter for a richer flavor in the cake batter.
Whole milk: Substitute with almond milk or any other plant-based milk for a dairy-free option.
Gel food coloring: Use natural food coloring if you prefer to avoid artificial dyes.
Candy melts: Use regular white chocolate chips and add food coloring to them.
Red candy melts: Use white chocolate with drops of red food gel for the same effect.
Egg whites: Substitute with 3/4 cup of egg substitute for a lower cholesterol option.
Boxed cake mix: Use your favorite brands or a homemade cake recipe for a more personalized touch.
Vanilla pudding mix: Use instant lemon or cheesecake pudding mix for a different flavor profile.
Sprinkles: Use other festive colors or shapes depending on the holiday or event.

HOW TO STORE:

This can be stored covered or in a cake saver at room temperature where it will keep for up to 3 days.

This can also be frozen, to do that, we suggest freezing it before decorating.

Wrap your cake in plastic wrap and then foil and place in a freezer container if you can.

This will keep frozen for up to 3 months.

To defrost, place on countertop until thawed, decorate and then serve.

DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:

Use gel food coloring as it saturates better.
Other colors can be a great thing for different occasions.
If you are using a dark bundt pan reduce the heat to 325 degrees F.
You can decorate the top in anyway that you like, we like to use melting chocolate and sprinkles. Secret tricks of the trade, haha!
Don’t skip the cooling rack. It helps get just the right consistency.
This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.

Close up slice of Firecracker Cake on white plate showing the colors.

Looking for the perfect cake with festive colors to bring to your next gathering?

This Firecracker Cake is the perfect easy, tasty, and fun dessert to bring along to those all-American holidays.

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If you’ve tried this FIRECRACKER CAKE, let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!

Red, White, & Blue Firecracker Cake