While I am a self-taught artist, when it comes to decorating cakes, I fear I am hopeless. Take my 4th of July cake recipe, for example. The cake tasted amazing. But the decoration on it was somewhat of a disaster. So much so I even thought of renaming the whole thing as an abstract galaxy swirly kind of thing. But the cake recipe is flawless. So, I am sharing it with you today.
It is an easy vanilla cake that uses one egg, 100 ml neutral cooking oil, and 100 ml yogurt to get that moistest crumb. The cake doesn’t use too much sugar, so it’s ideal for anyone with a sweet tooth or who can’t bear much of it.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Baking Time: 1 hour
- Cooling Time: 3 Hours
- Total Time: 4.15 Hours
- Difficulty Level: Incredibly easy
Ingredients:
For the Cake
- 2½ cups of all-purpose flour (300 grams)
- 1½ cups of granulated sugar (300 grams)
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 100 ml neutral cooking oil
- 100 ml yogurt
- 100 ml water
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of baking soda
- 8-inch cake tin
For the Whipped Cream Frosting
- 2 cups of whipping cream (ice cold)
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Red and blue food coloring
Instructions:
- Prep the Batter: Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit). Sift and mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then mix the wet ones in a different bowl. Slowly, pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently mix until there are no lumps left
- Pour and Bake: Line the bottom of the baking tin with parchment paper and pour the batter. Bake for an hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Take the cake out of the oven and let it rest in the tin for 15 minutes before moving to a cooling rack for roughly 3 hours
- Ready the Frosting: When the cake is completely cool, remove the top one inch and cut the cake in two equal layers. Set them aside and whip the cream with the vanilla extract for 10-15 minutes at high speed or until the stiff peaks form
- Decorate: Place the bottom layer on the cake stand or a flat plate. Dump a big scoop of frosting atop it and spread it evenly. Place the second layer on top of the frosted layer and add a big dollop on it. Spread the frosting evenly and start adding small amounts to cover the sides. When the entire cake is covered in white frosting, set it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Divide the remaining frosting into three equal parts, add red and blue dyes to two of them, and start decorating however you see fit
If you want, you can use red, white, and blue sprinkles to avoid the mess like mine. The cake tastes even better overnight, but even with four people, it doesn’t have a chance of lasting that long. You can also use two six-inch cake tins to divide the batter, saving yourself the trouble of cutting it into layers.
Regardless, this is the moistest and creamiest 4th of July cake recipe you are ever going to need. Do give it a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Happy baking!
