Patriotic Quake Cake
One week from tomorrow is one of my favorite holidays of the year – July 4th! I love just enjoying the day with friends and family, being outside, having a beer, and of course grilling. I always try to make a festive dessert for the holiday as well. I got an idea for a Patriotic Quake Cake a couple weeks ago and decided to make it early to share with you guys.
You see, last November when Heather from SprinkleBakes posted this Quake Cake, I knew I’d have to try it. It just looks like so much fun and super chocolatey. I’ve been coming back to it multiple times when brainstorming dessert ideas but just never taken the leap to make the cake.
Then somehow, the idea popped into my head that you could make the shapes on the outside of the cake into anything you wanted. And really, you could apply the concept of a quake cake to any cake recipe as well. I decided that making a Patriotic Quake Cake would be my first adventure in sticking cake shapes on the outside of a frosted layer cake.
And the best part is that I’m always looking for an excuse to hide my poor cake-frosting skills! And I think this might be my favorite way to cover a frosted cake. Sure nuts and coconut work well, but just look at this guy!
I decided to use three of my go-to recipes to build this cake. You could use whatever recipe you love. This would even work for a box mix if you’re in to that sort of thing. I loved that the cake on the inside was chocolate. It’s like a fun little surprise when you cut in to the cake. But again, you could really use any recipes you want.
I used my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe to make two 9″ round cake layers, which were sliced in half horizontally to make four thin layers. Then I used my go-to white cupcake recipe to make three 6″ layers, one red, one white, and one blue for the decorating on the outside. Last, I made a triple batch of my go-to cream cheese frosting recipe to bind it all together.
Putting the cake pieces onto the outside of the frosted cake was like putting together an awesome jigsaw puzzle that you can snack on when you get stumped. This would be a great activity to do with kids too! I started by placing my blue stars randomly around the cake, then filled in with the red and white stripes. As needed, I cut pieces to size to fill in random gaps as well.
I took this cake to work with me yesterday and it got rave reviews from the coworkers. I got a lot of questions about how it was made. Putting this Patriotic Quake Cake together was easier than it looks. Take it to your 4th of July get-together and I promise it’ll be the hit of the party!
One Year Ago: White Bean and Avocado Sandwich
Two Years Ago: Chicken with Artichokes and Mushrooms in Wine Sauce and Strawberry Shortcake Cake
Three Years Ago: Chocolate Chip Cookie bars
Four Years Ago: Inside Out Stuffed Peppers and Ropa Vieja
Patriotic Quake Cake
Yield: Serves 12-16
Ingredients:
For the Cake
Two 9-inch round layers of your favorite cake. I used this chocolate cupcake recipe
Your favorite white or yellow cake batter or mix, baked into 1 red 6" cake, 1 blue 6" cake, 1 white 6" cake, and 8 cupcakes out of the remaining batter (or adjust the recipe to make only the layers). I used this white cupcake recipe
Double batch of cream cheese frosting or other white frosting recipe. I used a double batch of this cream cheese frosting recipe
Special Equipment
6" cake pan
Star shaped cookie cutter
Directions:
A day or two in Advance
Bake the chocolate or other flavor 9" cake layers. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to assemble.
Bake the white cake 6" layers by making cake batter as stated in recipe. Portion out the batter. Note that a 6" cake layer requires 1/2 the amount of batter as a 9" cake layer. If your recipe makes two 9" layers, it will also produce three 6" layers and 6 cupcakes or four 6" layers.
In the batter for one layer, add enough red gel food coloring to turn the batter bright red. In another portion of the batter, add enough blue gel food coloring to turn the batter bright blue. Bake according to recipe instructions. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge.
On Assembly Day
Make a double batch of your favorite white colored frosting.
Torte the 9" layers by cutting them in half horizontally with a serrated knife. You will now have four thinner layers. Place the bottom layer on a cake round and top with 1/2 cup frosting. Spread to the edges. Repeat until all 4 layers have been stacked.
Apply a crumb coat to the cake and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
While the cake is chilling, cut out the shapes for the outside of the cake. Use a star cookie cutter to cut blue stars out. After each star is cut out, slice it in half so that you have two thinner stars.
Torte the red and white layers using a serrated knife. Cut strips of cake to use as the stripes.
Remove cake from fridge and apply a healthy layer of frosting to the cake. Place the blue stars in the frosting, staggering them around the cake. Press gently into the frosting so the cake sticks to the frosting.
Arrange the red and white striped pieces around the stars until the cake is covered entirely. Keep a knife nearby to cut pieces to fit as needed.
Refrigerate to set the icing and the cake.
Inspired by Spinkle Bakes
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
Happy birthday! Today is my husband’s birthday, and he also requested a chocolate cake. I baked him Ina Garten’s Beatty’s chocolate cake. Your chocolate cake may be the one I bake for my birthday later this year. 🙂
beantownbaker — June 17th, 2013 @ 8:48 am
That’s a really good chocolate cake recipe too! Tell your husband happy birthday!
Happy birthday! A no frills chocolate fudge cake sounds perfect 🙂
This looks amazing!! And happy birthday!!!
beantownbaker — June 17th, 2013 @ 9:34 am
Thanks 🙂
Happy Birthday! Noting like a perfectly simple chocolate cake to ring in a new year! This one looks scrumptious!
That is seriously one gorgeous cake!!! I think I’m in love!
happy birthday and thanks so much for the chocolate cake- can’t have too many chocolate cake recipes
beantownbaker — June 18th, 2013 @ 4:02 pm
I couldn’t agree more!
We’re birthday buddies! Hope you had a great day!
Happy Birthday! Your cake looks amazing!!
and if i want to make this 9 x 13?any caveats? i never know if i can just change pan size and oven time/temp?
beantownbaker — June 18th, 2013 @ 4:05 pm
Two 9″ round pans is the same amount of cake batter as a 9×13 pan. I’d probably use the same temp and start checking around the same time. But I would expect it to take longer to bake in the end.
tnx- 9 x 13 is easier to tote
Oh goodness, this looks indulgent! I need to make this for my husband as soon as I can!
Happy birthday! This cake is to die for- looks so chocolatey and fudgey. Hope you had a great day!
beantownbaker — June 19th, 2013 @ 7:13 am
Thanks! I had a great birthday this year.
Tomorrow is my birthday and I am making your birthday cake for my big day!
Thanks!
beantownbaker — June 23rd, 2013 @ 7:56 pm
Happy birthday tomorrow!! Hope you enjoy the cake as much as I did.
Wow – this cake looks so good! I am always looking for chocolatecake recipes to try – so glad to have stumbled on your blog!
beantownbaker — July 5th, 2013 @ 9:55 am
Glad you found me!
I just made this for my mom and brothers Birthday tomorrow 🙂 I will come back and let you know how mine turned out 🙂 thanks for the recipe and happy late Birthday!
beantownbaker — August 4th, 2013 @ 6:42 pm
Definitely let me know how it goes!
The cake turned out amazing and was a huge hit! Most of the kids weren’t a huge fan but i don’t think they have learned to appreciate dark chocolate 🙂
beantownbaker — August 5th, 2013 @ 7:14 am
Glad it was a success (for the adults!)