This patriotic Fireworks Bundt Cake is a showstopping centerpiece that’s as fun to make as it is to eat! With vibrant layers of red, white, and blue and a festive drizzle of colorful frosting, it’s the perfect dessert for your 4th of July celebration. Best of all? It starts with a box of cake mix—easy and impressive!

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You cannot tell me this cake doesn’t look like a total showstopper! Just imagine the reactions when you walk into the 4th of July cookout carrying this vibrant red, white, and blue beauty. And the best part? No one needs to know how incredibly easy it was to make—that’ll be our little secret. 🤫

This festive bundt cake starts with a simple box of white cake mix and ends with a can of store-bought vanilla frosting. That’s it! No fancy baking skills required—just a few bowls, some food coloring, and a little bit of drizzling magic. It’s the kind of dessert that looks like a bakery masterpiece but is totally doable for anyone.

What You’ll Need

Find the full, printable recipe with exact measurements at the bottom of this post. Read on for more details and tips!

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add these ingredients to your walmart order

Bundt Pan
1 box white cake mix (plus ingredients called for on the box: typically eggs, water, and oil)
Red food coloring
Blue food coloring
1 tub (16 oz) white frosting
Butter and flour for greasing the bundt pan
Red, white and blue sprinkles

patriotic poke cake

This 4th of July dessert is so easy to make and guaranteed to impress!

How To Make It

Preheat & Prepare:

Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Generously butter and flour a bundt cake pan to ensure easy release.

Mix & Divide:

Prepare the cake batter according to the instructions on the box.
Divide the batter evenly into three bowls.
In one bowl, stir in 1 teaspoon of red food coloring.
In another, add 1 teaspoon of blue food coloring.
Leave the third bowl plain for the white layer.

Layer the Batter:

Pour the blue batter into the bottom of the bundt pan.
Carefully pour the white batter over the blue.
Finally, pour the red batter over the white layer.
- The red and blue layers can be interchangeable. The color you pour first will be the most prominent in the finished cake.

Bake:

Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes before inverting onto a plate or cake stand to cool completely.

Frost & Decorate:

Microwave the white frosting for about 1 minute, until pourable.
Divide the frosting into three bowls. Leave one white, then color the other two with red and blue food coloring.
Drizzle the white frosting over the cooled cake, followed by the red, then the blue.
Immediately top with festive sprinkles while the frosting is still tacky.

Serve:

Let the frosting set, then slice and serve to oohs and aahs!

Seriously, how gorgeous is that cake!?❤️🤍💙

Did you enjoy this recipe? Take a picture and tag me @StephGigliotti on social media and #StephRealLife. I would absolutely love to see your finished dish!

⭐ Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comment section.

My Cake Cracked, Help!

To help prevent cracks, let the cake cool completely in the bundt pan before inverting it onto a plate or cake stand. Patience is key here—a warm cake is more delicate and likely to break.

But if your cake cracked because you flipped it too soon (hey, we’ve all been there!), don’t panic! You can easily patch it up. Before heating your frosting for the colorful drizzle, use a small spoonful of the frosting as “spackle” to gently press the cake back together. Smooth out any visible lines, then go ahead and drizzle with your red, white, and blue icing. Once it’s decorated, no one will ever know—your secret is safe! 🙌

Tips

Use Gel Food Coloring for Vibrant Color: Gel food coloring gives you the brightest, boldest colors without thinning your batter like liquid dyes can. A little goes a long way!
Layer Carefully: When pouring the batter into the bundt pan, gently spoon or pour each color on top of the previous one. Try not to stir or swirl them—this helps keep the red, white, and blue layers distinct.
Grease Your Pan: This cake looks its best when it comes out clean! Grease your bundt pan generously with butter and flour, or use baking spray with flour included.
Let the Cake Cool Completely Bundt cakes are delicate! Let the cake cool at least 15–20 minutes in the pan before inverting it onto a plate. If it’s too warm, it may break or stick.
Thin the Frosting If Needed If your canned frosting is too thick for drizzling, microwave it in 10-second intervals until it’s pourable—but not too runny. You want it to drizzle, not flood.
Add Sprinkles Immediately: Patriotic sprinkles should be added right after you drizzle the frosting so they stick before it sets.
Make It Ahead: You can bake the cake a day ahead and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap after it’s completely cooled. Wait to frost until the day you’re serving it so everything looks fresh.

This cake is guaranteed to be the star of your party—bold, beautiful, and incredibly easy. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, and you’ve got a celebration-worthy dessert everyone will love!

More Red, White, and Blue

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Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 1