Patriotic Mini Cakes

Make star-shaped Patriotic Mini Cakes for your 4th of July and Memorial Day parties. They are especially fun for kids to help make and decorate. Instructions are included for the oven, air fryer, and pressure cooker. So whether you're home, travelling, or living it up in your camper, you'll be able to make these quick and easy mini cakes!

Patriotic Mini Cakes are such an easy, fun, and delicious dessert to bring to barbecues during the summer. It's always fun to add some red, white and blue foods to your 4th of July and Memorial Day parties!

They are incredibly simple to put together. All you need is a box of white cake mix, food coloring, a homemade vanilla glaze and sprinkles, plus star-shaped silicone molds.

I use these molds that resemble bundt pans with holes in the center. These types of holders cook the mini cakes quicker than traditional muffin cups.

I also use the shaped molds that resemble fireworks, like you see in the picture below.

Make them in your air fryer, Instant Pot, or oven. No matter which method you choose, they'll be done in less than 30 minutes.

Mix the cake batter, dye it red and blue, cook and add glaze. A perfect little treat, and one of the cutest desserts, for your 4th of July party.

Baking Times

Air Fryer: 5 minutes at 350 degrees F

Instant Pot: 10 minutes at high pressure

Oven: 10 minutes at 350 degrees F

You can also use star-shaped (or other shapes) muffin cups without holes in the center, but you'll likely need to increase the cook time a bit.

And get the kids to help! They will love mixing the batter and loading them up with sprinkles!

More Patriotic Recipes You'll Love

• Patriotic Charcuterie Board
• Patriotic Cupcakes
• Patriotic Dip with Chocolate and Coconut
• Summer Berry Salad with Yogurt Dressing
• Red White and Blue Bundt Cake

Directions

The steps for making, baking, and decorating these mini cakes is the same whether you are using the air fryer, pressure cooker, or oven.

Only the cook time will change.

Follow these steps:

1. Mix the cake batter according to the package instructions.
2. Divide into 3 bowls. Add blue and red food coloring to 1 bowl each of batter, using enough to obtain the shade that you want.
3. Pour the batter into the molds filling half way.
4. Bake using the suggestions cooking times for your method below.

Air Fryer

1. Set to air fry on 350 degrees F for 5 minutes.
2. Check with a toothpick and if done, remove with tongs and cool for 5 minutes before removing from the molds. If not done, continue cooking in 1 minute increments.

Instant Pot

1. Add the correct amount of water for your size pot to the inner pot. Insert a trivet and place filled molds on trivet. Cover with foil.
2. Close and seal the lid. Set to pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
3. Quickly release the pressure and remove molds using tongs.

Oven

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange molds on a baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes. Use a toothpick to check for doneness. If not done, continue cooking in 2 minute increments.
2. Remove from oven and let cool before popping cakes out of the molds.

Making the Glaze

1. While the cakes cool, melt butter until very hot. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, stirring until combined. Add milk and vanilla extract, and blend until smooth.
2. Pour onto the mini cakes in any pattern you'd like. Immediately add sprinkles on top of glaze, before it hardens.

Storing

Keep your glazed cakes in the fridge until ready to serve. They will keep up to 3 days covered. Don't leave them on the counter- the glaze will soften.

I hope you enjoy these delicious patriotic mini cakes! Please let me know what you thought in the comments below.