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! A few other favorites of ours are red, white and blue mini cheesecakes, firecracker cupcakes and a patriotic snack board.
I have instructions for the oven, air fryer, and pressure cooker. So whether you're home, traveling, or living it up in your camper, you'll be able to make these quick and easy mini cakes! They're especially fun for kids to help make and decorate.
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.
Baking Times
Air Fryer: 5 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Instant Pot: 10 minutes at high pressure.
Oven: 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Instructions
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 changes.
- Mix the cake batter according to the package instructions.
- 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.
- Pour the batter into the molds, filling half way.
- Bake using the suggestions cooking times for your method below.
Air Fryer
Set to air fry on 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes. 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
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. Close and seal the lid. Set to pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. Quickly release the pressure and remove molds using tongs.
Oven
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 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. Remove from oven and let cool before popping cakes out of the molds.
How To Make The Glaze
- 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.
- Pour onto the mini cakes in any pattern you'd like. Immediately add sprinkles on top of glaze, before it hardens. We use this glaze on a red, white and blue bundt cake too!
How To Store
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. They can be frozen for up to 6 months in freezer-safe storage containers.
Patriotic 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!
- silicone star molds
- 1 box of white cake mix + ingredients in instructions
- red food coloring
- blue food coloring
- patriotic sprinkles
- 4 tablespoon melted butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a large bowl make the cake mix according to the package instructions. Remove 1 cup of batter to a bowl and add blue food coloring, stirring and adding more until it reaches your desired shade of blue. Remove 1 more cup to a separate bowl and repeat the above steps with the red food coloring.
Pour different color batters into the molds, filling half way. Follow the below instructions for your chosen cooking method.
Air Fryer: Set to air fry on 350 degrees F for 5 minutes. Put the molds into the air fryer. When time is up, check with a toothpick and if done, remove with tongs. If not done, continue cooking in 1 minute increments.
Instant Pot: 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. Close and seal the lid. Set to pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. Quickly release the pressure and remove molds using tongs.
Oven: 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.
Make the glaze. While cakes cool, melt the butter in a large bowl until very hot. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing until combined. Add milk and the vanilla extract. mix until smooth.
Pop the cakes out of the molds and transfer to a plate. Drizzle glaze over the cakes and top with sprinkles immediately, before glaze hardens. Serve immediately or keep cakes in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Make sure to use mini molds that resemble bundt pans with holes in the center for the quickest cooking time. These types of holders cook the mini cakes quicker than traditional muffin cups.
Addie says
So fun and festive! And yummy too!
Anaiah says
These little star shaped mini cakes were so cute and fun to make! My son loved them.
Jeannie says
so cute and colorful!