With summer officially underway, we've got cookout fare on our minds: juicy burgers and brats, creamy potato salad, thick slabs of buttered cornbread. And let's not forget dessert. This year, we’re upping the ante with this gorgeous white cake covered in sweet buttercream. Each slice features a vibrant pair of red-and-blue stars to match our stately flag. Seem complicated? With the right tools, it’s a cinch. Here’s how to assemble this star-spangled cake, step by step.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, then make your first batch of white cake batter. Once it's mixed, divide the batter between two bowls. Use food coloring to dye one bowl red and the other blue.

Transfer each of the colored cake batters to plastic piping bags.

Coat a rectangular sheet pan with baking spray. Then, cut the ends of each piping bag and add your batter to the pan in rows, alternating each color.