Get the Recipe: Vanilla Sheet Cake
Vanilla sheet cake is the perfect cake to serve for any occasion. The tender, moist cake is topped with a luscious buttercream frosting.
Ingredients
Vanilla Sheet Cake
- 2 ¾ cups (325 g) cake flour, (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup (300 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup (75 g) full-fat sour cream (or plain yogurt), room temperature
- 1 ½ tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, room temperature
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (226 g or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
- Pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- Confetti rainbow sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan or line with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract, sour cream and vegetable oil. It's okay if the batter looks a little curdled. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Gradually add in the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk (So it goes flour, milk, flour, milk, flour). Mix until batter is uniform and smooth.
- Transfer the batter to prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake at 350 F for 30 to 35 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with little to no crumbs. Place pan on a wire rack and allow cake to cool completely before frosting, about 2 hours.
- For the frosting, beat butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar and salt, then mix until medium speed until combined. add vanilla and 1 Tablespoon milk. Mix just until combined. Scrape down bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary. If a thinner frosting consistency is desired, add another tablespoon of milk.
- Transfer frosting to cooled cake and spread evenly. Garnish with sprinkles, slice and serve.
Notes
Flour: All purpose flour works too, but I suggest adding 2 teaspoons cornstarch for a soft texture.
Store vanilla cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freeze vanilla cake for up to 1 month. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.
High altitude adjustments (Denver, CO): Use an all purpose flour with high protein content such as King Arthur flour. Decrease baking powder to 1/2 teaspoon. Add 2 extra teaspoons of milk. Baking times may vary. These adjustments will work at an altitude around 5,280 ft.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 380kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 107mg, Potassium: 80mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 31g, Vitamin A: 518IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 41mg, Iron: 1mg