Class 2026 Vanilla Sheet Cake (Printable Version)

Fluffy vanilla sheet cake with creamy buttercream and festive decorations, ideal for celebrations.

# Components:

→ Cake

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
09 - 1½ cups whole milk, room temperature

→ Vanilla Buttercream

10 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
11 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
13 - ¼ cup whole milk, room temperature
14 - Pinch of salt

→ Decoration

15 - Graduation-themed sprinkles or edible decorations
16 - Gel food coloring, optional

# Preparation steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12x18-inch half-sheet baking pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Add half the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed. Pour in half the milk and mix gently. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients and milk, mixing just until combined.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
08 - Beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low. Add vanilla, milk, and salt. Beat on high for 2–3 minutes until fluffy. Add food coloring if desired.
09 - Spread buttercream evenly over cooled cake. Top with graduation-themed sprinkles or edible decorations.
10 - Slice into portions and serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feeds a crowd without the stress of layering or intricate decorating.
  • The buttercream stays silky even on a warm day, unlike some frostings that separate.
  • You can customize the colors and decorations to match school colors or party themes.
  • It tastes better the next day when the flavors settle and the crumb becomes impossibly tender.
02 -
  • If you add cold ingredients (especially eggs and milk) to your batter, it can break and look curdled—everything should be room temperature or the emulsion falls apart.
  • Overmixing the batter after you add the dry ingredients develops too much gluten and makes the cake tough and dense, so mix just until you don't see streaks of flour.
03 -
  • Sift your powdered sugar before mixing it into the buttercream so you skip the lumps that make frosting feel grainy against your teeth.
  • If your buttercream looks too soft once you add the milk, refrigerate it for fifteen minutes and it'll firm up enough to spread without deflating.
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