Class 2026 Vanilla Sheet Cake (Printable Version)

A fluffy vanilla sheet cake with creamy buttercream and festive graduation decorations.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 12x18-inch sheet pan 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 and mix on low speed. Pour in half the milk and mix gently. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients and milk, mixing just until combined.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
07 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
09 - Beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low speed. Add vanilla, milk, and salt. Beat on high for 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy. Add food coloring if desired.
10 - Spread buttercream evenly over the cooled cake. Decorate with graduation-themed sprinkles or edible decorations.
11 - Slice and serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feeds a crowd without the fuss—one pan, straightforward steps, and you're basically done.
  • The vanilla buttercream is so silky it makes you feel like a pastry chef, even if you're just using an electric mixer.
  • Decorating is half the fun, and graduation colors turn this into a personalized celebration that tastes as good as it looks.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients aren't a suggestion—they're the difference between a silky batter and one that looks separated and sad.
  • Overmixing after you add the flour will develop gluten and make your cake tough and rubbery, so mix only until you can't see streaks of flour anymore.
  • Don't skip cooling the cake completely before frosting, or your buttercream will slide right off and you'll be scraping melted frosting off the counter in frustration.
03 -
  • Make sure every ingredient is truly room temperature before you start—this is the single biggest factor in a smooth, fluffy cake and frosting.
  • Don't fill the piping bag more than halfway full when decorating, or frosting will squeeze out the top and make a mess while you're trying to be artistic.
Go Back