Sheet Pan Vanilla Cake Recipe

What better way to end a long day than with a piece of moist, vanilla cake? You can whip up this recipe in no time, and it also includes step-by-step instructions on how to make a creamy frosting that complements the vanilla cake perfectly. Whether you're making this for a birthday party or just to curb your craving for sweets, it is the perfect cake recipe. You can also finish it off with a dusting of sprinkles to give it a fun pop of color. 

Recipe developer Catherine Brookes came up with this delicious and easy recipe that goes great as an after-dinner treat. "I love how a simple, one-bowl method can result in such a delicious fluffy, moist cake. This cake definitely satisfies a sweet tooth!" Brookes raves. She also shares why she likes using a sheet pan to make the cake instead other methods. "It keeps the recipe quick and fuss-free. Just one layer of cake that's easy to ice and slice up," she notes. 

If you bake a lot, your kitchen may already contain most of the items on this list. You'll need unsalted butter, sugar, large eggs, all-purpose flour, baking powder, milk, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. There is also one optional ingredient — sprinkles for decorating.

Once you have everything ready to go, you can make this wonderful sheet pan vanilla cake. 

Before you do anything else, preheat the oven to 350 F and grease and line a 12x19-inch cake pan with parchment paper.

Then, get started on the batter. Grab a large mixing bowl and add a cup of the butter along with the sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, ¼ cup milk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat with an electric whisk until completely smooth. 

Now that the batter's good to go, simply transfer the mixture to the prepared cake pan and smooth it into an even later. Pop the cake into the oven and bake it for about 35-40 minutes.

You can tell the cake is done by using the good ol' skewer trick. Just insert a skewer into the center of the cake; if it comes out clean, you can take the cake out of the oven. If it doesn't, let it cook a little longer. 

When you remove the pan from the oven, let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

You'll need to use an electric stand mixer to make the vanilla frosting. Simply add the remaining cup of butter and 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract to the bowl, then turn the mixer on and beat the mixture for a few minutes on medium speed. Keep mixing until the butter and sugar are nice and smooth.

Sift in half the powdered sugar and pour in roughly half of the remaining ¼ cup milk. Beat again until nice and smooth.

Sift in the remaining powdered sugar and beat to combine. Add a little more milk if the frosting seems too thick to spread easily. You may find you don't need to use all of the milk. 

Continue beating for another 5 minutes to make the frosting smooth and fluffy. "The frosting is creamy, smooth, and sweet, with plenty of vanilla flavor," Brookes notes. 

Once the cake finishes cooling, spread the frosting on top in an even layer. If you opt to use sprinkles, you can also add those to the cake now. To serve, simply slice into squares and enjoy!

This cake is excellent on its own, but Brookes also provides a few of her favorite serving suggestions. She thinks it goes well "with chocolate sauce, ice cream, or some fresh berries on the side." 

And, you can enjoy leftovers for a few days. "Leftovers should be kept in an airtight container at room temperature. It should last for up to 4 days," Brookes says.