Vanilla sheet cake is a classic yellow cake recipe that's tender, fluffy, and easy to make at home. Topped with my favorite whipped buttercream frosting, this recipe can be made as a 9x13 or 13x18 cake! It makes the perfect classic birthday cake.
I baked this cake for my American husband who wanted a taste of his childhood for his birthday. I’ve never made or even had such a cake before. It was absolutely delicious! Everybody loved it and my hubby said it was the best one he ever had. ★★★★★ - Alenka
Recipe summary
Flavor: Sweet, buttery, vanilla flavor. The perfect yellow birthday cake! Topped with sweet whipped buttercream frosting.
Texture: Tender, fluffy, and moist crumb.
Pan size: 9x13 or 13x18 (I include both directions below)
Great for: Birthdays, celebrations, family gatherings.
Similar to: Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes and Vanilla Layer Cake (made with the same batter!)
More flavors: Chocolate Sheet Cake, Strawberry Sheet Cake, and Lemon Sheet Cake
Jump to:
Ingredients and substitutions
- Unsalted butter - Adds moisture and buttery flavor to the cake batter. Unsalted butter (and the listed salt) can be substituted with salted butter if desired.
- Eggs - Add stability and moisture to your cake batter.
- Whole milk - Adds moisture to your cake. For best success, I suggest using whole milk, not skim or 1% milk. Your cake will turn out but may potentially be less moist (or may dry out faster) than if using whole milk.
- Cake flour - Cake flour has a lower protein content than other flours, like all-purpose or bread flour, giving your cake a smaller, more tender crumb. I highly recommend using cake flour rather than all-purpose flour. When readers have substituted with all-purpose flour, they frequently complain of a 'cornbread' type texture.
- Baking powder - Cannot be substituted with baking soda. The two are not interchangeable.
- Salt - Enhances the flavor of your cake without making it "salty".
- Vanilla extract - Enhances the flavor of your cake.
- Granulated sugar - Sweetens your cake and also helps it retain moisture. I do not recommend using sugar-free substitutes in this recipe because I haven't tested these alternatives and can't guarantee how they'll turn out. I suggest doing a Google search for a recipe that fits the ingredients you have on hand.
How to make vanilla sheet cake
- Using a hand mixer, beat together butter and sugar until creamed and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla and mix to incorporate.
- Add half of the dry ingredients at a time, mixing until just incorporated, then half of the milk. Repeat once more to incorporate all of the dry ingredients and milk.
- Batter should look smooth without any streaks of flour.
- Pour batter into a lightly greased sheet pan and spread to the edges with a spatula.
- Bake until golden brown across the top and cake pops back when gently pressed in the center.
- Allow your cake to cool completely before topping with frosting (buttercream frosting will melt!).
- Use an offset spatula for easy spreading.
Heather's top tip
To test for doneness, gently press the top of your cake. If it springs right back, it's done. If an indent is left, it needs more time. For accurate results every time, use an instant read thermometer. Cake is done when it reaches 210F in the center.
Cake tips and tricks
Room temperature ingredients - Make sure your butter, eggs, and milk are all room temperature before beginning (not melted, not cold). Room temperature ingredients emulsify when mixed and create a creamy, even batter that bakes up fluffy in the oven.
Don't overmix the batter - Mix your dry ingredients just enough to incorporate them into the batter. Overmixing can overwork the gluten, causing your cake to turn out tough.
Don't omit or reduce any of the moisture-adding ingredients - Butter, whole milk, eggs, and granulated sugar all do their part in ensuring your cake turns out moist and tender. Reducing, omitting, or substituting these ingredients can cause your cake to turn out dry.
Use cooking spray - Spray your cake pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Frosting tips and tricks
Do not frost a warm cake - Buttercream frosting melts around 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Adding frosting to a hot cake will cause it to melt. Wait until your cake is completely cooled before decorating.
Use your favorite frosting - I've included my reader-favorite recipe for whipped buttercream frosting in the recipe card below. It's a sweet, no-cook frosting that's popular because it's easy to prepare. Some readers have commented that it's too sweet for their tastes. If you prefer a less sweet frosting, I recommend making ermine frosting instead. It's a less-sweet, cooked flour frosting (and my personal favorite!).
Want to add decorations? - Make an additional half batch of frosting if you'd like a nice, thick layer of frosting over your cake in addition to some decorations like piped rosettes.
Storage
Room temperature - Homemade cakes can be stored at room temperature for about 2 days. They are best served the same day they are baked for ideal texture and moisture, and will slowly dry out over time.
Refrigerating - I don't recommend refrigerating vanilla cake unless your home is very warm (reaching 90F or hotter) and the frosting is in danger of melting. Since vanilla cake and buttercream frosting are both made with butter, they'll get hard when refrigerated (just like butter does) and require warming up at room temperature before serving.
Freezing cake - Unfrosted or frosted cake can be frozen for up to two months. To freeze a frosted cake, place uncovered in the freezer for about an hour, or until frosting is frozen and no longer sticky. Gently wrap in plastic and store in a tightly sealed container for up to 2 months. To thaw, unwrap frosted cake first, then thaw in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, bring it to room temperature for an hour before serving.
Freezing frosting - Whipped buttercream frosting can be frozen in a tightly sealed container for 2 to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before frosting your cake.
Frequently asked questions
This recipe works in three different sizes: a 9x13 baking pan (with 2 inch tall sides), two 9-inch round cake pans, or a 13x18 half sheet pan (with 1 inch sides). 
Both the 9x13 and 13x18 sheet cakes can remain in the pan after baking. Simply frost, slice, and serve! To make a layer cake, follow my recipe for vanilla layer cake.
Here are the cake pans I recommend for making vanilla sheet cake:
- Nordic Ware Classic Metal 9x13 Covered Cake Pan
- Natural Aluminum Nordic Ware Commercial Baker's Half Sheet (2 Pack)
- Nordic Ware 9" Round Natural Aluminum Cake Pans (2 Pack)
The serving size on this recipe can be difficult to calculate. Servings depend on how big you'd like your slices to be. A half sheet cake (13x18) can easily be sliced to feed 30 to 40 people. Sliced into about 3x3 inch squares, a half sheet cake feeds 24. Sliced into 2x2 inch squares a half sheet cake feeds 54.
Here's a great article on cake servings for sheet cake: Better Baker Club - The Ultimate Sheet Cake Guide
Yes, when made in a 13x18 pan the cake could be sliced in half and layered to create a two-layer 9x13 sheet cake. The recipe can also be doubled to make two 13x18 layers to be stacked.
Troubleshooting
One of the most common complaints I see in baking is that the recipe is followed "to a T" and the cake/cookies still turn out dry. Dry baked goods can happen for several reasons:
- Ingredients were substituted/omitted/reduced - The fats and sugar (butter, whole milk, eggs, and granulated sugar) help keep your cake moist. Using lower fat substitutions, reducing the sugar, or omitting an ingredient entirely will cause your cake to turn out dry.
- Too much flour was added to the recipe - Either use a kitchen scale to weigh your flour accurately (which is how I measure flour and highly recommend to others), or spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level off with a knife. Scooping with the measuring cup directly from a bin of flour compacts it into the cup, adding up to 25% extra flour to the recipe.
- Cake was overbaked - Baking a cake for too long will dry it out in the oven. Ovens are inconsistent and can run hotter or colder than the next oven. The time that worked for me may not work for you, so I recommend using other cues to tell when your cake is done.
This is a baker's secret that's optional but effective! Brush simple syrup over your cake before frosting. A layer of simple syrup helps keep the cake moist for longer. Simple syrup is a 1:1 ratio of water and granulated sugar, brought to a boil on the stove top until dissolved, then cooled to room temperature. I'd suggest about ¼ cup or more for this size cake.
Cake can turn out dense from expired leavening, overmixing the wet and dry ingredients (this overworks the gluten), not whipping the butter and sugar long enough, or adding extra wet ingredients (like adding sour cream or applesauce to make cake "extra moist"). If the balance of wet and dry ingredients is off, this can cause a change in texture, preventing your cake from rising properly in the oven.
All cakes, even vanilla cake, will brown on the outside edges due to a chemical reaction that happens when sugar is heated up. This is called a Maillard reaction and is completely normal. The insides will remain white and fluffy and the tops will be covered by frosting.
Sinking can happen for many reasons. Overmixing the batter (which adds extra air that's released during baking), underbaking, using expired leavening, using the wrong leavening, or accidentally doubling the leavening can all cause your cake to sink in the middle.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Vanilla Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups (345 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups (336 g) cake flour, measured properly*
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (227 g) whole milk, room temperature
Frosting
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups (454 g) confectioner's sugar
- ⅓ cup (75 g) heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Generously grease a 9x13 or 13x18 inch baking pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add room temperature butter and granulated sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat until creamed and fluffy, about a minute. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated and smooth.
- In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients: cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Add half of the dry ingredients to butter mixture. Mix until just combined. Add half of milk, again mixing until just combined. Repeat once more to add remaining dry ingredients and milk.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer.
- 9x13 baking pan: 32-38 minutes13x18 half sheet pan: 18-20 minutesBake your cake using the times listed above as an estimate, or until cake is baked through in the center. If your cake jiggles in the middle, it needs more time. If cake is not jiggly, gently press into the center with a finger. If an indent is left, your cake is not done. If cake springs back, it's done. If you have an instant read thermometer, cake is done at 210℉. Ovens can run hot, so I suggest using visual cues and not relying on time alone.
- Remove cake from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan on a wire cooling rack.
Frosting
- In a large bowl, add room temperature butter and use a hand mixer to beat until creamy. Add confectioner's sugar and slowly mix until ingredients are fully combined. Then, whip at high speed for 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
- Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Whip for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add additional heavy cream as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Spread frosting in an even layer onto cooled cake. Optionally, add sprinkles before frosting crusts.
- Slice and serve.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- * Measuring flour: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure flour by weight. If you don't have a kitchen scale, use the spoon and level method. Stir the flour (especially if it's been packed down in a bag/container), then gently spoon into the measuring cup, leveling off the top with a knife. Scooping with a measuring cup compacts flour into the cup and adds up to 25% extra to the recipe, resulting in dry, bland cake.
- Servings: A 13x18 sheet cake can be sliced to serve anywhere from 24 to 54 guests depending on slice size.
- Don't make substitutions: Baking is an exact science. I do not recommend substituting any ingredients. The butter, milk, eggs, and sugar keep your cake moist - substituting any of these ingredients with a lower fat alternative can change the texture and make your cake dry.
- Storage: Unfrosted or frosted cake will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for 2 days, in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. If refrigerating or freezing unfrosted cake layers, wrap tightly in plastic and place in a tightly sealed container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature for an hour before serving.
- More tips: Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking cake, based on reader comments and questions!
Does anyone know how many cups of batter this recipe makes?
Hi! I’m wanting to make this cake for my daughter’s birthday party but want to make it ahead of time. Likely will bake the cake 2 days before the party, but I’m curious when I should make the frosting? Can I frost the cake 2 days ahead of time? Or if I should wait can I at least make the frosting and refrigerate it for 2 days? Would be so grateful for any advice on this! Thank you!!
The cake can be frosted 2 days ahead of time, or the frosting can be prepared and stored in the refrigerator for 2 days. You'll want to bring it to room temperature before spreading onto the cake. Either way, I'd recommend tightly wrapping the cake or storing in a tightly sealed container to help it retain as much moisture as possible.
Can I use round cake pans with this recipe? If so how many 8 inch pans would it make?
Yes, this recipe makes two 8 or 9 inch round cakes. I've made a detailed post on making layer cake with this same recipe here: https://thetoastykitchen.com/vanilla-layer-cake/
I made this in a 13 x 18 cookie sheet for a large birthday party. It was fantastic. Very easy to make and quick to bake up. I had to make my own cake flour and took the extra minute to sift it, but I think it made the texture heavenly.
Can i use milk instead heavy cream for the buttercream ??
Yes, I'd reduce the amount of liquid to 1/4 cup if using milk.
Hi there! Do you think if I cut out shapes it will hold its form, or will it crumble too much? I want to make mini rocket ship cake shapes for my sons birthday, instead of cupcakes. Thanks!
Hi Helene, I haven't tried cutting this cake into shapes so I can't say for sure how it might turn out. I'd recommend chilling your cake in the refrigerator or freezing for about an hour so it's a bit sturdier when cutting.
This recipe is amazing it’s so delicious i don’t know what it is but it’s creamy and sweet and buttery
Completely genius
I sent it to everyone I know
Little tip for other bakers the butter must be room temperature or your hand will ache for step 1 and the butter will be clumpy in the mix later on
This Has to be one of the worst recipes I've ever tried… there aren't a lot of recipes out there for 18 x 12 sheet cakes… And I was making it two layers high… from first appearance the cake looked fine until. After they cool and I flipped them onto the cooling racks. There are a bunch of holes in the bottom clumps of sugar and dough dripping. Even though I had done numerous toothpick testings.
Besides that it tasted dreadful it was dry I'm sure that had to do with the sugar not mixing throughout the cake… I had no choice but to try it again as I didn't want to run to the store and try another new recipe. After following the instructions carefully using the correct ingredients poured it onto the pan and sure enough they were clumps of sugar … I scraped it up off the tray put it back into the mixing bowl and just let it whip for what seemed like forever ... poured it out and sure enough they were sugar clumps again...so, I scraped it up off the pan and whipped it again… Poured it back onto the pan and no sugar clubs cross my fingers. I made the second one again same thing poured into the pan clumps of sugar whipped it for what seem like forever… This time when I put them on the cooling racks they seem to be OK they look like they're going to taste terrible… They're not appearing to be moist and they seem to be pretty tasteless. i wish i could post photos.
Hi Dsinla81, did you use white granulated sugar for the recipe? It sounds like something happened during the initial mixing process when creaming together the butter and sugar (step 2). The butter and sugar should be completely smooth, light, and fluffy, with no unmixed sugar or clumps, before additional ingredients are added. It sounds like you may have been using a stand mixer - does the paddle attachment reach all the way to the bottom of the bowl? I'd recommend scraping the bowl down with a spatula to ensure unmixed ingredients aren't sitting at the bottom.
Overmixing/whipping batter adds excess air, which is likely what caused the holes in the cake. I agree, the cake likely tasted off and was dry because sugar adds a significant amount of moisture and sweetness to the cake. For vanilla cake, the main ingredients that add flavor are butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Were any of these ingredients omitted or substituted?
Can layer the 13x18 half sheet pan?
or too heavy ?
Yes, readers have successfully doubled this recipe to make a two-layer 13x18 cake! You could also slice the 13x18 in half to create a layer cake.
Can I use bread flour in place of cake flour? I can’t seem to find cake flour at my grocery store.
I'd recommend using all-purpose flour instead of bread flour. Bread flour contains more protein than both cake flour and all-purpose flour and can cause a cake to turn out dense and chewy instead of light and fluffy.
Hi, any chance someone has made this in a 11x15x2 pan?
Thanks for this recipe! I doubled it to make 2 1/2 sheet cakes and I added sprinkles. My son is very excited for his birthday cake 🙂
This came out soo good. I did adjust the sugar to my liking and also to the extracts. It was very good, and extremely moist. This will be my go to recipe for half sheet cakes. Now I just need to get a second pan.
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe.
So glad to hear you enjoyed the cake!
If making a layered sheet cake is there anything that should be done differently? Also, what is the advantage of cake flour instead of all purpose? Thanks!!
Hi Laurie, the same steps can be followed for a layered sheet cake. If you're using a pan larger than 13x18, the baking time may increase slightly. Cake flour gives your cake a tighter crumb and more tender texture. When substituting with all purpose flour in my cupcake recipes, readers often complain of a 'cornbread' type texture in comparison.
Tried this at the weekend!
Cake was amazing, moist and great texture but the icing so unbearably sweet, none of us liked it. Had to add 2x the butter just to balance out the sweetness, but the icing sugar grainy texture was still there.
Hi Kay, glad to hear you enjoyed the cake! Buttercream frosting is one of the sweetest types of frostings out there. For those who prefer a less sweet frosting, I suggest an ermine frosting. It's silky smooth and much less sweet: https://thetoastykitchen.com/ermine-frosting/
Does not bake all the way through with suggestive times.
Hi Amy, you are correct, the times in the recipe cards are suggestions to give readers a general idea of how long it may take to bake cake in different pan sizes. As stated in the recipe card after the suggested times, "Bake your cake using the times listed above as an estimate, or until cake is baked through in the center. If your cake jiggles in the middle, it needs more time. If cake is not jiggly, gently press into the center with a finger. If an indent is left, your cake is not done. If cake springs back, it's done." I always suggest baking your cake based on appearance and texture, not on time alone.
It was dry
Hi Ann, I'm sorry to hear that your cake didn't turn out as expected. The post above includes a troubleshooting section with reasons as to why cake can turn out dry. Did you substitute/omit any listed ingredients? If not, it's likely that the cake was overbaked. If the cake isn't frosted yet, you could try brushing it with simple syrup.
Can I use this recipe for cupcakes? If so, how many does it make?
Yes, this recipe was developed from my vanilla cupcakes recipe, which you can find here: https://thetoastykitchen.com/homemade-classic-yellow-cupcakes/
My cupcakes recipe makes 12 cupcakes. This sheet cake recipe is twice the size, so it would make 24 cupcakes.
The batter is unreal delish. But I’m baking a half sheet right now, and I’m going on 24 minutes. I did a good job at spreading the batter evenly I thought. The batter was a bit more whippy but idk, at the 18 min mark everything but dark edges was wobbly in the pan. I’m worried most will be overlooked 🙁 any suggestions?
I wouldn't worry as much about time but more about how the cake looks in the pan. When pressed down in the center, it should spring right back when its done. If its still wobbly, it needs more time.
Thanks, that’s a big help!
Just finished baking a test half recipe, and the house smells amazing. Can’t wait to try it.
This sheet cake is delishhhh!! Would most definitely recommend
So glad you enjoyed the cake, Caroline!
Can you substitute the milk for buttermilk?
I would not recommend using buttermilk in this recipe because it would change the acidity of the batter. This can cause issues with the structure of the cake (rising too quickly then sinking, for example).
Hello! Do you have this recipe for a chocolate cake??
Yes, you can find my chocolate sheet cake recipe here!: https://thetoastykitchen.com/chocolate-sheet-cake/
came out so fluffy
Great recipe! The cake turned out amazing. I made it in a 12x16x2 pan and it took 30 minutes to come out with a clean toothpick, it would probably be more like 28 without me checking on it three times. Hope this helps anyone with this size pan.
Thanks for your comment! This recipe seems to be more generous in portions and most standard cake recipes so I’m wondering how many you felt like it served? I have about 20 little kids plus about as many parents and wondering if I need to make two.
I have a deeper 13*19 half sheet pan (2 inches) but am worried about doubling it in one pan.
Hi Camille, this cake can definitely be sliced into smaller pieces to feed more people. A 13x18x1 half sheet cake can be sliced into as many as 58 2-inch squares if needed. Here's a great article on how to calculate how many pieces you can get from a sheet cake: https://www.allrecipes.com/article/how-many-people-does-a-sheet-cake-feed/
Thanks so much!
Can the recipe be doubled for a full sheet cake?
Hi Ann-Marie, I haven't tested doubling this recipe so I can't say for sure how it would turn out. If you give it a try let us know how it goes!
Hi, I’m in the uk and I don’t think we have cake flour over here? What can I use instead?
Hi Naomi, all-purpose/plain flour can work, but will give the cake a coarser texture than cake flour. Or, you can make a cake flour substitute by adding cornstarch to all-purpose flour.
Cake flour substitute:
14 tablespoons (105g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (14g) cornstarch
Whisk ingredients together and use to substitute 1 cup of cake flour.
On a separate note, I wanted to mention that a US large egg is the same size as a UK medium egg, so you'll want to use medium eggs for this recipe. I hope you enjoy the cake!
Came out perfect 🥰 💞
Can I add sprinkles to the batter?
I haven't tried this yet, but it should work!
Could I use a 16x12x1 sheet pan for this recipe?
In a 13x18 pan, the cake bakes right up to the edges of the pan, so I'd be concerned with batter overflowing in a smaller pan. A 13x18 pan is 234 square inches, while a 12x16 pan is 192 square inches, which is a significant difference. If you choose to use a slightly smaller pan, you may not want to use quite all of the batter.
I made this for a birthday party, and it was a big hit! I couldn't find any cake flour in my village, so I substituted cornstarch for part of the flour. It rose nicely in the pan, and the frosting was enough to cover the top and sides of the cake. I will save this recipe, and make it again some time. It turned out perfect!
I’ve baked this cake for my American husband who wanted a taste of his childhood for his birthday. I’ve never made or even had such a cake before. It was absolutely delicious! Everybody loved it and my hubby said it was the best one he ever had.
Thank you for sharing, this recipe is a keeper!
Possible to cut the sugar for the cake in half and still be sweet enough? I’m baking for a toddler’s bday and a judgmental group of German in-laws 😂
Hi Amanda, the cake isn't very sweet on its own - most of the sweetness is in the frosting. I wouldn't suggest cutting the cake's sugar in half, it will begin to taste more like bread than cake. You could omit about 1/4 cup without affecting the texture or moisture of the cake.
Excellent cake!!! I now have a new 'GO TO' cake recipe!! Tender, moist, yummy cake that is exactly what I've been looking for! I made a 9x13 cake with a vanilla cream cheese frosting and everyone LOVED it! I think that this is the first time that I've every used cake flour, and if that's the secret ingredient then I'm sold.
THANK YOU!!
Can you freeze the batter?
Hi Kimberly, I've personally never tried to freeze cake batter, but it appears as though you can freeze cake batter like this for up to three months. Here's a great article about freezing and thawing cake batter: https://www.craftsy.com/post/freezing-dough-batters/
Can I reduce the amount of sugar in the frosting? This is for our toddler's birthday at nursery and I want to be conscious of sugar intake.
Buttercream frosting is very sweet. It's popular because it's easy to make (with just two ingredients - sugar and butter). If the sugar is reduced, the frosting begins to taste like sweetened butter. You can likely reduce the sugar by about 1/2 to 1 cup without affecting the texture too much, but you'll also have less frosting to work with. Instead, I'd suggest trying a less sweet frosting - here are a few great options:
Cream cheese buttercream: https://thetoastykitchen.com/cream-cheese-buttercream-frosting/
Homemade whipped cream: https://thetoastykitchen.com/homemade-whipped-cream/
Ermine frosting (flour buttercream): https://thetoastykitchen.com/ermine-frosting/
Swiss meringue buttercream: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream/
The answer was not for me, but thank you anyway!
I did make the frosting you originally suggested with less sugar (3 cups instead of 4) and it turned ok, although still very sweet for my taste (delicious none the less). I’ll try one of these next time.
I have a party of about 50 people was thinking of making two sheet pans (13 x 18) and layering it, would that turn out okay?
Hi Jackie - yes! Two 13x18 cakes can be stacked to make a large layered sheet cake for a crowd.
Is that the 96 servings recipe size and then use 2 13 x 18 pans?
Hi Lesley, two 13x18 (half sheet) cakes could be sliced into 2x2 squares to make 108 servings. I like to use this site for determining the size of my cake slices:
https://betterbakerclub.com/sheet-cake/
Turned out dense--I would not use this recipe again.
Hi Jessica, I'm sorry to hear that your cake didn't turn out! This recipe should not make a dense cake. Did you make any changes or substitute ingredients? Without being in the kitchen with you, it can be hard to troubleshoot exactly what went wrong. Here are a few reasons a cake may turn out dense:
- Overmixing - overworking the gluten can cause a cake to turn out dense. Once the flour is added, it only needs to be stirred in gently until incorporated.
- Expired leavening agents
- Cold ingredients - they don't mix in well (creaming the butter and sugar helps add rise to your cake) and can cause an uneven texture.
- Too much moisture was added, preventing the cake from rising normally.
NYE 2021/2022 and the kids decided they wanted to bake dad a birthday cake for midnight (his birthday is Jan 1st) This recipe uses basic ingredients that we had already and we were so impressed with how good it was when it's so easy to make. A great vanilla flavoured, light and fluffy cake. Thank you 😁
I am curious to know if anyone has doubled this recipe?
This is the first time using this cake recipe, however, I need at least double the batter(11.5 cups)for the size of pan I will be using, 14 x2.
I am doing a trial run using the recipe as it is, (not doubled) it is baking now and smells delicious!
Please, if anyone has doubled the batter recipe, would you share your thoughts? As well, if I need to make any adjustments to the recipe if it is doubled. Very new to scratch baking so please, not to complicated...yet! Lol
Thank you so much!
Hi Meg! While testing this recipe, I only made it as directed - I haven't tried doubling the batter yet.
i'm needing a thick half sheet cake. Does this recipe double well?
I haven't tried doubling this recipe, so I can't say for sure. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
This cake is so moist, fluffy and delicious! I think I overbaked by a couple minutes and it is still amazing. Saved for later use!!
So glad you enjoyed the cake, Andrea!
Best cake I’ve ever had. Thanks.
So glad to hear you enjoyed the cake!