Easy Yellow Sheet Cake
User Reviews
5
Easy Yellow Sheet Cake
Description
This Yellow Sheet Cake recipe combines all-purpose flour with light and brown sugars, carefully measured baking powder, buttermilk, eggs, and both pure and clear vanilla extracts. The creaming of softened butter with sugars and oil results in a fluffy batter, which is alternately mixed with flour and buttermilk for a smooth, uniform texture. Baking at 350°F in a greased 9x13 pan yields a moist cake with a delicate crumb.
The accompanying chocolate cream cheese frosting combines full-fat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and optional espresso powder for depth, achieving a creamy and slightly tangy topping that contrasts well with the buttery cake. This frosting can be prepared alongside the cake and chilled for firmness before application.
Storage and reheating instructions ensure the cake maintains its texture and flavor when stored either refrigerated or at room temperature, with detailed methods provided for gentle warming by microwave or oven. The notes also cover freezing guidelines, including wrapping and thawing details, making it suitable for preparation ahead of time or extended storage.
Additionally, the cake and frosting can be made and stored separately for convenience, with potential to refresh frosting consistency by re-whipping before use.
Ingredients
For the Yellow Sheet Cake:
- 375g (3 cups) all-purpose flour spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- cup plus 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1-½ teaspoons baking powder non aluminum
- 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature, or whole milk
- 4 egg at room temperature, large
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract pure
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract clear flavor
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 170g (1 stick plus 4 tablespoons) unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 60 ml avocado oil or grapeseed oil or vegetable oil
For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 226 g (8 oz) cream cheese brick-style, full fat, preferably Philadelphia brand, at room temperature
- 113 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 15 ml vanilla extract pure
- 248 g confectioners' sugar 2 cups
- 1 tablespoon Dry whole milk such as Nido , optional but highly recommended
- 65 g cocoa powder natural
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder , optional
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup , optional
- 2 tablespoon milk or as needed, whole
Instructions
For the Yellow Sheet Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Butter and flour, or use nonstick cooking spray with flour, such as Baker's Joy, a 9x13-inch ceramic baking pan, or metal pan. Sift together the flour and baking powder to remove any lumps in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the unsalted butter, sugars, oil, pure vanilla, clear vanilla, and salt. On medium speed, beat until light and fluffy for about 5 minutes, stop and scrape the bowl, and paddle with a rubber spatula as necessary.
- Add the eggs, beat on medium speed until well combined, about 2 to 3 minutes, and scrape the bowl. On low speed, stream in half of the buttermilk. Increase speed to medium-high and mix for about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until combined.
- Scrape the bowl again, add the remaining flour mixture and remaining buttermilk and mix just until the batter comes together, about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Finish folding the ingredients by hand using a rubber spatula to ensure the batter is well mixed and smooth; there should be no streaks of fat or liquid.
- Evenly pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake Yellow Sheet Cake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the yellow sheet cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack until completely cool.
For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of hot milk and let it cool. Sift together the powdered sugar, powdered milk, and cocoa in a large bowl to remove any lumps. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, corn syrup, salt, vanilla, and espresso mixture. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Gradually add 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar and cocoa mix, mixing at low speed to combine. Once the confectioners' sugar and the cocoa mix are mixed in, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes; adding 1 tanlespoon of milk if needed for desired consistency.
- When the Yellow Sheet Cake is completely cool, use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly over the top. Then, use the back of a spoon to drag the frosting across the cake straight line from one side to connect to the other. Repeat this process to create lovely rustic lines, wiping the frosting from the spoon after each row.
Notes
- Store frosted cake in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or unfrosted cake at room temperature for 2-3 days.
- Reheat individual slices gently in the microwave or warm the whole cake in the oven at 275°F (135°C) wrapped in foil for 10-15 minutes.
- Make ahead by cooling completely, wrapping tightly, and refrigerating cake and frosting separately; bring to room temperature before serving.
- Freeze wrapped cake for 2-3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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