Classic Vanilla Sheet Cake Recipe for Moist, Crowd-Pleasing Dessert

This buttery vanilla sheet cake is moist and tender with a perfect vanilla flavor and a soft crumb. Baked in a 9×13-inch pan, it requires no decorating skill and is easy to transport. Finish with a creamy vanilla buttercream for an ideal cake to feed a crowd.

This vanilla sheet cake belongs in every baker’s collection. It’s moist, balanced in sweetness, and has a tender, soft crumb. It’s a great companion to other sheet cakes like chocolate, red velvet, or carrot. I frosted mine with vanilla buttercream, but feel free to use any frosting you prefer.

Why I love sheet cakes:

1. No need for elaborate decorating or stacked layers
2. Feeds a crowd
3. Easy to transport
4. A lovely cake-to-frosting ratio, great served with a scoop of ice cream

The Creaming Method

This recipe uses the creaming method, which is ideal when butter is the primary fat. Beating butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy incorporates tiny air pockets that help create a light, tender cake and aid emulsification.

Ingredients

• Cake flour – gives the lightest texture. See notes for a substitution using all-purpose flour and cornstarch.
• Baking powder & baking soda – for proper rise and balance.
• Unsalted butter – the main fat for rich flavor.
• Granulated sugar – balanced so the cake isn’t overly sweet.
• Vegetable or canola oil – helps the cake stay moist longer than butter alone.
• Vanilla extract – use real vanilla for the best flavor.
• Eggs – room temperature for better mixing and texture.
• Sour cream – adds moisture and keeps the crumb tender; Greek yogurt can be substituted.
• Whole milk – provides fat for a moist, fluffy cake; avoid skim milk.

Step-By-Step with Photos & Tips

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) metal baking pan and dust with flour; set aside.
2. Combine dry ingredients: Sift the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl, then whisk for about 20 seconds.
3. Cream butter and sugar: Beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Stop occasionally to scrape the bowl.

4. Add oil and vanilla to the butter mixture and mix to combine.
5. Beat in the eggs one at a time, pausing to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition. The batter should look fluffy.

6. Mix in sour cream: Beat the sour cream into the batter until incorporated and creamy.
7. Alternate dry ingredients and milk: Add about half of the dry ingredients, then half the milk, then repeat. Avoid dumping everything in at once to prevent overmixing. For the final addition, stir by hand with a whisk to keep the crumb tender.
• I recommend doing the last addition by hand to prevent overmixing.

8. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 32–38 minutes, or until the top is set, the cake begins to pull away from the edges, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
• Oven times vary—always rely on visual cues and the toothpick test rather than the timer alone.

Make Ahead Tips

Fresh cake is best, but leftovers keep well. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days, or refrigerated up to 4 days. If refrigerated, allow the cake to come to room temperature for 30–60 minutes before serving for the best texture.

You can bake the cake a day ahead: cool completely, wrap tightly, and store at room temperature. Make the frosting on the day you serve and keep it at room temperature out of direct sunlight, or refrigerate if your kitchen is warm. For freezing, wrap unfrosted cake tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator to avoid a gummy texture.

More Vanilla Cakes & Cupcakes

• Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes
• Mini Vanilla Cake
• Vanilla Mug Cake

Vanilla Sheet Cake

By: Fiona Dowling

A moist, flavorful vanilla sheet cake with a soft crumb. Baked in a 9×13-inch pan, it’s easy to serve and transport. I like it with creamy vanilla buttercream, but any favorite frosting will work.

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Cooling: 1 hr

Total: 2 hrs

Servings: 15 large slices

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Equipment

• 9×13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan*

Ingredients

Vanilla Sheet Cake

• 2¾ cup cake flour (330 grams)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter (168 grams), softened
• 1½ cups granulated sugar (300 grams)
• ¼ cup vegetable oil (60 ml)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• ⅓ cup sour cream (80 ml), room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk (240 ml), room temperature

Vanilla Buttercream

• 1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams), softened
• 3½-4½ cups powdered sugar (385-495 grams), sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼-½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup whipping cream (60 ml), or heavy cream, cold
• food coloring, optional
• sprinkles, optional

Instructions 

Vanilla Cake

• Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃). Lightly grease and flour a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) metal pan and set aside.
• Sift cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and whisk for about 20 seconds. Set aside.
• In a separate large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar until fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
• Beat in oil and vanilla.
• Add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. The mixture should be fluffy.
• Beat in sour cream until combined.
• Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. I do half the flour mixture, then half the milk, then repeat. Scrape the bowl after each addition and finish the last addition by hand to avoid overmixing.
• Pour batter into the pan, smooth the top, and bake in the center of the oven for 32–37 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs and the cake edges pull away from the pan. The top should be slightly springy. Cool the cake in the pan.

Vanilla Buttercream

• Beat butter in a large bowl until fluffy.
• Add 3 cups powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and optional food coloring. Start mixing on low speed.
• Add remaining powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time, alternating with a tablespoon of cold whipping cream, until you reach the desired thickness. It should be thick and creamy but still spreadable.
• Spread the frosting with a flat-edge knife or the back of a spoon and optionally decorate with sprinkles.

Notes

1. Cake Flour: If you don’t have cake flour, substitute by measuring 2⅔ cups all-purpose flour and removing ⅓ cup, then adding ⅓ cup cornstarch. Sift together several times. Do not use self-rising flour.
2. Room Temperature Ingredients: Butter, eggs, milk, and sour cream should be room temperature for an even crumb. Cold ingredients can cause overmixing and a dense cake.
3. Sour Cream: Full-fat Greek yogurt can be used in place of sour cream, though sour cream is preferred for texture and flavor.
4. Whole Milk: Avoid skim milk; it lacks the fat needed for the best texture.
5. Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Let refrigerated cake sit 30–60 minutes before serving.
6. Nutrition: Nutrition facts are estimates per slice, assuming 15 uniform slices and all frosting used.

Nutrition

Calories: 464kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 29g

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