Simple Vanilla Sheet Cake (Printable Version)

Moist vanilla sheet cake adorned with creamy buttercream and delicate floral piping for celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Sheet Cake

01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

→ For the Buttercream

09 - 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
10 - 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - ¼ cup whole milk
12 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
13 - Food coloring (pink, yellow, green, or as desired)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with milk, beating until smooth and fluffy. Mix in vanilla extract.
10 - Divide buttercream into bowls and tint portions with food coloring for flowers and leaves.
11 - Spread a generous layer of plain buttercream over cooled cake as the base layer.
12 - Fill piping bags fitted with flower and leaf tips with colored buttercream. Pipe flowers and leaves decoratively across the cake, focusing on corners or along edges for a classic appearance.
13 - Optionally pipe a cross or add First Communion text using a small round tip.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The vanilla is bright and genuine—no boxed cake mix taste here, just pure, honest flavor that lets the buttercream shine.
  • Piping flowers sounds intimidating until you realize this cake is so forgiving and gorgeous that even wobbly blooms look intentional.
  • It feeds a crowd without requiring you to bake three layers or master complicated frosting techniques.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable; cold butter and eggs create a separated, grainy batter that no amount of mixing will fix.
  • Don't overmix the batter once flour enters the picture—a few lumps are your friend, and overmixing creates tough crumb that makes people wonder why you didn't just buy a mix.
  • Piping bags fitted with the right tips make flowers achievable; watch one YouTube video about the hand motion, then just trust your instincts and pipe.
03 -
  • Chill the frosted cake for 15 minutes before piping; cold frosting holds detail better and won't slouch under the pressure of the piping bag.
  • If buttercream seems too soft, beat in a tablespoon of powdered sugar; if too stiff, add milk one teaspoon at a time until it's spreadable and pipeable again.
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