Easy Birthday Sheet Cake
This easy birthday sheet cake with vanilla buttercream frosting is the perfect way to celebrate any special occasion. Moist, fluffy cake topped with creamy, homemade frosting for a sweet and memorable treat!
When it comes to birthday celebrations, nothing quite beats a homemade cake that’s both simple and delicious. This Easy Birthday Sheet Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is the perfect choice for your next celebration or upcoming birthday parties. It’s a light and fluffy vanilla cake topped with creamy, smooth buttercream frosting—ideal for anyone craving a sweet treat without all the fuss. And the best part? You don’t even need a box cake mix! With ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, you can bake this from scratch.
Gasp! This is not a sourdough recipe, I know—though I do have a fantastic sourdough classic yellow cake recipe that never disappoints. But sometimes, you just don’t want to run to the store for a box cake mix when you’ve got a well-stocked pantry ready for baking. That’s where this easy birthday sheet cake comes in! This vanilla sheet cake is a personal favorite of mine, and I love how you can easily make it feel like a custom cake with fun and unique decorations!
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
- No Box Mix Required: Forget about running to the store for a pre-made mix. With just a few pantry staples, you can bake this from scratch. It’s a cake that feels homemade because it is homemade!
- Simple Ingredients: You don’t need anything fancy to make this delicious birthday cake. The basic ingredients are common, and the process is straightforward.
- Customizable: Add sprinkles to the cake mix, top the cake with sprinkles, or even change up the frosting flavors. The possibilities are endless!
- Perfect for Any Celebration: Whether it’s a birthday, a casual get-together, or just because you’re craving cake, this sheet cake is a perfect choice.
Variations
- Add Sprinkles: I love folding sprinkles into this cake batter for a fun and festive touch. It makes all the difference, and even feels like a confetti cake Or, if you don’t care for the extra sprinkles, you can simply sprinkle them on top of the frosted cake. The bright pops of color will make the cake even more cheerful!
- Flavored Frosting: Want to change things up? Swap the vanilla buttercream for chocolate buttercream, or try a fruity frosting for a different flavor.
Key Ingredients & Equipment
To make this birthday cake, you’ll need a few key ingredients and a 9×13-inch sheet pan. Here are my go to favorites for this cake.
- Sheet Pan (13×9): This is the ideal size for a sheet cake. You can find one here.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These are your leavening agents that help the cake rise and stay light.
- Butter & Oil: The combination of unsalted butter and coconut oil (or vegetable oil) helps create a perfectly moist cake.
- Full-Fat Sour Cream: This ingredient adds richness and moisture to the cake, making it deliciously tender.
- Whole Milk: For the perfect consistency, you’ll need whole milk at room temperature.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: This is the key to making your buttercream frosting creamy and smooth.
You can find a full list of ingredients in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
How to Make This Easy Birthday Sheet Cake
Preheat— Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
Make the Cake Batter—In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar on low speed for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, sour cream, and melted coconut oil (or vegetable oil) using a paddle attachment. The batter may look slightly curdled at this point, but don’t worry—this is totally fine! Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk. Start with the dry ingredients, then milk, dry ingredients, milk, and finish with the remaining dry ingredients. Mix until smooth and combined. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
Bake the Cake—Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake time is for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with just a few crumbs. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours) before frosting.
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Make the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting—While the cake cools, beat the butter on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and pinch of salt, mixing on medium speed until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of heavy whipping cream, mixing until smooth. If you prefer a thinner frosting, add an additional tablespoon of whipping cream.
Frost and Decorate—Once the delicious cake is completely cool, spread a thick layer of the buttercream evenly over the top. Top with fun sprinkles or any decorations of your choice. Add birthday candles, and you’re ready to celebrate!
Tips
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter, eggs, milk, and sour cream are all at room temperature. This will help them mix together more evenly, resulting in a smoother batter and frosting.
- Sift the Powdered Sugar: For the smoothest buttercream, sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the frosting. This step helps eliminate any lumps and creates a velvety texture.
How to Serve
This birthday sheet cake is perfect for serving at any gathering. Obviously a birthday celebration an easy celebration to serve this cake at, but really any celebration or gathering works! Just slice into squares and enjoy with a scoop of ice cream or a cup of coffee. It’s perfect for any parties, casual get-togethers, or even just as a sweet treat after dinner.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can bake the cake up to two days ahead of time. Just store it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature. Frost it on the day you plan to serve.
Yes, you can substitute coconut oil with vegetable oil, canola oil, or even a neutral-flavored olive oil. Just make sure the oil is liquid when you add it to the batter.
Absolutely! You can freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 3 months. Simply wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Thaw it overnight in the fridge. The next day frost and serve.
We love a good birthday celebration over here, so making this homemade sheet cake is always a favorite tradition! I hope you enjoy this simple recipe as much as we do! Be sure to drop your comments and fun variations in the comments! I love hearing about your own creations and tweaks!
More Delicious Cake Recipes
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Birthday Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- 2¾ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ cup sugar
- ½ cup butter (1 stick)
- 4 eggs room temperature
- ½ cup melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup full-fat sour cream or plain yogurt, room temperature
- 1½ tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk room temperature
Vanilla Buttercream Icing
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature
- 2½ cup confectioners' sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp heavy whipping cream or milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then, mix in the vanilla extract, sour cream, and coconut oil. Don't worry if the batter looks a bit curdled at this stage—it's totally fine.
- Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Gradually add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk (start with flour, then milk, then flour, milk, and finish with flour). Mix until the batter is smooth and well-combined.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350°F, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with little to no crumbs
- Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours) before frosting.
Frosting
- For the frosting, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar and salt, then mix on medium speed until fully combined.
- Stir in the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of heavy whipping cream, mixing until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. If you prefer a thinner frosting, add an extra tablespoon of whipping cream.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Top with sprinkles, add birthday candles, and celebrate!
