Vanilla Sheet Cake with Simple Glaze
In short: A moist buttermilk sheet cake for crowds, finished with a thin vanilla glaze poured over the warm cake. Easy to cut, carry and share. It takes about 55 min in total and makes 20 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Resting
- 45 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 20
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 240 kcal
A sheet cake is the easiest cake to make for a crowd: one pan, no layers to level and nothing to stack. This vanilla version uses butter for flavor, a little oil for moisture and buttermilk for a soft crumb, and it is finished with a thin glaze that sets into a sweet shell. It keeps well, travels in its pan and cuts into 20 even squares for parties and school events.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
- Beat the butter, granulated sugar and oil with an electric mixer for 3 minutes, until pale. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk and starting and ending with flour. Mix on low just until combined.
- Scrape the batter into the pan and level the top. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until golden, the top springs back when pressed and a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the glaze ingredients until smooth and pourable, adding milk a teaspoon at a time if it is too thick.
- Pour the glaze over the warm cake, spread it to the edges and add sprinkles if you like. Let it set for 30 minutes, then cut into 20 squares.
Tips
- Glaze the cake while it is warm, not hot. A hot cake melts the glaze away, and a cold cake leaves it sitting in a thick layer.
- For a lemon version, add the zest of 2 lemons to the batter in place of the vanilla and use lemon juice instead of milk in the glaze.
Questions and answers
Can I make a vanilla sheet cake the day before?
Yes. Bake it a day ahead, cool it and keep it covered in the pan. Glaze it on the day you serve it so the glaze stays smooth.
What can I use instead of buttermilk?
Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into 240 ml (1 cup) of milk and leave it for 5 minutes. Plain yogurt thinned with a little milk also works.
How do I store sheet cake?
Cover the pan with foil. The cake keeps for 3 days at room temperature or 5 days in the refrigerator.
How long does it take to make Vanilla Sheet Cake with Simple Glaze?
About 55 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Vanilla Sheet Cake with Simple Glaze?
About 240 kcal per serving, with 3 g of protein, 37 g of carbohydrates and 9 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 240 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 37 g |
| Fat | 9 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 25 g |
| Sodium | 175 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
