Homemade Vanilla Sheet Cake Recipe (from Scratch)

unsalted butter

🥗Healthier: coconut oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Coconut oil is lower in saturated fat.

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: milk + cornstarch

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess.

powdered sugar

🥗Healthier: coconut sugar

💰Cheaper: granulated sugar

Coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index.

cream cheese

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: ricotta cheese

Ricotta is a lower-cost alternative with a similar texture.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a sheet cake pan with parchment paper and lightly grease, set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt. Set aside.

Whisk the melted butter, sugar, eggs, sour cream, milk and vanilla in a large bowl until the mixture is smooth.

Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk until combined and there are no lumps.

Evenly spread the batter into the prepared sheet cake pan.

Then, bake the vanilla sheet cake in the preheated oven for 28-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few crumbs.

Place cake pan on a wire cooling rack to cool to room temperature (takes about 30 minutes).

Once cool, you can either lift the cake out of the pan and transfer it to a rectangular serving platter, or leave it in the pan and frost.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter, vanilla and sea salt for 1 minute.

Add 2 cups of the powered sugar, and beat until combined.

Then, add the milk and 3 more cups powdered sugar (you should be up to 5 cups by this time), and beat until smooth.

Add the additional 2.5 cups powdered sugar and beat until smooth and fluffy.

Let the cake cool completely before spreading the vanilla frosting evenly over the cake.

Then chill until the frosting has hardened (about 30 to 60 minutes).

Once the frosting has set, cut the cake into pieces and serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.

You can put the lid on the cake pan (or cover it in foil or plastic wrap) and chill it overnight if desired.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens