Vanilla Sheet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

The perfect dessert to feed a crowd, this vanilla sheet is easy to frost and decorate, easy to transport, and easy to serve.

Tis’ the season for graduation parties, potlucks, and summer BBQs. At my house alone this month, we are celebrating my son’s 18th birthday and high school graduation and my husband’s 50th (!!). These occasions scream for a sheet cake. Less fussy than a layer cake but just as festive, a sheet cake is easy to frost and decorate, easy to transport, and easy to cut and serve — plus, it feeds a crowd. This luscious vanilla sheet cake with cream cheese frosting is adapted from my favorite cake cookbook, Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri. It can also be made as vanilla cupcakes or topped with berries and turned into a flag cake.

What You’ll Need To Make Vanilla Sheet Cake

Step-by-Step Instructions

Bake the Cake

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or beaters), beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Beat in the vanilla.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Don’t worry if the batter looks a little curdled at this point.

Reduce the speed to low, then beat in one-third of the flour mixture.

Pour in half of the buttermilk. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add another third of the flour, followed by the remaining buttermilk. Beat in the remaining flour.

Scrape down the bowl and beat again until the batter is evenly combined. Do not overmix.

Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cake is set and lightly golden around the edges, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set the cake on a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or beaters), combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until aerated and light, about 2 minutes.

Stop the mixer and add about half of the confectioners’ sugar; mix on low to combine. Gradually add the remaining sugar, keeping the speed on low.

Once all of the sugar is mixed in, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.

When the cake is cool, use a butter knife or small offset spatula to top the cake with the frosting.

Swirl the frosting lavishly.

The cake is best enjoyed fresh on the day it is baked, but it will keep nicely for a few days. Store in an airtight container (or cover tightly with plastic wrap) at room temperature.