Fluffy Vanilla Sheet Cake
Print Pin VideoIf you're after a classic, crowd-pleasing dessert, this super moist vanilla sheet cake is it! Soft, fluffy, and full of rich vanilla flavor, it's perfect for birthdays, potlucks, or any time you need a simple yet delicious treat. Based on my 5-star rated vanilla cake and topped with a small batch of my silky buttercream frosting, you know it's going to be good!
IMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 2⅓ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour - plain flour in the UK (see note 1 if you want to use cake flour)
- ¼ cup (25 g) cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt - omit if using salted butter
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter - room temperature
- ½ cup (105 g) unflavoured vegetable oil - I use canola
- 1⅔ cups (332 g) white granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs - room temperature
- 1¼ tbsps vanilla extract/essence
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1½ cups (337 g) buttermilk - room temperature, divided into 1 cup and ½ cup (see note 2 if using a homemade buttermilk substitute)
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter - room temperature
- 1½ cups (187 g) powdered sugar - also known as icing/confectioners' sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence/extract
- ¼ cup (60 g) heavy cream - room temperature
Instructions
- IMPORTANT: I highly recommend using gram measurements for accuracy—especially for the flour. This recipe has a high fat-to-liquid ratio, so small variations can affect the cake’s texture. 🙂
Vanilla Cake
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) conventional (see note 3 if using a convection oven with a fan) and lightly grease a 9x13-inch cake pan (I use my homemade cake release). Line the bottom long ways with parchment paper (this will make it easier to take the cake out when it's done).
- In a bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Using a whisk mix until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl add in butter, vegetable oil and sugar. Using an electric mixer (hand or stand mixer are both fine - see note 4), cream for 2 minutes until light and creamy.
- Add in eggs one by one, mixing well in between each addition.
- Add in your vanilla, vinegar and ½ cup (112g) of the buttermilk, and mix until well combined. Now set your mixer aside as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.
- Finish off by adding half of your premixed dry ingredients to your wet mixture, and gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Then add in the remaining 1 cup (225g) of buttermilk, and fold it in until just combined. Lastly, add in the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold it into the mixture until just combined. Do not overmix (see note 5).
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Drop the cake pan lightly on the counter to remove any large air bubbles and bake for 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs on it.
- Allow the cake to cool in the cake pan for 20 minutes, before carefully turning it out onto a wire rack to completely cool. Once cooled, carefully invert onto a serving plate (see video for demonstration if unsure of the best way to do this) and frost with vanilla buttercream (recipe below).
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Add all the ingredients to a medium bowl.
- Using an electric mixer (use the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer), mix on the lowest speed until the ingredients are combined, and then turn up the speed to a medium-high and mix for a full 10 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through.
- The frosting should be silky smooth and it's now ready to use! If you find your buttercream is still firm with a lot of holes/air bubbles, see note 6.
Video
Notes
Note 1. You can use cake flour in place of the all-purpose flour and cornstarch in this recipe (325g total required).
Note 2. I use store-bought buttermilk, which is thicker than homemade versions. Because this recipe uses a lot of buttermilk, homemade substitutes can lead to a denser cake. If using homemade buttermilk, reduce the quantity to about 1¼ cups (275 g).
Note 3. If using a convection oven with a fan, bake at 160°C (320°F) as the fan speeds up baking.
Note 4. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment for creaming, but complete the final mixing steps by hand as instructed.
Note 5. Gently folding helps avoid gluten formation, resulting in a softer cake. Mix only until the flour is fully incorporated and the batter is uniform.
Note 6. If you find that your buttercream is a bit firm and has a lot of holes, then it means that either the butter or cream was too cold. To fix this, gently heat the buttercream in the microwave for 5-second bursts (don't heat it for too long otherwise the buttercream will melt), mixing in between each burst until the frosting is softer in consistency and you can easily mix it, and then rewhip it for a few minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 132mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 452IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
Tried this recipe?I love hearing from you! Tag me @cakesbymk.nz on instagram so I can see your amazing creations :)