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The Best Birthday Sheet Cake with Easy Vanilla Buttercream

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This birthday sheet cake is tender, moist, and topped with a silky vanilla buttercream that isn’t too sweet. It’s the perfect dessert for feeding a crowd, and it comes together in about an hour with simple pantry ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • ½ cup (120ml) hot water
  • 1 ½ cups (339g) unsalted butter, softened (for buttercream)
  • 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Sprinkles (optional, for garnish)
  • Fresh berries or edible flowers (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a half-sheet pan (18×13 inches) with butter or non-stick spray, line with parchment paper, and grease the parchment.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for about 30 seconds.
  3. Add softened butter to the dry ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture resembles coarse sand, about 2 minutes.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined.
  5. With mixer on low speed, add half of the milk and beat until just combined. Add remaining milk and beat again. Slowly pour in hot water with mixer on low, beating until batter is thin and silky. Scrape down the bowl and mix briefly.
  6. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth into corners. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then lift out using parchment handles and cool completely.
  7. For buttercream: In a large bowl, beat softened butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating on low. Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3-4 minutes until light, fluffy, and silky.
  8. Once cake is completely cool, spread buttercream evenly over the top using an offset spatula. Add sprinkles immediately if desired.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients are crucial for best results. Don’t overmix the batter once hot water is added. Let cake cool completely before frosting to prevent buttercream from melting. For a chocolate version, replace ½ cup flour with ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder and add extra ¼ cup hot water. For lemon berry, add zest of 2 lemons and fold in 1 cup blueberries. For gluten-free, use a good quality gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. For dairy-free, use vegan butter and oat milk in cake, and vegan butter with coconut cream in frosting.

Nutrition

Keywords: birthday cake, sheet cake, vanilla buttercream, crowd-pleaser, easy cake, party dessert

Find it online: https://platebelle.com/the-best-birthday-sheet-cake-with-easy-vanilla-buttercream/