Homemade Simple Vanilla Sheet Cake is Perfect for Get Togethers

Photo byHeartland Cooking

There's something about sheet cakes I can't resist. Maybe it's that they're so much easier than layer cakes: there's no flipping cakes out pans, no leveling the layers and no worrying about crumbs getting mixed into the frosting. In fact, there's no need to do anything besides frost the top of your sheet cake and cut it into squares when you serve it. Sheet cakes also travel well so they're perfect for summer get-togethers, barbecues, potlucks and picnics.

This simple sheet cake is moister than store-bought mixes and has a delicious vanilla flavor. The buttermilk gives it a dash of tang and adds moisture, while the melted butter makes the cake taste homemade. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, don't worry. You can make your own by stirring white vinegar or lemon juice with whole milk and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes.

While you should mix the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls to avoid overmixing, you don't need an electric mixer for this recipe. A large whisk will do the job just fine.

Simple Vanilla Sheet Cake

Ingredients

12 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

3 tablespoons canola oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13 inch pan.

2. In a small mixing bowl, add the wet ingredients and mix well to combine.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry and mix until smooth. Be careful not to overmix ingredients.

5. Pour into the prepared pan and bake about 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cake should be golden.

Notes

To make the buttermilk: mix 3/4 cup whole milk with 2 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar. Pour the vinegar into the bottom of your liquid measuring cup, top with the milk until it reaches the 3/4 cup line and stir. Let stand at least 5-10 minutes. Milk will be lumpy and/or look curdled, which is fine. The final texture should appear somewhat separated at the top. Even if it doesn't you can still use it as a substitute.

If you do want a layer cake, you can make this recipe with two 8-inch round pans (bake 30-35 minutes) or two 9-inch round pans (bake 25-30 minutes).

Frost with your choice of frosting, dust with powdered sugar or top with dollops of whipped cream. Buttercream is delicious but any flavor will work well.