Best Yellow Sheet Cake Recipes

YELLOW SHEET CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with nonstick spray. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Make the cake: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the egg yolk, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix on medium speed until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine, 15 to 30 seconds.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture to the mixer and mix on low speed until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add about half the milk and mix on low speed until incorporated, about 15 seconds more. Repeat with another batch of flour mixture, the remaining milk, then the remaining flour mixture until fully incorporated.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread in an even layer. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake is golden and separating from the pan at the edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the electric mixer, and sift the confectioners' sugar and cocoa into the bowl with the butter. Stir with a spatula a few times to incorporate slightly. Return the bowl to the mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth and uniform in color, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sour cream and melted chocolate and mix on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and salt and mix to combine.
• Spread the frosting on the cooled cake in an even layer. Garnish with sprinkles, if desired.

YELLOW SHEET CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch cake pan.
• Combine the buttermilk and vanilla in a medium bowl. Combine the flour, the sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with the paddle attachment on low speed until well mixed. Add the oil and beat until evenly distributed. With the machine running, add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time and beat until fully incorporated. The mixture will look like coarse sand.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the bowl occasionally. While beating, add the buttermilk mixture in a slow, steady stream. Beat just until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
• Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
• Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Pour as much caramel as desired over the cake.
• Set the butter in a large saucepot over medium heat. When it's halfway melted, add the sugar and salt. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is dark golden brown. It will look grainy and the fat will separate from the sugar and then come back together.
• Remove from the heat and add the evaporated milk while whisking. Be careful! The caramel will bubble up. Scrape up any sugar that's stuck to the bottom of the pan. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Set over low heat and cook, whisking often, until very smooth and creamy, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat and cool completely, stirring occasionally.

YELLOW SHEET CAKE WITH DARK CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• For the yellow cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch-by-13-inch (quarter-sheet) pan with parchment paper, then spray with nonstick baking spray.
• Place 2 metal flower nails in the center of the pan, flat-side down, a few inches apart. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed to incorporate air into mixture, about 2 minutes. Mix in the eggs on low speed, two at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
• Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add a third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low speed. Mix in half of the buttermilk on low speed. Repeat this process, finishing with the last third of the dry ingredients. Mix in the vanilla extract and oil, then pour the batter into the prepared pan. Reposition the flower nails so that they're evenly spaced in the pan. Tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles, then bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, 25 to 26 minutes.
• Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then carefully flip it onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
• For the dark chocolate buttercream: Beat the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the cocoa, then mix until the cocoa is fully incorporated and no clumps remain. Slowly add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, alternating with small splashes of cream. Mix in the melted dark chocolate, then the salt. Beat until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting is too thick, add an extra tablespoon of heavy cream. If it's too thin, add another 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Stir by hand with a rubber spatula for a couple minutes to make the frosting super smooth.
• Remove the flower nails from the cake. Spread an even layer of chocolate buttercream on top of the cake, making swirls with an offset spatula. Top with rainbow sprinkles.

YELLOW SHEET CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Coat bottom only of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray; line bottom of pan with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour. Set aside. (If you plan to serve the cake straight from the pan instead of unmolding it, you can skip the wax paper step.).
• Cake: Stir 1/2 cup butter and sour cream with a whisk until well blended.
• Add granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla; beat at medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended.
• Add egg substitute; beat 2 minutes or until well blended.
• Stir 2 cups flour, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt well with a whisk.
• Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.
• Carefully peel off wax paper; cool completely on wire rack.
• Frosting: Beat the cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla at high speed until fluffy.
• Add cocoa, milk, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; beat at low speed until well blended.
• Gradually add 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar; beat at low speed until creamy.
• Gradually add remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar.
• Place cake on a serving platter. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake.
• Store cake loosely covered in the refrigerator.