Perfect Customizable Graduation Sheet Cake Recipe with Easy Vibrant Buttercream Decorating Tips
A quick and easy customizable graduation sheet cake with vibrant buttercream frosting that’s perfect for celebrations and adaptable to your personal taste and dietary needs.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (315g)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113g), softened
- 1 cup whole milk (240ml), room temperature
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or almond extract as a substitute)
- Food coloring gel (a few drops, optional)
- For the buttercream frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (227g), softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar (480g), sifted
- 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk (30-45ml)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring gel (various colors)
- Optional: Gel paste for shimmer or edible glitter
Instructions
- Grease and flour a 9×13-inch sheet cake pan or line with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat ½ cup softened unsalted butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Reduce mixer speed to low. Add dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with milk, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix just until combined after each addition.
- If desired, fold in a few drops of food coloring gel gently with a spatula until evenly tinted.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto rack to cool completely before frosting.
- To make buttercream, beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with heavy cream or milk, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract. Adjust consistency as needed.
- Divide frosting into bowls and tint with food coloring gels to desired shades.
- Spread a thin crumb coat over the cake and chill for 15 minutes. Apply a final thick layer of buttercream. Decorate with piping bags and tips if desired.
Notes
Use room temperature ingredients for best results. Do not overmix the batter to avoid a dense cake. Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without affecting frosting texture. Crumb coat before final frosting layer to trap crumbs. Chill cake after crumb coat for easier frosting application. Adjust buttercream consistency by adding more cream or powdered sugar as needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cak
- Calories: 350
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Protein: 3
Keywords: graduation cake, sheet cake, buttercream frosting, customizable cake, easy cake recipe, vibrant frosting, celebration cake