This simple Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting is moist and full of flavor. This sheet cake is perfect for feeding a crowd and will be the hit of any party!
Who doesn’t like a delicious homemade cake recipe? This Yellow Sheet Cake is one of those great recipes that makes a simple homemade dessert that is delicious but so easy to make. Some other great homemade cakes I’ve shared in the past are this Chocolate Sheet Cake, this 7-Up Bundt Cake and this recipe for a classic Angel Food Cake.
How to make a Yellow Sheet Cake:
Ingredients for Yellow Cake:
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Granulated Sugar
- Butter
- Eggs
- Milk
- Salt
Ingredients for Chocolate Frosting:
- Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Cocoa Powder
- Vanilla Extract
- Whole Milk
- Salt
Instructions for Yellow Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 13×18-inch half baking sheet pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the granulated sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy. This can be done with an electric mixer or by hand using a wooden spoon.
- Beat in the eggs, two at a time, ensuring the eggs are fully incorporated before adding the next two. Be sure to scrape down the sides as necessary. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet, spreading it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the sheet on a wire rack. Once cake is completely cooled frost with chocolate frosting if desired.
Instructions for Chocolate Frosting:
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the chocolate frosting. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. In a separate bowl, combine the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
- Into the butter, gradually add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
- Once the cake has cooled, evenly spread the chocolate frosting and top with sprinkles, if desired.
Variations and Substitutions:
Cupcakes: You can adapt this recipe to make cupcakes. Using a muffin pan line the cups with cupcake liners then spoon the batter into the liners until 3/4 full.
Place in a 350°F preheated oven and adjust the baking time to around 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Frosting: You can make your own frosting like I did or you purchase a can of frosting. While store bought frosting is a huge time saver the consistency can be a little on the thin side. If you want to thicken it up transfer the frosting to a mixing bowl and add a tablespoon of powdered sugar and mix until just combined.
Make it Your Own: I used chocolate frosting but you could use any flavor you’d like. Some suggestions:
Don’t stop at the frosting add some chocolate shavings or get creative with other toppings:
- Chopped Nuts
- Chocolate Chips
- Peanut Butter Chips
- Crushed Cookies
- Crushed Candy Bar
- Sprinkles
Tips and Notes:
Flour: It’s best to stick with all-purpose flour for this recipe as it provides the right structure and texture for the cake.
Don’t Overmix: Be careful to not overmix the cake batter. Mix until the ingredients are just combined to avoid a dense cake.
Use Quality Products: As with any cake or treat you bake the quality of the products you use to bake the cake will affect the texture and flavor of the cake.
Enrich the Color: Optionally you can use a a drop or two of yellow food coloring to give your cake a more vibrant yellow color.
Keep and Eye on the Cake: Keep a close eye on the cake, the baking time may be affected depending on the material of the pan.
Storage:
Room Temperature: The frosted cake can be stored for for the day at room temperature. It should be placed in the fridge if it is left out for any longer than eight hours.
Refrigerator: Store in a pan with a lid or tightly covered with foil or plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezer: Cool cake completely then cover with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil or cake pan lid. Freeze for up to one month.
Thawing: Defrost at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
This Yellow Sheet Cake has received rave reviews from family and friends! I hope you and your family will love this recipe just as much as we do! Happy Baking Y’all
Susanne
Still hungry? Follow New South Charm on Pinterest! for more recipe ideas!
Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
Ingredients for Yellow Sheet Cake:
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups butter softened
- 6 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- Yellow Food Coloring optional (see notes)
Ingredients for Chocolate Frosting:
- 1 ¼ cups butter softened
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
Instructions for Yellow Sheet Cake:
-
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 13x18-inch half baking sheet pan.
-
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
-
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the granulated sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy. This can be done with an electric mixer or by hand using a wooden spoon.
-
Beat in the eggs, two at a time, ensuring the eggs are fully incorporated before adding the next two. Be sure to scrape down the sides as necessary. Stir in the vanilla extract.
-
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
-
Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet, spreading it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
-
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the sheet on a wire rack.
-
Once the cake has cooled, evenly spread the chocolate frosting and top with sprinkles, if desired.
Instructions for Chocolate Frosting:
-
While the cake is cooling, prepare the chocolate frosting. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. In a separate bowl, combine the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
-
Into the butter, gradually add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Recipe Notes
If desired, add a 1-2 drops of yellow food coloring to achieve a vibrant yellow color.
It's best to stick with all-purpose flour for this recipe as it provides the right structure and texture for the cake.
Nutritional information is estimated. Amounts will vary based on ingredient choices and serving sizes.
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