Simple Graduation Sheet Cake (Printable)

Moist vanilla sheet topped with creamy buttercream and Class of 2026 piping for celebrations.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1¾ cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, at room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature

→ Buttercream Frosting

09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - ¼ cup whole milk
12 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt
14 - Food coloring for tinting

→ Decoration

15 - Additional food coloring for piping
16 - Sprinkles or edible decorations (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch sheet pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Gradually add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top evenly with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
08 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt. Beat for 3 to 5 minutes until fluffy. Divide into portions and tint with food coloring as desired.
09 - Spread an even layer of buttercream over the cooled cake using a spatula or offset spreader.
10 - Use colored buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a small round tip to pipe Class of 2026 on top of the frosted cake. Add sprinkles or other edible decorations as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's forgiving enough that even nervous bakers nail it on the first try, yet impressive enough to earn genuine compliments.
  • The moist vanilla cake stays tender for days, so you can bake ahead and focus on decorating when the moment matters most.
  • One standard sheet pan means minimal fuss and maximum impact—no fancy equipment or complicated techniques required.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not optional—they genuinely change whether your batter emulsifies smoothly or breaks into a curdled mess.
  • Overmixing the batter after adding flour develops gluten and creates a tough, dense cake; stop the mixer as soon as flour disappears.
  • The cake must be completely cool before frosting, or your buttercream will melt and slide off; this is worth the wait.
  • If your frosting seems too soft, refrigerate it for 15 minutes; if it's too stiff, beat in a splash more milk until it spreads smoothly.
03 -
  • Gel food coloring creates vibrant, deeply tinted frosting without thinning it out the way liquid coloring does.
  • If your piping feels wobbly, chill the filled piping bag in the freezer for five minutes—the slightly firmer frosting flows more steadily.
  • Add ½ teaspoon of almond extract to the cake batter for an unexpected depth that makes people wonder what your secret ingredient is.
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