Quick and Easy Vanilla Sheet Cakeis a cake-mix recipe for when you’re short on time! Whether you’ve got a birthday to celebrate, or you’re just looking for a simple vanilla cake recipe, this dessert will not disappoint!

one square serving of vanilla sheet cake over the pan on a spatula.

This cake. You guys. This vanilla sheet cake is so ridiculously easy, but it’s still super delicious. Plus, any food you can add sprinkles to (for example: donuts, ice cream, caramel apples) is going to be good.

This is another “cheater recipe,” because you start off with abox of cake mix, add some fool-proof homemade icing and a heavy hand of sprinkles, and you have yourself one perfectly semi-homemade dessert that takes about 20 minutes to throw together.

I love a good sheet cake. Try these delicious recipes too:Grandma Shoaf’s Quick and Easy Chocolate Sheet Cake,The Best Chocolate Buttercream FrostingandPumpkin Sheet Cake with Caramel Frosting.

round white plate with one square portion of vanilla sheet cake.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Year-Round Favorite: This vanilla sheet cake is easy to make and simple to customize for any occasion.
Halloween Twist: For Halloween, add a few drops of orange food coloring to the icing along with Halloween-themed bat sprinkles for a festive touch.
Christmas Variation: Keep the icing white for Christmas and sprinkle with red, green, and white decorative balls to capture the holiday spirit.
Birthday Customization: Tailor the icing color to the birthday person’s favorite and let them choose their own sprinkles, making it a fun and personalized treat. My kids love taking charge of the sprinkles, making me feel like the world’s best mom.

Recipe Ingredients

portion bowls each with raw ingredients to make vanilla sheet cake recipe.

For the Cake

1 box Betty Crocker cake mix (Yellow, White, White Butter Recipe, and Yellow Butter Recipe all work great)
Ingredients called for on the back of the box

For the Icing

Butter (no margarine here please!)
Milk
Powdered sugar
Almond extract
Vanilla extract

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How Do I Make Vanilla Sheet Cake

clear mixing bowl the progress of making the vanilla sheet cake batter recipe.

sheet pan with vanilla cake batter raw ready for the oven.

Step #1.Make the cake batter according to the package directions and spread it evenly into a large greased, rimmed sheet cake pan.

Step #2.Bake until the cake is cooked through. You’ll start to smell the cake and the cake will spring back when touched lightly, 12 to 15 minutes.

sauce pan making the frosting for the vanilla sheet cake recipe.

clear mixing bowl with the progress of making the vanilla sheet cake recipe.

Step #3.While the cake is cooking, in a small sauce pan heat the butter and milk over medium heat until the butter melts, stirring often. Remove from the heat.

Step #4.Add the powdered sugar to a large bowl and slowly whisk in the melted butter mixture into the powdered sugar. Add almond and vanilla extract. After letting the baked cake cool, drizzle and gently spread the icing to the edges with a spatula.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make sheet cake ahead of time?

Yes you can! Not only is this cake easy, it also travels great and can be made a day ahead of time. Always a good trait in a dessert during the holidays.

How many people does a sheet cake feed?

This particular sheet cake serves about 20.

How do I know when the sheet cake is done baking?

The cake is done when it starts to pull away from the edges of the pan, it springs back when lightly touched, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Expert Tips

Sift all dry ingredients, including flour and leavening agents, to aerate and integrate them fully for a smooth, evenly baked cake.
Let the cake cool in its pan on a wire rack for the precise time needed to firm up but remain moist, ensuring it’s easy to remove without crumbling.
Experiment with infusing your batter withdifferent extracts like almond or lemon, or fold in citrus zest, spices like cinnamon,or even finely chopped nuts to personalize the flavor profile of your sheet cake.
To ensure your sheet cake cooks evenly,spread the batter using an offset spatula or something similiar.This simple step helps achieve a level surface, preventing uneven baking and overcooked edges.