Cake is one of recipes that you either love or loathe baking. I love it, but I don’t always love making layered cakes. They take longer to make, they are more complicated and so many things can go wrong. That’s why I like to take some of my favorite layered cake recipes and turn them into cakes that can be baked in a sheet pan. This Confetti Sheet Cake is so easy to make, no layered required, and topped with a luscious vanilla frosting dotted with pretty sprinkles. I’ve made this for birthdays, weekend BBQ’s or even when I’m just craving a slice 🙂
RECIPE TIPS
- Sprinkles: I feel like I needed to dedicate a section here to sprinkles because there are so many different varieties and not all of them will work in this cookie. For this recipe I used my favorite type of sprinkles, confetti quins. They hold their shape and provide the prettiest pastel little bursts of color and flavor in every bite. You can also use classic sprinkles. For this cake recipe I do not recommend that you use nonpareils. They’re small and add a great crunch but the color will bleed if you mix them into any sort of batter. If you would like to make a recipe using nonpareils, try these Christmas Kiss Cookies!
- Choosing the right pan: Using the right pan anytime you bake is the key to having the recipe come out correctly every time. You really want a cake that won’t stick to the pan and provide an even bake. I love using this Baker’s Secret Pan for any sheet cakes I bake. The cake slid right out of the pan after it cooled and stayed so moist. I use so many of their pans but this one blew my mind!
If you’re interested in other cake recipes click here! If you end up trying the recipe please leave a rating and comment of what you thought 🙂
Confetti Sheet Cake
I love making cakes in sheet pans and this Confetti Sheet Cake does not disappoint! Super moist, flavorful vanilla cake dotted with cute sprinkles and topped with a creamy vanilla frosting. This recipe is super easy to make and perfect for a birthday or get together.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 cup butter, room temperature I prefer to bake with salted butter but you can use unsalted!
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk room temperature
- ¾ cup rainbow sprinkles
For the frosting:
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 4 ½ – 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup heavy cream room temperature
- ¼ cup rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
For the cake:
- Grease and line a 9×13 pan and preheat the oven to 350. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the butter, granulated sugar and vanilla and beat on medium high until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add the eggs, one at a time, while the mixer is on low. Mix until just incorporated.
- Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low, pour in the buttermilk and mix until everything is combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a spatula to fold in the rainbow sprinkles. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until completely baked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
For the frosting:
- Once the cake has cooled, cream the butter and powdered sugar on medium high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer for 1 minute. Add in the vanilla, salt, and heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches the desired consistency. Prepare a piping bag with a round tip and fill with ⅓ of the frosting.
- Add the remaining frosting to the top of the cooled cake and spread evenly. Pipe frosting around the edges of the cake and sprinkle on remaining sprinkles. Serve & enjoy!
anastasia
what can i add instead of buttermilk?
Raajnie Jayamanne
I made this cake last week for my husband’s birthday and it was such a hit! I can’t thank you enough for this recipe. The only changes i made were – I used only 1 1/2 cups of icing sugar for the frosting and added blue food colouring for the icing. It’s the first time i ever baked a sheet cake. Everyone enjoyed it and the comments were FAB <3 Thank you sooo much xxxx
Kim
Thank you for this recipe! I made one modification to it, and that was switching the 1 C. of butter to 1/2 C. butter and 1/2 C. canola oil (or you could use vegetable oil). I think that creates a slightly lighter texture. I now use this for my white cake recipe by omitting the confetti. It’s delicious!
Emily
Oh yum, so glad you enjoyed it!