High School Graduation Sheet Cake (Printable)

Moist vanilla sheet cake, creamy buttercream, and Class of 2026 piping—perfect for festive graduation gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sheet Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

→ Buttercream Frosting

09 - 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
10 - 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 - 4–6 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
13 - Food coloring (school colors and black for piping, as desired)

→ Decoration

14 - Sprinkles, edible glitter, or colored sugar (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 13x18-inch sheet pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3–4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract.
05 - Add dry mixture to wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with milk. Begin and end with flour mixture. Mix just until incorporated; avoid overmixing.
06 - Pour batter evenly into prepared sheet pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
07 - Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.
08 - Allow cake to cool completely in the pan atop a wire rack.
09 - Beat unsalted butter in a mixing bowl on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar, mixing thoroughly. Add vanilla extract and sufficient milk or cream to achieve desired consistency.
10 - Partition frosting and tint portions for base, border, and piping as needed using gel food coloring.
11 - Spread a smooth base layer of buttercream over cooled cake. Pipe borders and ‘Class of 2026’ lettering using piping bags fitted with appropriate tips. Finish with sprinkles, edible glitter, or colored sugar as desired.
12 - Chill cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving to ensure frosting is set.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sheet cake stays moist even after chilling, so you can make it in advance without worry.
  • Every slice delivers both soft cake and creamy frosting—no one misses out on the best part.
02 -
  • If you frost before the cake cools fully, the buttercream melts and you lose texture—learned after a hasty attempt one summer.
  • Mixing the food coloring in slowly ensures you avoid unexpected color streaks on the piping.
03 -
  • Always sift powdered sugar for buttercream—it keeps the frosting super smooth.
  • A tiny bit of clear vanilla or almond extract adds depth to the icing, making each bite memorable.
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