20 Sheet Cake Recipes To Keep in Your Back Pocket

While you don't need a special occasion to bake a sheet cake, they're sure to be a hit at birthdays and holidays alike. They're also some of the easiest desserts, and can be great options for beginner bakers—and for feeding a crowd! The following recipes include everything from decadent chocolate cakes to fun, exciting flavors. If you're not sure where to start, Kardea's red velvet cake is a great choice. It's her favorite cake flavor—and for good reason! She employs a few "secret weapon" ingredients, like cake flour, buttermilk and vinegar, to ensure her cake is extra light and fluffy. The whole thing is smothered with a rich, tangy, and utterly delicious cream cheese frosting.

It doesn't get more classic than a yellow cake with chocolate frosting! Ina includes sour cream in her sheet cake recipe to ensure a rich, tender cake that's full of moisture. For a frosting that's rich and not too sweet, Ina uses semisweet chocolate chips and a bit of corn syrup, rather than powdered sugar.

Chocolate and peanut butter is an irresistable combination, especially in cake form! Molly's super-easy cake is virtually impossible to mess up and full of flavor. The cake itself is super moist and stays that way for a long time, thanks to the oil and chunky peanut butter in the batter.

The “wacky” in the title refers to breaking all the rules of baking. Born out of necessity during the Great Depression, this cake swaps out the expected milk, butter and eggs — which were expensive and hard to find at the time — for water, oil and vinegar. And, yet, through some smart kitchen science, the cake still comes out fluffy, light and not a bit dry. You can mix up the batter right in the baking pan (no bowl required!) with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. This is a vintage hack that feels like a new classic.

This rich sheet cake features a unique combination of a yeast dough and a gooey, buttery vanilla filling. When baked, the top develops a beautiful golden, crackly crust, but what’s underneath makes this cake so special — a buttery, irresistible filling that you’ll want every last bit of the cake to sop up. Butter cake hails from Northeast Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs and is said to have originated when German bakers adapted the traditional butterkuchen for sale in bakeries. It’s fortunately very easy to make at home with standard baking ingredients and just a bit of patience for rising and cooling.

Ree's Chocolate Sheet Cake is easy to make, decorating is a cinch and the whole thing is ready in under an hour! Ree includes pecans in her chocolate frosting, but they can easily be omitted if preferred. She recommends skipping the nuts and setting out a bowl of chocolate candies for decorating if you're baking for kids!

This banana cake is delectably moist, perfectly sweet and easy to make. Dark brown sugar and sour cream add depth to the batter, and we added melted butter instead of vegetable oil for a flavor boost. Fluffy cream cheese frosting and swirls of dulce de leche will make you go back for seconds. We also upped the ante by using bananas in two ways — fresh bananas are mixed into the cake while maple-candied banana chips create a crunchy topping. by Steps

This buttery, maple-and-vanilla-flavored sheet cake is reminiscent of pecan pie, but perfect for cake lovers looking for an alternative dessert for special occasions. Plus, it's significantly easier to bake! Topped with a rich, sugary maple frosting and toasted pecans, this cake will almost make you forget about the classic pie.

Stout's malty and roasted cocoa notes are enhanced in this cake with the addition of malted milk powder and Dutch-process cocoa — plus a syrup made with more stout. The beer lends moisture and a rich, complex flavor! This sheet cake makes an ideal birthday cake for a grown-up (served with a few pints, of course!).

We're certain this all-purpose cake batter will be your go-to recipe for anything from jelly rolls cakes to berry-laden trifles. It is incredibly simple and results in a tender yet pliable crumb. While a chocolate frosting never fails, the sky's the limit when it comes to toppings!

If you're looking for a consistent crowd pleaser, make Katie's Texas Sheet Cake! Katie says, "My mom always makes Texas Sheet Cake for summer parties. Not much could make it better, except a scoop of vanilla ice cream, especially on a hot day. This cake is excellent for a crowd."

It's no secret that the best part of a crumb cake is, well, the crumb! Unlike other versions, this sheet pan dessert is half cake and half crumb topping, for more deliciousness in every slice. The cake part is perfectly sweet, with just the right amount of tang from the sour cream, while the topping is mega buttery and spiked with cinnamon. Win-win!

Kelsey's sheet cake is a go-to for entertaining. The chocolate and peanut butter combination is great on its own, but she offers many variations to suit every occasion. Some additional options include adding toasted coconut, drizzling with warm caramel, or swapping the peanut butter for chocolate fudge.

A fun change from classic chocolate or vanilla, Molly's sheet cake is inspired by her favorite airline cookies! The flavor comes from cookie butter, which has a gingerbread-like flavor. The cookie butter goes into the frosting as well, so there's a ton of warm spiced flavor! This is a great dessert to make for the holidays, too.

This cake really is the ultimate crowd pleaser, as it has something for everyone. Ribbons of chocolate are swirled into a fluffy vanilla cake which is topped with a light and airy chocolate frosting. By adding semisweet chocolate to a portion of the batter, we eliminated the need to make separate batches. The cake is perfect for a midweek snacking cake or celebratory dessert that you need in a pinch.

Why limit upside-down cake to pineapple only? We showcase the classic option here, upgraded with a bevy of other fun fruits like oranges, plums, and raspberries! Serve while warm for the best results.

The Swiss Meringue frosting is the star of this dessert! Coconut and vanilla extracts are added to the frosting as it cooks, imparting plenty of sweet coconut flavor. Use a kitchen torch to get those beautiful golden peaks!

This dessert takes the flavors and textures or Britain’s beloved sticky toffee pudding and transforms them into an irresistible sheet cake. It’s an easy-to-make, easy-to-serve dessert that will wow a crowd. We start with a rich date-infused batter like the original does, but instead of baking it individually we use a standard rimmed baking sheet. A homemade toffee sauce is generously drizzled over top, so it soaks in for a perfect moist and sweet cake. Serve the cake warm with even more toffee sauce and a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream for the full Anglo-American experience.

Ree's easy cake is absolutely foolproof, and perfect for anyone who prefers classic comfort foods! She whips up a fluffy chocolate cake, which uses both cocoa powder and chocolate chips for rich, delicious flavor. A simple vanilla frosting adds the pefect finishing touch.