Class 2026 Vanilla Graduation Cake (Printer view)

Fluffy vanilla sheet cake with creamy buttercream and festive sprinkles for celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
09 - 1½ cups whole milk, room temperature

→ Vanilla Buttercream

10 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
11 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
13 - ¼ cup whole milk, room temperature
14 - Pinch of salt

→ Decoration

15 - Graduation-themed sprinkles or edible decorations
16 - Gel food coloring, optional for school colors

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12x18-inch sheet pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat 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.
05 - Add half the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low speed. Pour in half the milk and mix gently. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients and milk, mixing just until combined.
06 - Transfer batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly.
07 - Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
09 - Beat butter until creamy, approximately 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low speed. Add vanilla, milk, and salt. Beat on high for 2–3 minutes until fluffy. Add food coloring if desired.
10 - Spread buttercream evenly over the cooled cake. Decorate with graduation-themed sprinkles or edible decorations.
11 - Slice and serve the cake.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It feeds 24 people and actually tastes like you spent hours on it, even though you didn't.
  • The buttercream is silky enough to frost smoothly but sturdy enough to hold decorations without melting.
  • You can bake it the day before, frost it the morning of the party, and spend less time in the kitchen and more time celebrating.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not optional—they're the difference between a light, tender cake and a dense one that feels heavy.
  • Don't overmix once you add the dry ingredients; mix just until you don't see streaks of flour, then stop, even if it feels like you could stir more.
03 -
  • Use an offset spatula for frosting—it gives you more control and helps you create an even, smooth surface.
  • If your frosting is too soft to decorate with, refrigerate it for 15 minutes, then beat it again before piping.
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