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Our favorite Texas-style (read: big) sheet cake, VANILLA VERSION. This is so easy to make, it is tender + moist, and it has a bright vanilla icing blanketing the entire thing.
Vanilla Texas Sheet Cake Recipe
I have not hidden how much I love Texas Sheet Cake from you (here’s my recipe for the Chocolate Sheet Cake). I think it’s a super simple, very large dessert that is perfect for pretty much every occasion. AND it is so quick to make. But we cannot let chocolate have all of the fun! So, here’s my take on a VANILLA Texas Sheet Cake. It has the same moist and fluffy texture, with a tender crumb and a vanilla icing that is poured hot over the top to coat every single inch. It is absolutely heavenly. It is vanilla-forward (obviously) and slightly buttery. Ah! You’re going to love it. And just like its chocolate counterpart, you can make it stretch to accommodate a large group with smaller slices or serve large slices to a smaller crew.
Ingredients
*You can find instructions and exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Cake
- Granulated sugar – Just white sugar here!
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Large eggs
- Sour cream – This adds moisture and a richness to the cake. It helps us achieve that super tender crumb we love.
- Vanilla extract – The vanilla is the star of the show here, so make sure to use a high-quality extract. My super-strength Vanilla works perfectly and it doesn’t have a chemical aftertaste.
- Water
- Salted butter – You can use unsalted butter, if needed. Just be sure to add an extra pinch of salt to the batter.
Frosting
- Milk – You will use this in the frosting base and to help thin the frosting to your desired thickness. Remember, you want the frosting to be spreadable but not too liquidy when you pour it on warm!
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- White food coloring, if desired – This will just help the icing stay bright white, but is obviously not necessary.
How to Make Vanilla Sheet Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a half sheet pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Set aside.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the water and butter. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Pour the hot mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Whisk in the egg mixture until the batter is smooth.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until set.
- While the cake is baking, add the milk, butter, and vanilla to a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring frequently.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Whisk in more milk, a small amount at a time, to thin the frosting to your liking, if desired.
- Pour the warm frosting evenly over the hot cake and spread to cover evenly.
- Let the cake cool completely before slicing and serving.
How should I store this cake?
Once your cake has cooled, cover it tightly and store at room temperature. The cake is best enjoyed within 3 days!
Karli’s Kitchen Faves
Here are a few of my favorite kitchen tools that I used to make this recipe!
- Cookie Sheet – These cookie sheets have put in WORK in my kitchen. If you’re looking for a brand that will stand the test of time (and sheet cake), this is my recommendation.
- Offset spatula – I like to use an offset spatula when icing the cake.
- Bowl Set – I used this set of bowls to mix the different components of the cake and combine the final batter.
- Whisk – This is my very favorite silicone whisk. I love that it doesn’t scratch my pans and it is slightly more flexible for cleaning.
Favorite cakes
Vanilla Texas Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 ½ cups (575g) granulated sugar
- 2 ½ cups (380g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (295ml) water
- 1 ⅓ cups (295g) butter, salted
Frosting
- ¼ cup (59ml) milk
- 10 Tbsp butter
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups (375g) powdered sugar
- White food coloring, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a half sheet pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.2 ½ cups (575g) granulated sugar, 2 ½ cups (380g) all-purpose flour, 1 ¼ tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Set aside.3 large eggs, 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the water and butter. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.1 ¼ cups (295ml) water, 1 ⅓ cups (295g) butter, salted
- Pour the hot mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Whisk in the egg mixture until the batter is smooth.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until set.
- While the cake is baking, add the milk, butter, and vanilla to a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring frequently.¼ cup (59ml) milk, 10 Tbsp butter, 3 tsp vanilla extract
- Remove from heat and whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Whisk in more milk, a small amount at a time, to thin the frosting to your liking, if desired.3 1/2 cups (375g) powdered sugar, White food coloring, if desired
- Pour the warm frosting evenly over the hot cake and spread to cover evenly.
- Let the cake cool completely before slicing and serving.
Made this week for a quick bday treat. It was very good. I did almond/vanilla flavoring. Will definitely make this again.
I made this recipe using GF measure for measure flour and dairy free substitutions and it is UTTERLY AMAZING!!! Holy cow this cake is delicious. I’m embarrassed to say how much of it I ate in one day… literally so good!!!
Hey so this cake is like the cake equivalent to a crumbl cookie. My husband literally said “GOOD JOB” fantastic cake and recipe – will be making MANY more times
What size sheet pan do you recommend?
Half sheet for this one
Wow… this may be the best cake recipe EVER. I love moist cake. In fact, I only ever eat cake if it’s moist. I initially set the timer for 18 minutes because I like most of my baked goods to be underdone according to most recipes. However, this one was right on the money. 21 minutes ended up being perfect. This cake is so moist, easy to make, and quick. My partner and I are so excited to make different variations of it! Next time we might try using orange extract in replacement of the vanilla. We used almond milk when we made it which gave the cake a nice subtle almond taste. 10/10 recipe. Thanks so much!
Can I add finely ground freeze dried strawberries to the icing to make it a strawberry icing
Yes (and that would be DELICIOUS!)
Since there are 24 servings, you must have used what I think of as a full sheet pan, so to avoid my using a pan that’s too small, can you tell me the measurement of the pan you used? Thank you.
13 x 18!
Could I add sprinkles to this to make it fun for a kids birthday cake?🤔
Yes! I think that would be so much fun!