This Vanilla sheet cake with strawberries uses the same beautiful base as my three-layer celebration cake but skips the layers for a simple tray bake. It has a soft crumb, full vanilla flavour, and is easy to hold when sliced.
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The strawberry buttercream is the same one I use on my mini chocolate cakes. Freeze-dried berries or powder gives it a strong, natural flavour and soft pink colour, without adding moisture that could affect the texture. It spreads easily and holds up well, even on warmer days.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Bakes in one pan and slices easily, making it great for parties without fuss
- Delicious flavour with soft crumb thanks to cake flour and buttermilk
- Oil keeps it moist for longer, so you can make it in advance
- Strawberry buttercream brings a bold berry taste and smooth texture that stays firm
Recipe Ingredients
- Vegetable oil keeps cake moist longer, even in warmer weather
- Cake flour gives a light, tender crumb. If you don’t have cake flour, make your own with 245g plain flour plus 35g cornflour (cornstarch), sifted together -find the full instructions here
- Buttermilk adds tang and reacts with leaveners for lift
- Freeze-dried strawberry powder – bright, natural flavour and colour in the buttercream (make your own by blitzing freeze-dried berries)
See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Vanilla Sheet Cake With Strawberries
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment that extends over edges for easy lifting.
- Step 2: Combine dry ingredients; whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt with a fork or whisk.
- Step 3: Mix wet: beat sugar, butter, then drizzle in oil until glossy.
- Step 4: Add eggs and vanilla, then alternate dry ingredients and buttermilk until just combined.
- Step 5: Pour into pan, smooth top, tap gently, and bake for 25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Step 6: Cool in pan 10 minutes, then lift with parchment and cool completely on cooling rack before frosting with strawberry buttercream (see recipe card for buttercream instructions).
Hint: Lifting the parchment paper “handles” makes getting the cake out much easier.
"The cake stays so soft!"
...and the strawberry buttercream was perfect.
Substitutions & Variations
- Try freeze-dried raspberry powder for a tart twist
- No buttermilk? You can make your own buttermilk with just 2 ingredients -follow these steps.
- Make a sandwich layer cake: bake two cake layers and sandwich with them together with Lemon Curd and Chantilly Cream.
- Mix up the buttercream - try my Nutella buttercream for chocolate lovers, or a maple cream cheese frosting for autumn vibes.
Equipment
You’ll need a 9 x 13 inch pan, mixing bowls, handheld electric mixer or stand mixer and parchment.
Storage
- Room temperature: keep covered in an airtight container up to 2 days
- Fridge: airtight, up to 4 days; bring to room temperature before slicing
- Freezer: freeze slices wrapped well for up to 3 months
Top Tip
To get clean slices, chill the frosted cake for 15 minutes before cutting - it firms everything up without drying it out.
FAQ
About 20 slices, depending on how generous you are!
Yes! You can freeze slices either frosted or plain, wrapped tightly, for up to 3 months. If freezing frosted cake, freeze it for 30 minutes befroe wrapping it in plastic wrap.
A 9×13 inch pan works best, for quick and easy baking. A parchment overhang makes removal easier.
Let it cool fully in the pan, then frost it right in there if you’re taking it somewhere. Just cover it with foil or plastic wrap. Perfect for BBQs and picnics.
Vanilla Sheet Cake with Strawberry Buttercream
Ingredients
Vanilla Sheet Cake
- 150 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 tablespoons canola oil or neutral oil
- 195 grams caster sugar
- 4 eggs XL, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 280 grams cake flour see notes for making your own cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- 188 ml buttermilk room temperature
Strawberry Buttercream
- 125 grams unsalted butter at room temp
- 300 grams icing sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon freeze dried strawberry powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 3-4 tablespoons cream room temperature
Instructions
- Beat the butter and caster sugar either in a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer at medium speed for 5 minutes, until pale and fluffy Stop and scrape the bowl with a silicone spatula, as needed.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the oil. Beat until well combined and glossy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Scrape the bowl to ensure there's no butter lumps.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
- In thirds, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix until just combined.
- Spread batter evenly in the pan, then bake for 25 minutes, until lightly golden and a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then use the parchment paper to lift the cake onto a wire cake cooler to cool completely. Once cooled, spread on the strawberry buttercream.
Strawberry Buttercream
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until pale and fluffy (about 2 minutes). It is a small amount, so a handheld mixer will work best.
- Reduce the speed and add the salt and vanilla, then gradually add combined icing sugar and strawberry powder, alternating with the cream.
- Mix on high for another minute. Adjust consistency if required, by adding a little more icing sugar to thicken, or a little more cream to thin the frosting.
Notes
To make 280g of cake flour at home, start with 245g of plain (all-purpose) flour. Add 35g of cornflour (cornstarch). Sift or whisk the mixture well before using, to ensure it’s fully combined and aerated.
Nutrition
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Sandra says
My family loved this!