Yellow Sheet Cake

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Last Updated on May 30, 2026 by Kiersten James

This homemade yellow sheet cake bakes in a 9×13 pan, stays soft for days, and is easy enough for anyone just starting to bake from scratch.

This is the yellow sheet cake I make for birthdays, celebrations, and anything that requires a fancier dessert when I’m short on time.

There’s no stand mixer, everything bakes in a regular 9×13 dish, the batter comes together without any annoying steps, and the finished cake stays soft for a few days when stored properly.

I made a few changes to the original recipe I had saved (America’s Test Kitchen) because I wanted something I’d actually make as a regular mom and home baker.

Instead of buying cake flour, I made it myself using all-purpose flour with a little cornstarch. I skip separating eggs and use avocado oil alongside the butter to keep the cake moist longer.

The result is a beautiful homemade yellow cake with a soft crumb, rich vanilla flavor, and great texture that causes self-proclaimed cake haters (looking at you, husband) to admit that it tastes really good.

If you’re learning how to bake from scratch, or just don’t want to be bothered with bakery-level instructions, this is a great recipe to keep in your kitchen binder.

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Yellow Sheet Cake

• Simplified recipe without sacrificing flavor or texture
• No need to separate eggs or bake multiple cake layers
• Perfect for birthdays, celebrations, and any events that need something a little extra special
• Works with any themed frosting
• Transports and freezes very well

Ingredient Highlights:

All-Purpose Flour + Cornstarch: I don’t typically bother keeping cake flour in the pantry. It’s much more expensive and is difficult for me to find since we don’t have many big-name grocery stores nearby. Adding a little cornstarch to all-purpose flour helps create a softer crumb while keeping the ingredient list relatively simple.

Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness while helping create a soft, tender texture.

Baking Powder + Baking Soda: This combination gives the cake a good rise without making it too airy or delicate.

Buttermilk: I use buttermilk or sour cream in a ton of my recipes. It helps keep the cake moist and gives it a richer flavor than regular milk.

Butter: Butter gives yellow cake its classic homemade flavor. For this recipe, you’ll want to melt down the butter to a liquid and then let the liquid cool so it doesn’t cook the eggs.

Avocado Oil: A small amount of avocado oil helps the cake stay soft longer than cakes made entirely with butter. You can use any neutral oil for baking if you don’t have avocado.

Eggs: Four whole eggs provide richness, color, and structure without the extra work of separating egg whites and yolks.

Vanilla Extract: Since yellow cake has a fairly simple flavor profile, good vanilla makes a noticeable difference. If you haven’t made your own homemade vanilla extract yet, you’re missing out!

Tips for the Best Results

1. If you don’t have fresh eggs or store them in the refrigerator, bring the eggs and buttermilk to room temperature before starting. The batter will mix more evenly and bake more consistently.
2. Allow the melted butter to cool slightly before adding it to the wet ingredients so it doesn’t cook the eggs.
3. Mix the batter only until everything is combined. Overmixing will create a tougher cake.
4. Bake only until a toothpick inserted into the center has a few moist crumbs. I wouldn’t wait until it comes out completely clean. Overbaking is one of the fastest ways to dry out a cake.
5. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

How to Make the Best Yellow Sheet Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish.

Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, avocado oil, and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon or stiff rubber spatula just until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. The center of the cake will be set and no longer appear glossy.

Allow the cake to cool in the dish for an hour or two on a cooling rack before frosting.

Storage & Freezing:

Store leftover cake in an air-tight container or cake saver. Wrap individual slices gently in plastic wrap, if able. It will keep longer.

Freezing Instructions:

If you’re already baking one cake, you might want to bake two – this cake freezes beautifully and can be served with only an hour’s notice for unexpected events.

Freeze the entire unfrosted cake, half the cake, or individual slices. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place inside a freezer-safe container or freezer bag.

If you’re freezing the whole cake, wrap it in plastic, then double-wrap it in foil.

Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw at room temperature before frosting or serving.

Frosting Ideas:

This cake literally works with almost any frosting. Some of our favorites are:

• Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
• Milk Chocolate Frosting
• Strawberry Whipped Frosting
• Chocolate Ganache
• Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

For birthdays and celebration cakes, I usually go with vanilla buttercream because it offers more flexibility for sprinkles and decorating.

For church dinners and potlucks, the milk chocolate frosting tends to disappear the fastest.

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