So don’t let dessert intimidate you. After all, sheet cakes are classics, and these recipes are just like your grandma used to make. Of course, you can turn practically any recipe into a 9×13 cake. So if you’ve got a favorite vanilla sponge, feel free to double it up and bake it in a 9×13 pan. But if you’re new to the sheet cake world, these 9×13 cake recipes are a terrific place to start. Enjoy!
1. Vanilla Sheet Cake with Whipped Buttercream Frosting
Let’s start with something simple that everyone loves: vanilla sheet cake with buttercream frosting. It’s sweet, rich, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The cake is light and fluffy, and the icing is smooth and scrumptious. It’s a soft, spongy delight, and the whole family will want seconds.
2. Best Ever Chocolate Cake
I usually scoff when someone claims to have the “best” recipe for something. After all, their best and my best may not be anything alike. However, this might be the best chocolate cake I’ve ever tried. It’s incredibly moist and has a wonderfully springy texture. Plus, it has an insane amount of chocolate flavor. You could easily overdo it with this one, not that you’d mind.
3. Amish Cake
Have you ever eaten anything made by the Amish? If so, you know how good their food is. This Amish cake is no exception. In traditional Amish fashion, it uses one bowl and simple, easy-to-find ingredients. Fortunately, there’s nothing simple about its flavor. Instead, it’s sugary sweet and ultra-moist. And the brown sugar and nut topping? Divine.
4. Texas Sheet Cake
This rich, chocolatey cake is a particular favorite in my house; only we like it thicker and fluffier. That’s why I use a 9×13 pan instead of the standard 18×13. Keep everything else the same as the recipe. Just swap out the pans and increase the bake time to 35-40 minutes. Easy-peasy!
5. Chocolate-Mayonnaise Cake
Want to lock the most possible moisture into your cake? Use mayonnaise. I know it sounds crazy, but I guarantee your grandma used it in her cakes. And we all know that grandmas know their way around a kitchen. Everything about this cake is rich and decadent. From the soft cake to the indulgent ganache frosting, it’s all incredible.
6. Sour Cream Coffee Cake
That said, sour cream will do the trick if you don’t have mayo on hand. This dense, chewy cake features loads of cinnamon and brown sugar flavor plus a crumbly streusel topping, making it perfect for fall. Serve it with tea or coffee for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, and everyone will love it.
7. Lemon Cake
Who needs lemonade when you can have bright, zesty lemon cake instead? This cake is perfectly sweet, tart, and tangy, and it’s unbelievably juicy. It takes a bit of time to make, but the recipe is easy to follow. Plus, you can top it with lemon glaze or lemon frosting. Either way, you won’t be disappointed.
8. Fresh Strawberry Sheet Cake
This fresh, summery cake is delectable, and it looks just as good as it tastes. Put away the food coloring and additives because this pretty-in-pink cake uses natural ingredients for its lovely hue. You’ll add fresh pureed strawberries to the cake and the frosting. That’s a double whammy of sweet strawberry goodness you won’t want to miss.
9. Blueberry Coffee Cake
Of course, if blueberries are more your thing, you might prefer this recipe instead. It’s a dense, hearty coffee cake that’s sweet enough for dessert but filling enough for breakfast. There’s plenty of tart and tangy blueberry flavor in every bite, and the buttery streusel topping helps sweeten the overall taste. What more could you ask?
10. Carrot Cake
Ah, carrot cake. The rich spices… the tangy cream cheese icing… I could eat this spectacular cake all year. And this recipe makes it simple to enjoy. It doesn’t matter if it’s Easter or Thanksgiving – carrot cake is the way to go.
11. Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake
I’ll never understand how Coke, buttermilk, and chocolate can taste so good together. To this day, that combo sounds like a recipe for disaster. Luckily, I’ve eaten enough chocolate Coca-Cola cakes to know better. It doesn’t get much richer, moister, or more chocolatey than this cake. It’s a lot like the Texas sheet cake above. But, I find the silky-smooth icing even sweeter in this one. If you need something to please a hungry crowd, give it a try.
12. Angel Food Layer Cake
Don’t you just love the light sponginess of angel food cake? Now imagine that but in layers. Also picture a cream cheese filling, whipped cream, and cherry pie filling on top. Angel food cake shouldn’t be so sinfully delicious, but who am I to argue?!
13. Butterfinger Poke Cake
Fudge marble cake mix is one of the prettiest box cake mixes around. With a few simple alterations, you can make it one of the tastiest, too. Poke holes all over the top and fill them with a blend of caramel and condensed milk. Add more of that sweet concoction to the top of the cake and let it chill. After several hours, add whipped cream and crushed Butterfingers. I like to use more caramel sauce, too. This cake is every Butterfinger lover’s dream come true.
14. Banana Pudding Cake
You just can’t beat good, old-fashioned banana pudding. Or can you? If you love light, fluffy cake, then yes, you can. This cake tastes overwhelmingly like bananas and uses fewer than ten ingredients. I’d say that might just be the new winner.
15. Red Velvet Cake
This red velvet cake recipe is for a layered round cake. However, as we all know, red velvet is a classic, so if you want to make it 9×13 style, go right ahead! Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray, and mix the batter according to the recipe. Then, pour and spread the mixture evenly in the pan. It’ll take about 35 to 40 minutes to bake.
16. Key Lime Cake
This striking green cake is light and tender. Meanwhile, the frosting is thick, creamy, and full of fresh, bright flavor. If you already enjoy key lime pie, you’ll appreciate this fluffier, cakier version.
17. Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Want a dense, soft cake that smells as good as it tastes? Then, give this pumpkin spice cake a try. The boxed spice cake mix is fragrant, rich, and easy to bake. The cream cheese frosting adds a sweet tanginess that perfectly complements the spices. It’s a culinary masterpiece, and it only takes eight ingredients to make. You’re welcome.
18. Gooey Butter Cake
Ooey, chewy, and supremely buttery, gooey butter cake is an excellent brunch dessert. It’s sweet, tangy, and tender with a slightly crunchy crust. Its mild flavor and interesting texture make it more like a breakfast bar. Luckily, that means you can enjoy it any time of day.
19. Tres Leches Cake
You don’t have to love Mexican food to enjoy tres leches cake. It’s one of those light, fluffy delights that’s universally appreciated. It uses three different types of milk (tres leches) to make it exceptionally moist. I’d almost say it’s juicy! Add a little heavy whipping cream and some strawberries for a final touch. It’ll put a smile on everyone’s face.
20. Funfetti Cake
If you grew up in the 90s, funfetti cake was probably a birthday party staple. I know it was in my house. People have been enjoying this colorful confection since 1989. Overflowing with sprinkles and topped in vanilla buttercream, it’s easy to make and even easier to love. If you want to go all out, use plenty of food coloring to make rainbow icing, too!
21. Ruby Red Grapefruit Poppy Seed Cake
Grapefruit cake isn’t nearly as well-known as other 9×13 cake recipes. And that’s a shame because it’s ridiculously delicious. It’s light and brightly tart with a tender sweetness underneath. Plus, you’ll top it with grapefruit Swiss meringue buttercream, which is just as delectable and decadent as it sounds. It’s also stunning. The pretty pastels are just lovely. It’s the ideal cake for Easter. However, its unique appearance also makes it a hit at birthday parties and baby showers.
22. Oreo Ice Cream Cake
This is ice cream cake in the truest sense of the words. It’s a layer of sweet, cold ice cream on top of a layer of crushed Oreos. Add hot fudge sauce, whipped cream, and more crushed Oreos for a genuinely indulgent treat.
23. Maraschino Cherry Cake
Does the thought of juicy maraschino cherry cake make you weak in the knees? If so, you aren’t alone. Its lovely pink color and soft-as-a-cloud texture are borderline addictive. It’s the vibrant cherry flavor that really seals the deal, though. The cake itself is so good that it hardly needs any icing. Of course, a little extra sweetness doesn’t hurt 😉
24. Snickers Poke Cake
What’s more decadent than a chocolate cake filled with sticky caramel sauce? How about that exact cake with vanilla frosting, chocolate syrup, and chunks of Snickers on top? This over-the-top dessert is sweet and sugary to the max. There’s enough sweetness to have every kid on the block doing somersaults. So maybe it’s not something you could eat every day. As an occasional treat, though, it’s off-the-charts incredible.
25. Peanut Butter Cup Eclair Cake
This peanut butter cup eclair cake has it all. It’s silky smooth with crunchy chunks of Resee’s on top. Plus, it’s full of chocolate and peanut butter yumminess. Best of all, it’s a no-bake recipe that takes just 15 minutes to pull together. Just be sure you budget enough time to let it chill – it needs at least 8 hours to set properly.
26. Pineapple Upside-Down Dump Cake
I’m always amazed by how genuinely fantastic pineapple upside-down cake is. You start with a box of plain yellow cake mix, then add some pre-sliced pineapples, and end up with pure bliss. The cake’s sweetness is remarkable against the tartness of the pineapples and cherries. The crunchiness of the pecans adds a nice touch, as well. Oh, and you can’t beat it for juiciness. Every bite is divine.
27. Caramel Apple Poke Cake
Want to see a family event devolve into chaos? Bring this cake and tell everyone there’s only one piece left. Last year, I made it for Thanksgiving, and I didn’t even get a piece! They’d devoured every last bit of toffee and drop of caramel before I could blink. If you want to keep dessert leftovers to a minimum, this cake is the way to go.
28. Peach Dump Cake
Peach dump cake is like peach cobbler with a lighter, more pillowy crumb. And you can’t beat it for simplicity. You’ll need just four ingredients that get “dumped” into a 9×13 pan. Once baked and golden brown, it’ll smell like summertime in Georgia.
29. Caramel Apple Dump Cake
Caramel apple dump cake is just as straightforward. It still uses butter and yellow cake mix, but you’ll substitute apples and caramel pieces for peaches and brown sugar.
30. Easy Coconut Sheet Cake
This sweet, tropical, coconut-flavored cake is 100% drool-worthy. Better yet, you’ll make it with boxed cake mix, so it’s quick and easy. Luckily, it tastes so fantastic that no one will know it’s not entirely homemade. Top Tip: Add canned pineapple to the batter if you want it extra juicy. The pineapple and coconut taste so good together and make it extra moist.
31. Chocolate Chip Cake
This cake is cinnamony, sugary, and chocolatey – a terrific combination. It’s also soft and tender with gooey, melted chocolate chips. It’s like a chocolate chip cookie, but bigger and fluffier. Yum! Top it with some vanilla ice cream to make it even yummier.
32. Blackberry Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
This cake is unimaginably gorgeous, and it tastes even better than it looks. The blackberries are tangy and bright, while the raspberry Jello is tartly sweet. Together, they pack a wallop of flavor. You’ll use real blackberries, too, and they give the cake more than flavor – they also make it juicy and moist. It’s super tasty, but you won’t stop there. You’ll also top it with rich, sweet-n-tangy coconut cream cheese frosting. It may seem like an odd combination – coconut and blackberries. Try it just once, though, and you’ll be hooked. There’s nothing else quite like it.
33. Incredible Butterscotch Cake
This cake is like eating a Werther’s Original; only it’s much softer and creamier. The flavor, though, is pure butterscotch. It’s rich and warm and tastes like absolute happiness on your tongue. You’d be hard-pressed to find anything more comforting. Click on a star to rate it!
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