This Cream Cheese Frosted Sheet Cake is a simple vanilla 9×13 cake with a thick layer of tangy cream cheese frosting on top. It’s the kind of dessert I make when I want something reliable and easy to slice.
The cake itself is moist and soft with a clear vanilla flavor, and the frosting has that little bit of salted tang that keeps it from tasting flat. For me, the sour cream and buttermilk combo is what makes the texture feel bakery-soft, but still sturdy enough to carry the frosting.
I like this cake for potlucks, birthday tables, and weekends when I want a dessert that holds up in the fridge. Add sprinkles if it’s for a party, or a little lemon zest if you want the frosting to taste brighter.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Sheet cake ease: Everything bakes in one 9×13 pan, so it’s low-fuss and easy to serve.
Soft vanilla cake: The crumb stays tender and moist, even after chilling, which is exactly what I want under cream cheese frosting.
That tangy frosting: Cream cheese gives the sweetness some bite, and it tastes especially good with vanilla.
Clean slices: A quick chill helps you cut tidy squares, which is nice when you’re feeding a group.
Easy to dress up: Sprinkles, lemon zest, or even a few berries on top make it look finished with almost no effort.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Cake
- All-purpose flour: I use regular flour here. Spoon it into the measuring cup (don’t pack it) so the cake stays light.
- Baking powder: This is the main lift for a sheet cake that bakes up evenly.
- Baking soda: Helps the buttermilk do its job and keeps the crumb soft.
- Kosher salt: Don’t skip it. It makes the vanilla taste more like vanilla.
- Unsalted butter: Softened butter creams better and gives you a finer, more even texture.
- Granulated sugar: Keeps the cake classic and clean-tasting. I don’t swap brown sugar here.
- Eggs: Room temp eggs mix in smoothly, and the batter looks less curdled.
- Vanilla extract: Use the good stuff if you have it since vanilla is the main flavor.
- Buttermilk: This keeps the cake tender and gives it a slight tang. If you don’t have it, the milk + lemon juice trick works fine.
- Sour cream: Makes the cake moist and a little richer. Plain Greek yogurt works the same way.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese: Let it soften fully or you’ll fight little lumps in the frosting.
- Unsalted butter: Butter plus cream cheese makes the frosting creamy but still spreadable.
- Powdered sugar: Sifting helps if yours is lumpy. It makes the frosting smoother right away.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla rounds out the tang and keeps the frosting from tasting one-note.
- Salt: Just a tiny bit keeps the frosting from tasting overly sweet.
- Milk or heavy cream: Add a little at a time. I usually use cream if I want it thicker and richer.
Optional
- Sprinkles: Easy way to make it look like a party cake with no extra work.
- Lemon zest: I like this if the cake is for spring or summer. It makes the frosting taste brighter.
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan well, getting into the corners.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Beat the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one until combined.
- Add the vanilla: Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Add the flour mixture: Mix in about one-third of the dry ingredients just until you stop seeing dry flour.
- Add the buttermilk: Mix in about half the buttermilk.
- Finish alternating: Continue alternating the dry ingredients and buttermilk, ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
- Fold in the sour cream: Add the sour cream and fold it in just until the batter looks smooth.
- Spread the batter: Scrape the batter into the pan and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake: Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back lightly.
- Cool: Let the cake cool completely in the pan before frosting.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter: Beat the cream cheese and butter together until very smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar: Beat in the powdered sugar gradually, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add vanilla and salt: Mix in the vanilla and salt until the frosting is evenly combined.
- Adjust the texture: Add milk or heavy cream a little at a time until the frosting is spreadable.
- Frost the cake: Spread the frosting evenly over the fully cooled cake.
- Chill for slicing: Chill the frosted cake for 20 minutes if you want cleaner slices, then cut and serve.
Some of my tips!
This is the part that really makes a difference. If you only read one section, make it this one because this is where I share the little trick that helps the recipe turn out so well.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Use room temp ingredients. Cold buttermilk, sour cream, or eggs can make the batter look a little broken and it won’t bake as evenly. Room temp also makes the frosting whip up smoother.
Stop mixing once the flour is in. Overmixing is how a vanilla sheet cake goes from soft to a little tough. Mix just until you don’t see streaks of flour, then fold in the sour cream.
Spread the batter to the corners. Sheet cakes bake more evenly when the layer is level. I use an offset spatula, but a butter knife works too.
Don’t frost a warm cake. Even slightly warm cake will melt the frosting and it gets messy fast. Wait until the pan is completely cool to the touch.
Go easy on the milk at first. It’s simple to thin frosting, but harder to thicken it back up. If it gets too soft, chill it for a bit before spreading.
Make some touches!
There are plenty of easy ways to serve this depending on the occasion. Keep it simple, or add a few small touches to make it feel a little more special.
Serving Suggestions
- Fresh berries: Strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries are really nice on the side. They make the plate feel less heavy.
- Hot coffee or tea: This is the kind of cake I like with black coffee or an unsweetened iced tea. It’s a good balance with the frosting.
- Lemon garnish: If you add lemon zest to the frosting, a few thin lemon slices or extra zest on top looks good. It also signals that little citrusy kick.
- Party topping: Sprinkles are the easiest option, but I also like a handful of white chocolate curls if I’m feeling fancy. Keep it simple so slicing stays easy.
Save it for later
This section covers how to store leftovers and what parts of the recipe you can prepare ahead of time.
Storage and Make Ahead
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Cream cheese frosting is happiest chilled, and the cake stays moist in the pan or in an airtight container.
If you want to make this recipe ahead, you can bake the cake the day before and keep it covered at room temperature once it’s fully cooled. Frost it the next day, then chill briefly before slicing.
You can also frost it in advance and keep it refrigerated until you need it. I like to let slices sit out for 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the frosting softens slightly.
If you want it to last longer, you can freeze individual portions (frosted or unfrosted) in a tightly sealed container. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
A few quick answers
This section covers a few extra details that may help before you head to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
Yes. Plain Greek yogurt works well in the same spot and gives you a similar moist texture. I’d stick with full-fat if you can, but low-fat will still work.
What can I use if I don’t have buttermilk?
Mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, then let it sit for about 10 minutes. It won’t be exactly the same as real buttermilk, but it works well in this cake.
How do I know when the sheet cake is done?
The top should spring back lightly when you press it, and a toothpick inserted near the center should come out clean. If the toothpick has wet batter, give it a few more minutes and check again.
Why is my cream cheese frosting runny?
Usually it’s because the cream cheese or butter was too warm, or a bit too much milk was added. Chill the frosting for 20 to 30 minutes to firm it up, then beat briefly again before spreading.
Can I add sprinkles or lemon zest to the frosting?
Sprinkles are easiest as a topping after the frosting is spread. Lemon zest can be mixed right into the frosting, and I like it most when you use it sparingly so it doesn’t taste bitter.
You might also like
Before you go, take a look at a few other recipes below the recipe card. They use similar ingredients in a different way and are worth saving too.
MORE DINNER RECIPES TO TRY
Cream Cheese Frosted Cake Sheet Cake
INGREDIENTS
Cake
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream room temperature.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 to 3 tbsp milk or heavy cream.
Optional
- sprinkles
- lemon zest.
INSTRUCTIONS
Bake Cake
- heat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x13 inch pan
- whisk flour baking powder baking soda and salt
- beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy then beat in eggs one at a time and mix in vanilla
- mix in flour mixture alternating with buttermilk then fold in sour cream just until smooth
- spread batter evenly and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back lightly
- cool completely in the pan.
Make Frosting And Finish
- beat cream cheese and butter until very smooth
- beat in powdered sugar gradually then add vanilla and salt
- add milk or cream a little at a time to reach a spreadable consistency
- spread frosting over fully cooled cake and chill 20 minutes for cleaner slices if desired.
