This recipe makes a perfect classic sheet cake, which you can pair with any of your favorite frostings or chocolate ganache.
Makes one 9- by 13-inch cake
Ingredients
- 4 cups cake flour, plus more for the pan
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups well-shaken buttermilk, room temperature
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9- by 13-inch baking pan and lightly dust with flour, shaking out the excess. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar, and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.
- Add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients, mixing until mostly combined. Add half the buttermilk and mix on low speed until incorporated, then add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Add the remaining buttermilk, followed by the remaining flour, until the ingredients are just incorporated.
- Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before turning out onto a rack or parchment paper. Cool completely before frosting.
