Lovely Christmas Sheet Cake made from scratch & sure to impress! Festive holiday colors abound in this delightful 9×13 sheet cake recipe.
Keep reading for step-by-step instructions on how to make this Christmas sheet cake from scratch. It only needs a handful of basic ingredients and you most likely have several of them in your own home. This recipe is perfect for sharing with family and friends because one cake makes enough to share with about a dozen people.
Holiday sheet cake
A sheet cake is a one-layered cake that can be found baked on a rimmed baking sheet or in a 9×13 baking dish. In this case, we are using a baking dish for a taller cake. Decorated and frosted to perfection this single-layer cake is one you’re going to want to make for the holidays every year.
Christmas sheet cake ingredients
For the cake, you will need:
-Flour: You will need 3 cups of all-purpose flour for this cake mix.
-Sugar: Use 1 ⅓ cups of granulated sugar to make the cake nice and sweet.
-Milk: Adding in ¾ cups of milk will moisten the batter and keep it tasting great.
-Oil: Use ⅓ cups of cooking oil to add needed fats to this cake.
-Butter: Adding in 2 sticks (one cup) of softened butter will make the cake richer in taste.
-Eggs: You will need 4 eggs to help bind the cake together and help the leavening.
-Lemon juice: Adding in one tablespoon of lemon juice will make the cake taste fresher.
-Vanilla extract: Use 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract to make the cake batter taste better.
-Baking powder: To help the cake leaven and rise, add two teaspoons of baking powder.
-Salt: Adding in 2 teaspoons of salt will help to enhance the flavors in the cake and make it taste even better.
For the frosting, you will need:
-Powdered sugar: You will need 5-6 cups of powdered sugar to make the frosting smooth and sweet.
-Butter: Use 2 sticks (1 cup) of softened unsalted butter for a rich-tasting frosting.
-Vanilla: Add in 3 tablespoons of vanilla extract to make the frosting taste incredible. High-quality vanilla brands will give you a stronger flavor.
-Salt: 2 teaspoons of salt will enhance the flavors of the frosting and make it taste incredible.
-Food coloring: You will need ½ teaspoon each of forest green gel food coloring, green gel food coloring, red icing color, and one teaspoon of white gel food coloring. I find all of my food coloring gels in the cake decorating section of my local Walmart.
How to make Christmas sheet cake
Make the cake batter
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and spray the inside of a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar.
In another bowl, mix together the vanilla, eggs, oil, lemon juice, and milk until combined.
In another bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and mix well.
Combine the butter and flour mixtures on medium speed with an electric mixer until no lumps remain and the ingredients are fully combined.
Bake the cake in a 9×13 glass dish
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to fully cool. This usually takes about an hour.
Mix the Buttercream Frosting
While the cake is cooling, place half of the butter for the frosting into a mixing bowl and with a hand mixer to beat it until it’s smooth.
Add in the rest of the butter, vanilla, and salt. Mix again until it’s smooth and combined.
Add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time until fully incorporated.
Once finished, place the frosting in the fridge while the cake cools.
Color the Frosting in Christmas Colors
Once the cake has cooled, separate the frosting into 4 equal parts and place each portion into its own bowl.
Place a different color into each bowl and mix until no white streaks remain and the color has been fully blended. If you want to adjust the hue by adding in more color, do so now.
Place ¾ of the forest green frosting into a frosting bag with tip #849 and make 6-7 medium sized rosettes over the top of the cake. I do this by starting on an outside circle and working my way inward in a circular motion.
Place half of the red frosting into a frosting bag with tip #869. Make dollops over the cake in 6-7 spots randomly across the cake. Make the dollops by holding the frosting bag straight up and down and applying a little pressure as you press down onto the cake and releasing the pressure as you light up.
Use a variety of frosting tips to pipe frosting onto cake
Place the light green frosting in a frosting bag with tip #862 and place small dollops all over the top of the cake. Place them everywhere and make a lot of them. Really have fun with it!
Repeat the same exact process for the white frosting but use tip #860 and make even more white dollops than you did the light green ones.
Revisit the forest green and start making dollops with it using the same tip instead of the rosettes you originally did. Add these dollops wherever you see fit.
Add the rest of the red frosting to a frosting bag with tip #863 and fill in the small holes with tiny dollops of red.
Add the rest of the forest green frosting to a frosting bag with tip #861 and fill in the even smaller holes with dollops.
Serve & enjoy!
What Frosting Tips do I need for this cake?
I used Ateco tips 849, 860, 862 & 863. Honestly though, you could use any 4 random frosting tips! The trick is to do some dollops and others rosettes, so they look different!
Do yourself a favor though and use disposable piping bags. Just toss them when you’re done! So much easier!
Christmas Sheet Cake recipe
Ingredients
For Cake:
- 3 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 ⅓ Cups Granulated Sugar
- ¾ Cup Milk
- ⅓ Cup Oil
- 2 Sticks Butter room temp (1 Cup)
- 4 Eggs
- 1 TBSP Lemon Juice
- 1 TBSP Vanilla Extract
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 2 tsp Salt
For Frosting:
- 5 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter 2 sticks
- 3 TBSP Vanilla Extract
- 2 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Forest Green Gel Food Dye
- ½ tsp Green Gel Food Dye
- ½ tsp Red Icing Color
- 1 tsp White Gel Food Dye
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray the 9×13 cake pan with nonstick spray.
Mix cake batter
- Cream together the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the vanilla, eggs, oil, lemon juice, and milk to the bowl with the butter mixture. Use a hand mixer and beat on medium speed until fully combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix well.
- Combine the butter and flour mixture and beat on medium until no lumps remain and all ingredients are fully combined.
Bake Cake
- Pour into the prepared cake pan, spread evenly, and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let fully cool. This can take about an hour.
Make Buttercream Frosting
- While the cake is cooling, place half the butter for the frosting in a large mixing bowl and use the hand mixture to beat it until smooth.
- Add the rest of the butter, vanilla, and salt. Mix again until smooth and combined.
- One cup at a time, add the powdered sugar to the butter mixture and beat until fully incorporated. You'll use between 5 and 6 cups.
- Once finished, place the frosting in the fridge while your cake cools.
- Once the cake is ready, separate the frosting into four equal parts, each in their own bowl.
Dye Frosting 4 different Christmas colors
- Place a different color in each bowl and mix until no white streaks appear. If you need to add a little more color to get the right hue, do so now.
- Place ¾ of the forest green frosting in a frosting bag with tip #849 and make around 6-7 medium rosettes randomly across the surface of the cake. I do this by starting from the outside and working my way in with a circular motion.
- Place half of the red in a frosting bag with tip #869, however, don’t do rosettes like the forest green, do dollops. Do this in around 6-7 spots randomly across the cake. Make the dollops by holding the tip straight up and down, squeezing the frosting into a small pile, lightly pressing down, and then squeezing out more frosting into a small pile on top of the first, ending with a light press down and release of the pressure on the frosting.
Pipe Frosting onto cake
- Place the light green frosting in a frosting bag with tip #862 and place small dollops randomly across the cake. A lot of them. Have fun with it. Do this by releasing a bit of frosting and ending with a light press down and release of pressure (stop squeezing the frosting out).
- Repeat the same exact process as the light green, with the white frosting, except use its own frosting bag and tip #860. Do even more of the white than the light green.
- Revisit the forest green and start doing dollops with the same tip instead of rosettes. Do this all over, where you see fit.
- Add the rest of the red frosting to a frosting bag and use tip #863 and fill in small holes with small dollops.
- Add the rest of the forest green frosting to a frosting bag and use tip #861 and fill in smaller holes with tiny dollops. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition
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Why is my frosting runny or not making shapes properly?
If your frosting is too warm then it will not hold shape nearly as well as it will when it’s cold. I recommend placing the frosting bags in the fridge and letting them chill for a good 15 minutes or so. This will help them to work much better.
How to store Christmas sheet cake
Keep this sheet cake stored covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. As the cake sits in the fridge you may even notice some of the colors from the frosting turning to an even darker hue so red and green may be much more vibrant.
More wonderful Christmas Recipes:
- CHRISTMAS JELLO POKE CAKE
- WHITE CHRISTMAS TREE PRETZELS
- CHRISTMAS CREAM PUFFS
- SOFT CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIES
- CHRISTMAS MUDDY BUDDIES
- CHRISTMAS CINNAMON ROLLS
- CHRISTMAS CRANBERRY CAKE
- HOT CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS COOKIES
- CHRISTMAS SPRINKLE SUGAR COOKIES
- M&M CHRISTMAS COOKIE BARS
- FESTIVE CHRISTMAS VEGGIE TRAYS & PLATTERS
- LAYERED CHRISTMAS JELLO CUPS
- CHRISTMAS PEPPERMINT PATTIES
- CHRISTMAS CANDY PUFFCORN
This Christmas sheet cake recipe is sure to be the hit of your next holiday party! Made from scratch and made to look festive and fun you really can’t go wrong with cake.
Rosie says
I saw the picture of this cake and thought it would be pretty for coffee hour at church.
Then, I read the recipe and saw that the frosting has 5 cups of powdered sugar – 3 cups of butter – 3 Tablespoons of vanilla – and – 2 teaspoons of salt.
I’ve been baking for over 60 years and have never seen anything like this – the frosting would be pure grease, the vanilla would be overpowering, and the salt would make you sick. Is this a misprint?
Nicole says
The frosting in this recipe is not a misprint and is as written. It’s a very rich buttercream.
Chey says
hmmm…. actually, ONE (not 3) cup of butter to 5 cups of powdered sugar for the frosting sounds spot on. I’m definitely going to use this frosting recipe, with decreasing the salt because I used salted butter.
Nicole says
True buttercream recipes (the kind used in bakeries) do have a high butter to sugar ratio