Graduation Sheet Cake Buttercream (Printable Version)

Moist vanilla sheet cake topped with smooth buttercream and colorful piped roses, styled for celebratory events.

# Ingredient List:

→ For the Sheet Cake

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
09 - 1¼ cups whole milk, room temperature

→ For the Buttercream

10 - 1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
11 - 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
12 - ¼ cup whole milk
13 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
14 - Gel food coloring in assorted colors

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 12x18-inch sheet cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until combined.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Cool cake completely in the pan on a wire rack.
08 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes.
09 - Divide buttercream into separate bowls. Tint portions with gel food coloring for roses and leaves; leave some white for base layer.
10 - Spread a thin layer of white buttercream over the cooled cake for a smooth base.
11 - Fit piping bags with desired tips such as petal tip for roses and leaf tip for leaves. Pipe roses and leaves across the cake, focusing on corners or as a border.
12 - Write a congratulations message or personalized graduation greeting with a small round piping tip.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The vanilla cake is so moist and tender that people will ask if you used a box mix (you didn't, and that's the best part).
  • Piping buttercream roses looks fancy but becomes oddly meditative once you get the hang of it.
  • One sheet cake feeds a crowd, making it perfect for any celebration without the stress of multiple layers.
02 -
  • Buttercream roses collapse if your frosting is too warm or too soft; if this happens mid-piping, pop the whole bag in the fridge for 10 minutes and start fresh.
  • The first few roses you pipe will look clumsy, and that's completely normal—by the tenth one, your hands will know what to do without your brain getting in the way.
03 -
  • Keep your piping bag at a consistent 45-degree angle when making roses, and don't squeeze too hard—let the tip do the work while you guide the motion.
  • Having your buttercream at the exact right temperature (cool but still soft) makes the difference between piping gracefully and fighting with your frosting the whole time.
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