Fluffy Vanilla Tray Bake with Buttercream (2024)

5 from 31 votes

Who can resist the timeless allure of a fluffy, moist and tender vanilla tray bake adorned with a layer of rich, creamy, vanilla buttercream frosting and pretty pastel sprinkles?

Not in this house! It's a temptation that's very hard to resist!

This vanilla tray bake recipe is wonderfully straightforward and foolproof. Whether it's your first foray into baking or you're a seasoned pro, our easy step-by-step instructions ensure success every time. We've included all the tips and tricks you need to make this cake a surefire hit.

What sets this cake apart is its clever use of oil instead of butter. The choice of oil offers distinct advantages for sponge cakes, keeping them moist and preventing excessive gluten development for that sought-after soft crumb.

This vanilla sheet cake is the ultimate all-rounder. Perfect as a birthday cake, for bake sales, an office treat or simply a bit of an indulgence at home. Who needs a reason to bake a cake like this? It's joy on a plate.

This vanilla sponge also features in our old-fashioned school cake recipe for Jam and coconut sponge and the luminously pink Tottenham cake.

What's to love about this recipe

• Moist, fluffy and tender sheet cake.

• Easy step-by-step instructions make this tray bake perfect for both beginners and seasoned bakers.

• With oil instead of butter, the cake stays moist without compromising on taste.

• Simple yet elegant, this vanilla tray bake is a classic that never goes out of style.

Key ingredient notes and substitutions

**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients.

Eggs

You will need four large eggs at room temperature, each weighing about 62g with the shell on. Eggs a few grams over or under will still work fine.

Using room-temperature eggs is an important detail for making sponge cakes. When eggs are at room temperature, they blend into the batter more smoothly and uniformly. This helps the cake rise evenly and achieve a delicate, tender crumb.

To warm fridge-cold eggs quickly, place them in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes.

Sugar

Plain, white granulated sugar works well in this recipe. Caster sugar can also be used, but it is not essential.

Oil

Use a flavourless, neutral oil like vegetable or sunflower oil.

Oil offers advantages for sponge cakes over butter. Since it's liquid, oil keeps cakes moist over time without them drying out. Oil also prevents too much gluten development for a softer crumb. Its neutral taste allows the cake flavours to shine. Lastly, oil is more economical than butter.

Baking powder

You might be alarmed to see this cake needs one whole tablespoon of baking powder. That's correct. Please measure it carefully. Scoop a big heap and scrape the top with a butter knife to level it off.

Unsalted butter (for the buttercream)

No worries if you only have salted butter, just skip adding the quarter teaspoon of salt for the buttercream in the recipe.

Make sure the butter is soft but not melted. You should be able to press your finger into it easily and make a dent.

Equipment needed

• An electric hand mixer or a stand mixer.

• A couple of mixing bowls.

• A rectangular baking tin of approximately 33cm x 23cm. A larger tin will result in a flatter cake, and you might also need to reduce the baking time. A slightly smaller cake tin will yield a thicker cake, and you may need to bake it for a few minutes longer.

1. Place the baking tin on the baking paper and cut around it, leaving a border of about 8-10cm.

2. Cut the corners off to get rid of any excess paper once the tin has been lined. Leave about 4cm between the edge of the paper and the corner of the tray.

3. On each corner, cut a diagonal slit perpendicular to the edge of the paper, right up to the corner of the tray (as shown above).

4. Remove the baking tin and fold the paper. Fold each side in towards the centre to the depth of the cut made in the previous step (as shown above). This will shape the paper to fit the tin neatly.

5. Lower the baking paper into the tin and press it into the corners and sides. It should fit perfectly from the folds you made in the previous step.

6. Overlap the corners as in the picture above.

Step-by-step guide:

Prepping

1. If the eggs are fridge-cold, remove them from the fridge approximately 30 minutes before you start to bake. Alternatively, place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes to bring them to room temperature more quickly.

2. Heat the milk in the microwave or a small saucepan until it starts to simmer. Allow it to cool to a lukewarm temperature that you can insert a clean finger into without burning.

3. Line the baking tin with baking paper (see 'Equipment' above for the baking tin size).

Making the cake

4. Preheat the oven to 170℃/338℉/gas mark 3.

5. Add the granulated sugar, room-temperature eggs and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl.

6. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla essence together until the mixture is thick, fluffy and very pale in colour. You should notice trails in the mixture left by the beaters. This will take a minimum of 5 minutes of beating.

7. In a separate bowl or jug, combine the oil and lukewarm milk. Whisk together with a fork until reasonably well blended.

8. Sift together the all-purpose flour (plain flour), baking powder and salt in a bowl.

9. Add half of the sifted flour mixture to the eggs and sugar mixture and beat on a very low speed using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer. Stop as soon as the dry ingredients have been incorporated.

10. Next, add half of the milk and oil mixture and beat again at a low speed. Stop as soon as the liquids have been incorporated.

11. Repeat these steps one more time for the remaining flour and liquid ingredients. Beat on low speed after each addition and be careful not to overbeat.

12. Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and tap it gently on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.

13. Bake on the middle oven shelf for 35-40 minutes until the top of the golden brown cake springs back when touched and a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean. Test doneness at 35 minutes. If your oven runs hot, test earlier at 30 minutes or use a lower oven temperature to begin with.

14. Let the baked cake cool in the tin for at least 20 minutes before flipping it upside down onto a wire rack.

15. Carefully peel off the parchment paper, paying extra attention to the corners where the cake might have baked into the folds of the paper. Set the cake aside to cool fully while we make the buttercream.

    Note: We will frost the cake on the bottom side, which is why we turned it upside down. This ensures a smoother and flatter surface for the buttercream.

Make the buttercream

16. Sift the icing sugar and salt into a large bowl and set aside.

    Note: Sifting icing sugar may be a bit of a chore but it's the secret to a lump-free, velvety buttercream!

17. Cut the room temperature butter into smaller pieces to make mixing easier.

18. Add the cubed butter to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl if you're using a handheld electric mixer.

    Note: Use the paddle attachment, not the whisk.

19. Whip the butter until it's soft and fluffy, around 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.

20. At medium speed, start adding the icing sugar two tablespoons at a time. Beat between each addition until all the sugar is incorporated, which takes about 15 seconds each time.

21. After all the icing sugar is mixed in, scrape down the bowl and add the vanilla extract. Beat for approximately 30 seconds.

22. Check the consistency of the buttercream. If you prefer it thinner, add a tablespoon of cream or milk and beat again. Keep adding small amounts of liquid until it reaches your desired consistency.

23. Beat for just 1 more minute. Too much beating can introduce too much air into the buttercream, making it less smooth.

24. Once the cake has cooled, spread a thin layer of buttercream over the surface with an offset spatula. This acts as a crumb coat, stopping any crumbs from appearing in your final layer of buttercream.

25. Spread the remaining buttercream over the cake and finish it off with your favourite rainbow sprinkles.

Top Tips

Use a scale and measuring spoons

Consider investing in a reliable digital kitchen scale and high-quality measuring spoons to ensure precise ingredient measurements. Accuracy plays a crucial role in achieving cake perfection!

Bring eggs to room temperature

For best results, remember to allow fridge-cold eggs to reach room temperature before baking. Cold eggs can't blend as smoothly into the batter. Room-temperature eggs contribute to creating tender and evenly rising cakes.

You can achieve this by removing the eggs from the fridge about30 minutesbeforehand or placing them in warm water for5 minutes.

Beat the eggs and sugar thoroughly

Don't rush this step! Taking5 minutes, or more, to beat the eggs and sugar makes them light and fluffy. Using an electric mixer helps incorporate tonnes of air for the ultimate lift. Well-beaten eggs = tender crumb.

Gently-gently does it

Overmixing can deflate the batter, so handle it with care to preserve those essential air bubbles for a soft texture. Stop as soon as no specks of flour are visible.

Know your oven

Get to know your oven's quirks. If it runs hotter or cooler than expected, tweak your bake times and temperatures accordingly.

Trust your eyes and perform visual tests, like checking for springy tops and using a cake tester as indicators of doneness.

When uncertain, it's always safer to bake lower and slower, within reason.

Mastering buttercream: Patience pays off!

Take a moment to sift the icing sugar, especially if it's been tucked away in the back of your cupboard for some time - it gets clumpy.

Beat the butter until it's fluffy before gradually adding the icing sugar.

Be patient, adding the icing sugar bit by bit.

Once everything's mixed, don't beat for more than a minute to avoid air bubbles that could make your buttercream less smooth looking.

If any sneaky air bubbles do appear, grab a rubber spatula and push the icing to the sides of the bowl to smooth it out.

Be careful when adding milk or cream, a little goes a long way. If you're uncertain, add the liquid and hand mix it with a rubber spatula. This provides a better 'feel' compared to using a stand mixer.

Variations

• Skip the vanilla extract and add some grated lemon zest.

• Swap the vanilla extract with vanilla bean paste or seeds scraped from one vanilla pod.

• Add other flavourings like almond essence, orange extract or orange zest.

• Use the recipe for the sponge cake but pair it with other buttercreams and icings likemascarpone creamormarshmallow fluff.

• Add fresh fruit like strawberries on top of the cake.

Can you bake this cake in round tins?

Yes, batter from this recipe will make 2 x round 8" cakes for a layer cake. Bake at170℃/338℉/gas mark 3for25-30 minutes.

Can you make vanilla cupcakes from this recipe?

Yes, the batter for this recipe will make 24 cupcakes. Bake at170℃/338℉/gas mark 3for20-25 minutes.

Storage

Store the vanilla tray bake cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Keep it away from moisture and heat.

For longer storage, wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, then foil and freeze it for up to 2 months, without the buttercream.

Thaw the frozen cake slowly in the fridge overnight before decorating and serving.

More cake recipes

Tottenham cake

Jam and coconut sponge

Caramelised apple sponge cake with streusel topping

Sticky Jamaican ginger cake

Tunisian orange and almond cake

The best sultana cake

Toscakaka - Swedish cake

Moist chocolate orange cake