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29 Sheet Cake Recipes That'll Feed A Crowd

Holy sheet, these cakes are amazing.

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cinnamon roll poke cake
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

When it comes to cakes, sheet cakes are kind of the ideal for Team Delish. They're big enough to feed a crowd, low-key in the decoration department, and the easiest to bake. If you've got a sheet pan (or more likely, a half sheet pan), a sheet cake is definitely in your future, and the opportunities for flavors are pretty endless. Beginner or expert baker, these 28 sheet cake recipes (which includes our out-of-control Hostess sheet cake) are sure to make everyone happy.

First things first, what exactly is a sheet cake? As it names suggests, sheet cakes are baked on a, yes, sheet pan (rather than a round cake pan). When cakes are baked in a sheet pan they yield a single-layered cake that can range from dense and fudgy to light and fluffy and, best of all? They don't need any fussy frosting or structural support like a layer cake. The classic and most well-known example is, of course, the Texas sheet cake (which is definitely of the fudgy variety and thus, a must-bake.)

The varieties of sheet cakes are wide-ranging. Generally speaking, many classic types of cakes are also technically sheet-cakes, like coffee cakes and poke cakes. Since they're so simple to bake, you can get really wild with the fillings and decorations, too, as we did with our recipes for strawberry crunch cake, cinnamon roll poke cake, and raspberry-peach upside-down cake. Got a holiday get-together coming up? There's a sheet cake for all of them! Our vampire poke cake is the thrill your Halloween party needs, this gingerbread cake is what we want for Christmas, and our pumpkin crunch cake will be the crowning glory of your Thanksgiving table this year!

1

Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake

cinnamon roll poke cake
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Gooey, puffy, spiced sugar-filled cinnamon rolls are truly what dreams are made of, but we can’t always get it together to make them from scratch. And though they’re usually thought of as a breakfast food, they’re pretty much just cake in disguise anyway, and can be enjoyed from morning till night. This poke cake can help you skip all the finicky rolling and proofing, but still get all that delicious cinnamon roll flavor (including the cream cheese frosting!).

Get the Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake recipe.

2

Brown Sugar Peach Cake

brown sugar peach cake
Andrew bui

This is really a peach cobbler in cake form. The cake is so soft and buttery, with little pockets of peach throughout, keeping the cake extremely moist. The frosting is a brown sugar boiled icing, much like you would find on a Texas sheet cake. Pour it on while the cake is still warm and let it soak in a little as it cools and slightly hardens on top. Some of the frosting will likely pool around the edges and sides, making the corner piece a coveted one for once. It’s undeniably a sweet cake that highlights one of summer’s best fruits and is so easy to make.

Get the Brown Sugar Peach Cake recipe.

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3

Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake

strawberry crunch poke cake with a crumble topping, whipped cream and strawberries
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

If you liked strawberry shortcake ice cream bars growing up, then you’ll love this strawberry crunch poke cake. The ice cream truck treat took its cues from classic strawberry shortcake, but then added what we all know is the best part: that crunchy coating. Here we start with a boxed cake mix, infuse it with strawberry flavor, top it with fluffy cream cheese frosting, then finish it off with a strawberry-and-cookie topping. It’s the perfect summer dessert.

Get the Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake recipe.

4

Chocolate Polka Dot Cake

chocolate polka dot cake
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Straight from the author's mom's recipe book, this recipe combines a fudgy chocolate sheet cake with cheesecake polka dots and crunchy chocolate chips for texture. Obtained at a party well before her time, her mom said she tried it and just had to have the recipe (so you know it's good!).

Get the Chocolate Polka Dot Cake recipe.

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5

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

dish, food, cuisine, ingredient, snack cake, dessert, baked goods, pumpkin bread, produce, staple food,
Parker feierbach

Banana pudding is ridiculously delicious. Ridiculous! The flavors of pudding, bananas, and Nilla Wafers meld into the most insane Southern dessert. Now we make the dessert even more amazing by turning it into a poke cake. We've poked classic cakes before (red velvet FTW), but this one is next-level. It's a layer of yellow cake, poked all over with the bottom of a wooden spoon, then topped with vanilla pudding (so it seeps into the holes), a layer of thinly sliced bananas, and a thick fluffy layer of whipped cream, which gets sprinkled all over crushed and whole Nillas and more bananas. Truly bananas in all the ways.

Get the Banana Pudding Poke Cake recipe.

6

Boston Cream Poke Cake

boston cream poke cake
Parker feierbach

Baking a traditional layer cake can be intimidating, but a poke cake, couldn't be easier. The secret ingredient to this twist on a classic: instant vanilla pudding mix.

Get the Boston Cream Poke Cake recipe.

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7

Texas Sheet Cake

texas sheet cake
Jonathan Boulton

People everywhere will freak out over this chocolate sheet cake. It is that fudgin' good.

Get the Texas Sheet Cake recipe.

8

Lemon Blueberry Poke Cake

lemon blueberry poke cake
PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: ERIKA JOYCE

Lemon-blueberry is the combo we kinda want to eat all the time. And sometimes, we don't have time to make a fancy layer cake, which is where this easy poke cake recipe makes it even easier to get that sweet-tart flavor.

Get the Lemon Blueberry Poke Cake recipe.

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9

Rhubarb Cake

rhubarb cake
Erik bernstein

Rhubarb is strikingly beautiful, and this cake shows it off well. The stalks bake right into the cake, becoming soft and jammy, and are surrounded by a crunchy sugary crust. It’s quick and simple–more like a snacking cake–meaning you and your fam can nibble on it all Sunday long.

Get the Rhubarb Cake recipe.

10

Peanut Butter Cup Bliss Sheet Cake

peanut butter cup sheet cake slice
SALLY QUINN

If you aren't already convinced that a sheet cake is the best thing to bring to a party, come on now. Next time you need to be transported back to you PB-sandwich-eating childhood, just whip this baby up. You'll satisfy that peanut butter craving and still feel like an adult doing it.

Get the Peanut Butter Cup Bliss Sheet Cake recipe.

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11

Skillet Texas Sheet Cake

skillet texas sheet cake

For a traditional Texas sheet cake, both the batter and the icing are prepared stovetop. Using a skillet eliminates a dish and makes things way more fun. Especially when everyone digs in while it's still warm ... with tons of ice cream on top.

Get the Skillet Texas Sheet Cake recipe.

12

Cranberry-Mimosa Breakfast Cake

cranberry mimosa breakfast cake with orange zest and sugar
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: JASON SCHREIBER

If mimosas are your thing, stop here! If they aren’t, you should still stick around. Cranberries, oranges, and bubbly Prosecco incorporated into a tender cake? And for breakfast too? This is exactly what cranberry-mimosa breakfast cake dreams are made of. Because we love our mimosas and our breakfast cakes, such as this blueberry-lemon one, we decided the world needed a fall-forward rendition.

Get the Cranberry-Mimosa Breakfast Cake recipe.

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13

Gingerbread Cake

gingerbread cake
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Want your kitchen to smell like Christmas? Make gingerbread cake! Enjoy it warm or cold, for breakfast or after dinner, plain or topped with whipped cream, from a plate with a fork or straight out of your hand. No judgment here.Based on classic British sticky ginger cakes, this cake relies on the glorious trifecta of brown sugar, molasses, and honey to create rich dark caramel flavor notes. And stirring in boiling water at the very end of mixing the batter helps to create that moist, tender crumb that we love so much.

Get the Gingerbread Cake recipe.

14

Raspberry Peach Upside-Down Cake

raspberry peach upside down cake
Parker feierbach

This cake is DANGEROUSLY good. If you can't find in-season peaches, check out our caramel apple upside down cake. It's got a similar batter, and major fall vibes.

Get the Raspberry Peach Upside-Down Cake recipe.

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15

Tres Leches Cake

tres leches cake
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: ERIKA JOYCE

Translating to “three milks,” tres leches cake is a Latin American favorite. A light sponge cake that is soaked in a milk mixture for at least an hour, it’s basically the original poke cake. Instead of a traditional buttercream frosting, this cake gets topped with a sweetened whipped cream, cinnamon-sugar, and strawberries. It makes for a lighter dessert that is also much easier to frost.

Get the Tres Leches Cake recipe.

16

Peanut Butter Cake

peanut butter cake delishcom
Parker feierbach

Those that love peanut butter LOVE peanut butter, and this cake was made with those in mind. Peanut butter cake, peanut butter frosting, AND peanut butter drizzle. You are very welcome. We love whole chopped Reese's, but for a colorful (and still peanut-buttery) twist, use chopped Reese's Pieces instead!

Get the Peanut Butter Cake recipe.

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17

Lemon-Blueberry Breakfast Cake

lemon blueberry breakfast cake topped with sugar
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: FRANCESCA ZANI

Sometimes you want cake, sometimes you want blueberry muffins—and sometimes you want both. For that third option, there’s this fun treat that’s perfect for breakfast or brunch. The soft, pillowy cake is bursting with tart blueberries and has a sprinkling of sugar on top that creates the crunchy crust that all the best bakery muffins have. And instead of dealing with muffin tins, you just spread the batter in a large sheet pan and stick it in the oven. So easy!

Get the Lemon-Blueberry Breakfast Cake recipe.

18

Easy Pumpkin Cake

pumpkin cake
Parker feierbach

We are very pro-cream cheese and pumpkin here at Delish. If you prefer a more classic frosting, use our favorite buttercream. It will still be just as good; feel free to add some cinnamon or pumpkin spice to jazz it up a little.

Get the Pumpkin Cake recipe.

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19

Vampire Poke Cake

vampire poke cake
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Team Delish lives for cake—and Halloween—so a playfully spooky take on the traditional American poke cake is a natural fit for us. This soft, rich, almond buttermilk cake is infused with a tart cherry sauce (“blood”!) and topped off with a light, fluffy whipped cream for a dessert that’s equally tasty and scary. Trust us when we say this is one time you’ll be craving blood too.

Get the Vampire Poke Cake recipe.

20

Apple Coffee Cake

apple coffee cake

Apples work wonders in this easy coffee cake that's perfect for breakfast or dessert this Thanksgiving. They add extra sweetness as well as making the cake moist and tender. We love it with Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples, but your favorite baking apple will do the trick!

Get the Apple Coffee Cake recipe.

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