For some events, nothing but a towering layer cake will do. But most of the time, we want fuss-free sheet cake recipes that easily feed a crowd or carve neatly into snacky slivers and slices. While there are good reasons to construct a multilayered situation using cakes baked in a sheet pan, this collection is focused on easy single-layer bakes in a wide range of flavors. Bring one for the team to enjoy after a game, tote one to a picnic or backyard barbecue. Share it at work during a colleague’s birthday or cut it into squares or rectangles for the school bake sale.
You may wonder what defines a sheet cake: Some of these recipes bake in a rimmed baking sheet (the same old pan you use for sheet-pan dinners; though they may specify a jelly roll, half sheet, or quarter sheet pan). Others require a 13×9″ baking dish. We’ll save round cakes for another time. For now, preheat your oven, make sure you’re stocked in all-purpose flour, and pick between our favorite sheet cakes below.