Moist & Fluffy Vegan Vanilla Sheet Cake

A slice of vegan vanilla sheet cake on a plate, a glass of milk, a bowl of sprinkles, and more cake sit in the background.

No ratings yet

Moist & Fluffy Vegan Vanilla Sheet Cake

If you’re looking for an easy vegan vanilla sheet cake that’s moist, fluffy, and tender, you’ve found it! This homemade cake is made with just a few simple ingredients and has a sweet vanilla flavour throughout. I topped mine with vegan vanilla buttercream, but you can easily swap it for your favourite frosting flavour. Completely dairy-free and egg-free, it’s a simple made-from-scratch dessert that’s perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or any time you need a cake that can serve a crowd.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Servings:

Author: Gwen Leron

Ingredients

For Vegan Buttermilk:

1 ½ cups (375ml) unsweetened dairy-free milk (room temperature)
5 teaspoons vinegar (apple cider or white)

For Cake Batter:

2 ⅔ cups (334g) all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (125ml) oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

1 recipe vegan vanilla buttercream frosting

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Line a 9 x 13-inch rectangle baking pan with parchment paper, set aside.

Make Vegan Buttermilk:

Pour the dairy-free milk into a measuring cup or bowl.
Add the vinegar to the milk and stir. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Make Cake Batter:

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Add the oil and vanilla to the rested buttermilk and stir.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir until everything has combined and no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix. The batter will be smooth and pourable, similar to a thick pancake batter.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake:

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top springs back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Take care not to overbake.
Remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Cool and Prepare Frosting:

After 10 minutes, use the parchment overhang to carefully lift the cake out of the pan and place it on the cooling rack. Let it cool completely before frosting.
While the cake is cooling, prepare the vegan vanilla buttercream frosting.

Frost, Decorate, Slice, and Serve:

Once fully cooled, frost the cake, spreading it as thickly or thinly as you like. Save any leftover frosting for another recipe.
If using, add sprinkles to the top of the cake immediately after frosting so they stick.
Slice the cake and serve.

Notes

Please read all of the information above, as well as the notes below, before making this recipe.
Don't substitute the all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour. I tested several gluten-free versions, but none produced results I was happy with.
Storing Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, then refrigerate for up to 5 more days.
Freezing: Once fully cooled, wrap the cake tightly, place it in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze up to two months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving. The cake can be frosted or unfrosted when freezing.
The nutrition info listed below is based on one of 15 servings of the frosted cake made as written using the full recipe of vanilla frosting. Info is only to be used as a rough guide. Click to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.

Nutrition