Go Back
slice of vanilla tray bake with a bite out of it
Print

Vanilla Tray Bake

Light, fluffy, perfectly moist with rich vanilla flavor, this vanilla tray bake is so easy to make and equally as delicious! It's covered in vanilla buttercream frosting and is the perfect cake to serve a crowd.
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword fluffy vanilla cake, vanilla sheet cake, vanilla tray bake
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 12
Author Blair Braz

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable oil or any neutral tasting oil
  • 4 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1½ cups whole milk at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
  • Spray 9x13 cake pan with non-stick spray and place parchment paper on the bottom. Set aside.
  • Into the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter and oil together for 6-7 minutes or until they are completely unified. 
  • Slowly add sugar into the mixture and beat on medium to high speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes) Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed add eggs in one at a time followed by the vanilla. Beat on high until mixture is smooth and light in colour. 
  • With the mixer on low speed, add one third of the flour mixture into the bowl and mix until just combined. Scrape down the bowl and add one half of the milk and again mix until just combined. Repeat this process. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Do not over mix or your cake will become quite dense. Distribute cake batter into pan. 
  • Bake for 28-33 minutes, or until knife comes out clean. Each oven is slightly different, so I suggest setting your timer to 30 minutes and watching carefully from there!
  • Cool on cooling rack for 10 minutes before inverting and removing cake from pan to cool completely. 

Vanilla Frosting

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a medium bowl and an electric hand mixer, beat butter on high speed until smooth and light in colour (3-5 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  • With the mixer on low speed, add powered sugar one cup at a time. Mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
  • Add in salt. Next add in the vanilla. Mix until combined. Scrape down the sides. Mix on medium to high for 4-5 more minutes until buttercream is light and fluffy.