Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This Gluten-free Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is one of the easiest and yummiest desserts ever! Takes just 10 minutes to prep and it's perfect for any and every occasion.... celebrations, birthdays, Super Bowl and just any day you need a dessert. Made in a half-sized rimmed baking sheet (approximately 9.5 x 14.5). Just added baking option to make 12 cupcakes.
Author: Healthy Gluten-Free Family
Recipe type: Dessert, Birthdays, Celebrations
Cuisine: gluten-free, vegetarian, nut-free, dairy-free optional
Serves: 15-20 slices OR 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
Yellow Cake
- 1½ cups gluten-free all purpose flour with xanthan gum (we used GF Jules - affiliate link)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup butter, softened to room temperature (or dairy free butter) (I used 1 stick salted and the remainder unsalted but either will work)
- 1¼ cups cane sugar
- 2 eggs (brought to room temperature ideally)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup plain greek yogurt (or dairy free yogurt)
- ¾ cup whole milk (or dairy-free milk)
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 6 Tablespoons butter softened
- ¾ cup Hershey’s Cocoa (100% cacao natural unsweetened)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2⅔ cups powdered sugar
- 4 to 6 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
Yellow Sheet Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a half-size rimmed baking sheet (approximately 9.5 x 14.5) (You can also make these as 12 cupcakes)
- In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt using a pastry cutter, whisk or fork. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl (I used a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer), beat softened butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add sugar and beat on high until well combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each one until mixed in.
- Add in vanilla and greek yogurt. Mix until well combined, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed.
- With the mixer running on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and milk until all combined.
- Pour into prepared baking sheet*, spread evenly and baking 20-22 minutes or until top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes our clean. The edges will also start pulling away from the pan.
- *For cupcakes, pour into 12 muffin tins, lined with baking cups and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
- Let cool before frosting. Can be made a day ahead, leave out at room temperature, loosely covered with wax paper.
- Frosting
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- In small mixer bowl, beat butter. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk; beat to spreading consistency. Blend in vanilla. (Makes about 2 cups frosting)
- Spread evenly on cooled cake. Top with sprinkles as desired.
I love this ! We are not gluten intolerant. Can I substitute all purpose flour ? Love following you and I’m liking your videos!!
Thanks Beckie! I’ve never made it with regular flour but it should work perfectly! Happy you’re loving my Instagram videos — I hope to get them on the website soon! Let me know if you make this 🙂
Made this cake for a birthday party I hosted. SO yummy and moist! The gluten-eating people loved it too. Easy to make and the chocolate frosting compliments it perfectly.
So happy you loved it! And especially happy alllll your people loved it! Thank you!
Super easy recipe! I used a handheld mixer because I don’t have a standing one, and almond milk instead of dairy. Took about 25 minutes in my oven. The end product was delicious, a truly incredible texture!
Thank you! So happy you loved it! And thanks for sharing that you made it with almond milk and it tasted great!
This is by far the best gf yellow cake recipe I have tried. The texture was perfect and the flavor was so delicious that it can easily stand alone with no frosting needed. Thank you!
Wow! Thank you so much! Happy you love it as much as we do!
I would love to try and make this but only have a 12×12 cake pan. How long do you think it would take to cook?
I think it will probably take 25-30 minutes, 35 minutes at the most… I made them as cupcakes the other day and those took 20 minutes. Test by using a tooth pick or knife and making sure it comes out clean in the center. Hope you love it!
This review is for the chocolate buttercream frosting. It was AMAZING. Don’t bother with any recipe.
Thank you!! It is my favorite chocolate frosting too!
I have been searching for the perfect gluten free cake recipe for my sons first birthday cake. I came across this recipe and decided to try it for the 4th of July. Normally my family complains and says any gluten free item I make is gritty but not with this cake! No one said anything negative so I will definitely be using it again.
So happy everyone loved it! Thank you!
If I wanted to make this into a double layer circlular cake, do you think it would require 2 batches of cake and frosting?
Great question! I have never made this as a round cake but for a double, you would definitely need to make two batches of the batter. My might be ok with 1 1/2 of the frosting. Let me know if you make it.
THE ICING IS INCREDIBLE! I have never EVER made an at-home icing that made me want to put down the betty crocker fudge tub icing I grew up loving until TODAY. Can’t wait to try out your sheet cake! I’m made another gf yellow cake recipe bc I didn’t have any yogurt on hand, and it disappointed (again) so I’ll try yours as soon as I go to the market! thanks so much, the icing is going into my family cookbook. 🙂
So happy you LOVE the frosting! Can’t wait for you to try the cake! I just made it this weekend as cupcakes and they were so good!
Made the cake last night! It’s almost gone now…. needless to say we LOVED it! Thanks so much for finally putting yellow cake w/ choc frosting back in my gf belly!
YAY! This makes me so happy! Thanks for sharing!
I’ve since made this many more times, but its never vet fluffy. Ideas? I’d love it to be fluffier and rise a bit more
It’s not a “high cake” if you want a taller cake, try making it in a 9 x13 pan instead of the baking sheet….
Can I sub the Cane sugar for any sugar?
Great question! I’ve never made this with anything other than regular sugar, and not sure another sugar would work — would be a different texture/ flavor.
This cake was lovely! I made it in a 9×13 pan because I didn’t have the size you mention, and it was not as tall as other cakes I’ve made, but thicker than your photos, which was perfect for me. It did sink just a touch in the center as it cooled, but it didn’t seem to impact the texture. Very nice recipe I’m sure I’ll make again!
Yes, it’s not a tall cake… the sheet cake is intentionally much “shorter”. Happy you enjoyed it!
Okay, this cake is seriously amazing!!! I made it for my sons birthday this weekend and it was a hit. Even the gluten eaters (who usually complain horribly about anything gf) said you couldn’t tell it was gf! Tastes just like a regular yellow cake. My six year old called it “the king of cakes” lol. I used a 9×13 and it still came out perfect. This is going to be a birthday staple in our family from now on. Thank you!!