Pretty in Pink Vanilla Traybake Cake with Buttercream

This recipe makes a vanilla traybake cake with buttercream frosting also known as a sheet cake. This cake is simple but so delicious and is perfect for birthdays or serving to a crowd. 

If you’re looking for an easy hassle-free cake then try this yummy vanilla traybake recipe. The cake is soft and moist with a fluffy texture which comes from using some oil and buttermilk in the cake. This recipe produces a cake with a light tender crumb that is definitely sure to impress. The buttercream is soft and silky and really does complement the cake well.

This cake is very easy to make so is perfect if you need a quick cake recipe for birthdays, parties or bake sales. It serves 20 – 25 so is perfect for a large crowd. If you are using the cake for birthdays, you just need to change the colours of the buttercream and sprinkles to the birthday persons favourite colour.

Ingredients for Vanilla Traybake Cake with Buttercream

Please find the full list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of the post. 

Traybake Cake Ingredients

• Butter – for this traybake recipe, I use a combination of butter and oil. Use room temperature unsalted butter.
• Sugar – caster sugar or superfine sugar.
• Oil – use a neutral flavoured oil such as vegetable oil, canola or rapeseed.
• Buttermilk – can be substituted with soured cream.
• Eggs – use room temperature medium eggs.
• Vanilla – vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
• Salt – I use fine sea salt for better flavour.
• Flour – I use self-raising flour but you can use plain flour with baking powder.

Buttercream Ingredients

• Butter – soft unsalted butter.
• Vanilla - use good quality vanilla.
• Food colouring – I use pink gel food colouring.
• Icing sugar – also known as powdered sugar or confectioners’ sugar.
• Cream - use single cream or milk to loosen the butterceram.
• Sprinkles – I use pink sprinkles.

How to Make Vanilla Traybake Cake with Buttercream

1. Line a 13 x 9 inch rectangular cake tin with baking paper and preheat the oven to gas mark 4/350^oF/180^oC/160^oC fan. Add the butter and sugar to a stand mixer bowl and use a paddle attachment to cream the butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy which should take around 3 minutes on medium speed. You can also do this using a hand mixer.

2. In a separate bowl whisk together the oil, eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk and continue to mix until smooth. Pour the egg mixture into the bowl with the butter and sugar then mix until smooth. Mix in the salt and flour and continue to mix until you have a smooth batter.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and bake for 35 - 40 mins  minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Place the cake tin on a cooling rack for the cake to cool completely in the tin.

4. For the buttercream frosting, add the butter to a stand mixer bowl and beat the butter until fluffy using the paddle attachment. This should take around 4 minutes on a medium speed.

5. Mix in the vanilla and food colouring then gradually add the icing sugar and cream. Continue to mix until you have your desired consistency. Evenly spread the buttercream on top of the cake and add the sprinkles. Allow the buttercream to set then serve.

Nutrition

Nutrition based on 1 serving - Calories: 294kcal | Fat: 14.7g | Saturates: 7.1g | Carbs: 37.2g | Sugar: 27.8g | Fibre: 0.5g | Protein: 3.2g | Salt: 0.3g.

Storage

You can store this vanilla traybake cake at room temperature overnight in an airtight container.

Store any cake left the following day in the fridge in an airtight container.

In the fridge the cake can last for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature when serving from the fridge.

The cake can be wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months.

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