Sheet cake

Sheet cake
Iced and decorated American sheet cake for a student graduation
Alternative names	Slab cake
Type	Cake
Course	Dessert
Serving temperature	Cold
Media: Sheet cake

American sheet cakes are usually 2 inches (5 cm) deep, although they are sometimes 3 inches (8 cm) deep. These single-layer cakes are frequently frosted, with decorations and ornamental frosting along the borders and the flat top surface.^[1]

They are commonly sold as boxed cake mixes, which can then be baked in the home. They come in a variety of flavors, with chocolate and vanilla being the two most common.^[2] They also often include batter mix-ins, such as sprinkles and chocolate chips. By definition, American sheet cakes they are made from a single continuous piece of cake. Nuts, chocolate chips, coconut flakes, or other toppings can be sprinkled over the top.

To create a layer cake, one can slice through a sheet cake to create layers, then divide each layer with jam or icing, then frost the top.

Purchasing

In the United States, these cakes are commonly available in supermarkets and bakeries and tend to be inexpensive due to their simple manufacturing process.^[3]^[4] There are many brands that sell boxed sheet cake, including Betty Crocker, King Arthur Flour, and Duncan Hines.^[5]

Size

Cake sizes are named after the size of pan that the cake is baked in. A full-size commercial sheet cake pan is 18 by 24 inches (46 cm × 61 cm) or 18 by 26 inches (46 cm × 66 cm) in size.^[6] A half-sheet is half that size, and a quarter-sheet or 9-by-13-inch (23 cm × 33 cm) pan, which usually results in 16 to 24 servings of cake, is one-quarter the size. Sheet cakes, in general, are usually 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) deep.