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Perfect School Colors Swirl Buttercream Sheet Cake Recipe for Large Parties

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A moist and colorful swirl buttercream sheet cake perfect for large gatherings, featuring vibrant school colors and a creamy vanilla frosting. Quick and easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (315 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¾ cups (350 grams) granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups (340 grams) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
  • 5 cups (600 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (for frosting)
  • 3–4 tablespoons (45–60 ml) heavy cream or whole milk (for frosting)
  • Gel food coloring in your school colors

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch sheet cake pan lightly with butter or nonstick spray, then line with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
  5. Alternately add dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
  6. Pour batter evenly into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
  7. Cool cake in pan on a rack for 15 minutes, then lift out using parchment paper and cool completely before frosting, about 1 hour.
  8. Beat softened butter for frosting until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed. Add vanilla extract and heavy cream or milk, beating until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  9. Divide buttercream into small bowls and mix in gel food coloring to desired shades.
  10. Spread a base layer of one color evenly over the cake. Dollop other colors in stripes or dollops across the cake.
  11. Using an offset spatula or butter knife, gently swirl the colors together in a back-and-forth or circular motion without overmixing.
  12. Chill the cake for about 15 minutes to let the frosting set before slicing.

Notes

Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without thinning the frosting. Keep butter softened but not melted for smooth frosting. Avoid overmixing batter to keep cake tender. Chill frosted cake before slicing for clean edges. For dairy-free or gluten-free versions, substitute ingredients accordingly.

Nutrition

Keywords: swirl buttercream cake, sheet cake, school colors cake, party cake, large gathering dessert, colorful cake, easy buttercream frosting

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