This Milk Bar White Sheet Cake captures the essence of classic vanilla baking — moist, tender crumb with a perfectly balanced sweetness. The texture is delightfully soft and creamy, making each bite feel like a little slice of heaven. It’s an elegant yet simple dessert that feels both nostalgic and fresh.
Whether you’re serving it for a birthday, holiday, or just a weekend treat, this sheet cake delivers on flavor and comfort. Its smooth vanilla profile makes it versatile, pairing beautifully with fresh berries, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel for an extra indulgence.
Full Recipe
Ingredients:
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3 cups all-purpose flour
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2 teaspoons baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon baking soda
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1 teaspoon salt
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1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
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2 cups granulated sugar
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1 cup sour cream
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4 large eggs
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1 tablespoon vanilla extract
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1 cup whole milk
Directions:
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Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
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Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
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Alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour cream and milk mixture to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined.
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Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
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Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
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Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting or serving.
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Kcal: ~380 kcal per serving | Servings: 12
Introduction to Milk Bar White Sheet Cake
Milk Bar’s White Sheet Cake has become a beloved dessert among baking enthusiasts and casual cooks alike. This cake is a celebration of simplicity, combining classic ingredients with expert techniques to create a tender, moist, and creamy vanilla cake that’s perfect for any occasion. Unlike overly rich or complicated desserts, the white sheet cake is approachable yet impressive, making it a go-to recipe for birthdays, holidays, or just a sweet treat to enjoy any day of the week.
This cake’s appeal lies not just in its flavor but in its texture — a delicate crumb that’s soft but sturdy enough to hold up to a luscious frosting or glaze. The cake offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of childhood celebrations but elevated with modern baking science, ensuring consistent results and a flawless finish every time.
The Origin and Popularity of Sheet Cakes
Sheet cakes have long been a staple in American home baking due to their convenience and versatility. Baked in large, shallow pans, they’re easy to make, serve, and transport, which has made them popular for potlucks, family gatherings, and celebrations. Milk Bar’s take on the white sheet cake takes this tradition and refines it, focusing on quality ingredients and precise baking methods to produce a cake that’s both light and flavorful.
Milk Bar, founded by chef Christina Tosi, is known for its innovative and approachable desserts that blend nostalgic flavors with creative twists. Their white sheet cake embodies this philosophy perfectly — it’s both classic and modern, simple and indulgent.
Texture and Flavor Profile
One of the hallmarks of this cake is its delicate crumb and moist texture. Achieving this balance is the result of using both sour cream and milk, which work together to keep the cake tender while adding a subtle tanginess that enhances the vanilla flavor. The sour cream provides richness and moisture, while the milk lightens the batter, creating a cake that’s neither too dense nor too dry.
The butter and sugar are creamed together to incorporate air, which helps create a light and fluffy texture. The vanilla extract adds warmth and sweetness without overpowering the palate, making the cake an ideal canvas for various frostings or toppings.
Versatility and Serving Suggestions
This white sheet cake is incredibly versatile. While it shines on its own with a simple buttercream or vanilla frosting, it also pairs beautifully with fresh fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries. A drizzle of homemade caramel or a sprinkle of toasted nuts can elevate the cake for more special occasions. For a modern twist, you can add layers of jam or fruit preserves in between slices to add bursts of flavor.
The sheet cake format means it’s perfect for serving large groups, and the generous size of a 9×13 pan makes portioning easy. Whether sliced into squares for a casual gathering or dressed up with elegant frosting and decorations for a party, this cake fits the bill.
Tips for Perfecting the Milk Bar White Sheet Cake
To ensure the best results, a few baking tips are essential. First, use room temperature ingredients — this allows everything to blend more smoothly and evenly, creating a batter with better consistency. Be careful not to overmix once you add the dry ingredients; overmixing can develop gluten in the flour, leading to a tougher cake.
Greasing and flouring the pan thoroughly helps prevent sticking and ensures the cake releases cleanly after baking. Also, watch your baking time carefully: oven temperatures can vary, so start checking the cake a few minutes before the suggested bake time by inserting a toothpick in the center. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
Nutritional Aspects
While this cake is a delicious indulgence, it’s important to enjoy it in moderation. Each slice provides a satisfying portion of calories mostly from fat and carbohydrates, typical of rich desserts. Using high-quality butter and fresh ingredients ensures that every bite tastes luxurious, making it a worthy treat for special moments. For those mindful of dietary needs, slight modifications can be made, such as using lower-fat dairy options or alternative sweeteners, but these may affect texture and flavor.
Why Milk Bar’s White Sheet Cake Stands Out
What sets this particular white sheet cake apart from other vanilla cake recipes is the perfect balance of ingredients and attention to detail in the process. The addition of sour cream is a game-changer for moisture and texture, something that not all sheet cakes include. The Milk Bar approach focuses on simplicity paired with precision, resulting in a product that feels homemade but refined.
Additionally, this cake’s neutral vanilla profile allows it to be a foundation for many creative variations — from layered cakes with different fillings to decorated birthday cakes or even a base for trifles and dessert bars.
Conclusion
Milk Bar’s White Sheet Cake is a timeless dessert that combines the best elements of traditional baking with contemporary culinary insight. It’s a cake that welcomes everyone to the table — easy enough for beginners to master, yet satisfying enough for seasoned bakers to perfect. Its tender crumb, moist texture, and balanced vanilla flavor make it a standout in any dessert lineup.
Whether you’re celebrating a special event or just craving a sweet moment, this white sheet cake promises delicious results and happy smiles. The beauty of this recipe lies not only in its flavor but also in its adaptability — it invites creativity and can be dressed up or down to suit any occasion. Once you try it, it will quickly become a staple in your baking repertoire.