Celebration Sprinkle Sheet Cake

What you’ll need

Let’s do this

1. 1

   Prepare

   Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C), or 320°F (160°C) fan. Grease a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) metal pan and line with parchment if turning the cake out.

2. 2

   Cream the butter

   Beat the cake butter and both sugars for 4 minutes until lighter and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.

3. 3

   Finish the batter

   Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in another bowl. Add to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions. Mix only until smooth. Do not taste raw batter.

4. 4

   Bake and cool

   Spread in the pan and bake for 30–35 minutes, until the center springs back and a skewer has no wet batter. Cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then turn out if desired and cool completely for about 70 more minutes.

5. 5

   Make the frosting

   Beat the frosting butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then the milk, vanilla and salt, and beat for 3 minutes until fluffy. If piping a decoration, reserve 2 tablespoons and tint with the optional green coloring.

6. 6

   Frost

   Cover the cold cake with a thin coat of frosting and chill for 15 minutes. Spread the remaining untinted frosting over the top and sides.

7. 7

   Decorate

   Scatter the sprinkles in a border around the top. Spoon any tinted frosting into a small piping bag or food-safe bag with a tiny corner snipped off, then add a simple initial, squiggle or flower in the center.