This easy Christmas sheet cake is marbled with red and green swirls and topped with vanilla buttercream frosting and festive sprinkles.
Vanilla cake is one of those classics that works for almost any occasion, like my Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling and my Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting.
This Christmas, I wanted something festive without extra pans or a long bake day, so I decided to make a sheet cake with a twist.
This easy Chirstmas sheet cake puts the holiday look right inside with bright red and green marble swirls. A smooth classic vanilla buttercream frosting finishes the top, along with sprinkles and edible decorations.
Simple, festive, and impressive.
Love easy cakes? Try my Spiced Chocolate Cake, my Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake, or my Spiced Banana Cake.
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💕 Why you'll love this recipe
- Pretty: There are red and green swirls baked right into the cake.
- Simple to make & decorate: This cake is really easy, you just mix the batter, swirl the colors, bake, cool, and frost. Then top it with sprinkles and edible decorations.
- No special tools required: All you need is a 9x13 inche pan; no special shapes.
- Beginner-friendly: This recipe is easy enough to follow, even for novice bakers.
What you'll need
Ingredients for the vanilla sheet cake
- Flour: For this cake, I use regular all purpose flour.
- Baking Powder: It helps the cake rise evenly.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Sugar: I use regular granulated sugar.
- Eggs: They give the cake a nice texture.
- Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract every time.
- Oil: Vegetable oil adds extra moisture without making the cake heavy.
- Food Coloring (not shown above): Gel food coloring creates bright swirls inside the batter without thinning it.
- Edible Decorations & Sprinkles (not shown above): This is optional of course, but it's a quick way to decorate the cake.
Ingredients for the vanilla buttercream frosting
- Butter: Unsalted butter at room temperature works best. I like to cut it into small pieces so it mixes smoothly and quickly.
- Powdered Sugar: A quick sift keeps the buttercream silky smooth and lump-free.
- Vanilla: As always, I stick with pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Milk or Cream: It adds just enough liquid to create a creamy, spreadable frosting. Heavy cream works too if you want it a bit richer.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities. 👇
Equipment you'll need
- mixing bowls
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- 9x13-inch cake pan (23x33 cm)
- offset spatula
- piping bag and tip (optional)
How to make a Christmas sheet cake
Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar
Beat the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy.
Step 3: Add the Eggs and Flavorings
Mix in the eggs, then add the vanilla and vegetable oil until it's well combined.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Mix until just combined.
Step 5: Tint the Batter
Divide the batter evenly into 3 bowls. Keep one plain, tint one red and tint the other green.
Step 6: Add the Batter to the Pan
Spoon dollops of each color into the pan, alternating between white, red, and green so the colors are spread out before swirling them.
Step 7: Swirl the Colors
Swirl the batter 1-3 times. Don't over-swirl so the colors stay distinct.
Step 8: Bake and Cool the Cake
Bake the cake. Let it cool completely before frosting.
How to make Vanilla Buttercream
Step 1: Sift the Powdered Sugar
Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl and set it aside.
Step 2: Beat the Butter
Beat the butter on high speed for 3-4 minutes until it looks creamy and lighter in color.
Step 3: Add the Powdered Sugar
Add the powdered sugar in four additions with the mixer running, mixing well after each one.
Step 4: Add Vanilla and Milk
Add the vanilla and the milk, one tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches your desired consistency. Then beat for another 3-4 minutes.
Beating the frosting for the extra 3-4 mintues at the end helps it lighten in color, giving you a whiter buttercream.
Coloring & Decorating the Buttercream
If you want to tint your buttercream, divide it into separate bowls and add a little gel food coloring to each one. Mix gently until the color is even. For this recipe, I spread a thin layer of white buttercream over the top of the cooled cake, then tinted the remaining frosting and used a piping bag with a star tip to pipe simple borders.Sprinkles and edible decorations make it even easier to decorate.
For a striped border like the one I did in the photos, spread two different colors of buttercream side by side on a piece of plastic wrap, roll it up tightly, and twist the ends. Snip of the tip of one ed of the plastic wrap and place it cut-side-down into a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
Recipe Notes
Make-ahead Options
The cake can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature for 1-2 days.
The buttercream can be prepared ahead and stored separately, covered in the fridge overnight. If the buttercream is chilled, let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes and then re-whip it to make it smooth and spreadable again. A quick one minute mix is usually enough.
Storage Tips & Freezing Instructions
You can store the frosted cake, covered, at room temperature for 1-2 days in a cool spot. Keep the cake tightly covered in the fridge for 5-6 days.
Freezing: The cake can be frozen frosted or unfrosted for up to 2-3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then let it come to room temperature before serving.
Variations
- Cream cheese frosting: If you prefer a tangier frosting, you can use the cream cheese frosting from my Frosted Brownies recipe. It pairs really well with the vanilla cake.
- Snowy top: Add some shredded coconut on top for a "snowy" look.
- Chocolate marble flavor: For a chocolate swirl, mix 2-3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder with 1 tablespoon of milk and stir it into the plain batter. Keep the other two bowls red and green.
✅ Tips for success
- Use a digital scale for accuracy: I test all my recipes using a digital scale because measuring by weight gives the most consisten results.
- Food coloring: Gel food coloring works much better than liquid. It keeps the batter thick and gives you a bright, clean red and green swirls.
- Swirl tips: A butter knife, skewer or toothpick is all you need. Just 1-3 gently swirls will give you defined ribbons of color without blending them together.
- Room temperature ingredients: Make sure the ingredients are at room temperature for a smoother batter.
- Frosting: The cake needs to be completely cool before frosting, so that the buttercream doesn't melt.
Frequently asked questions
Gel food coloring is best. It gives vibrant colours without thinning the batter.
Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake, if it comes out clean, it's done.
Yes. Bake and cool it completely, wrap it thightly in plastic wrap, and then frost or decorate the the next day.
More Christmas recipes to try!
Happy Baking!
Did you make this recipe? If so, please let me know how it turned out and leave a rating and review below! I'd love to hear from you! ❤️
Recipe
Easy Christmas Sheet Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (200g / 7oz)
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar (350g)
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons light vegetable oil (30ml)
- 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature (250ml)
- Red and green gel food coloring
- Optional: Edible Christmas decorations or sprinkles for topping
For the buttercream frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (226g)
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar, (360 - 480g), adding more if needed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, adding more if needed
Before You Start:
For best results, please read through the full post before beginning the recipe.
Instructions
Make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan or line it with parchment paper for easy lifting.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.3 cups all-purpose flour (375g), 3 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a hand or stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.¾ cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (200g / 7oz), 1¾ cups granulated sugar (350g)
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and oil until smooth.3 large eggs, at room temperature , 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons light vegetable oil (30ml)
- Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions (beginning and ending with flour). Mix until just combined - do not overmix.1 cup whole milk, at room temperature (250ml)
- Divide the batter evenly into three bowls: one plain (white), one tinted red, and one tinted green. To color the batter, start with a tiny bit of gel food coloring (I dip just the tip of a toothpick), then stir with a spoon until the color is even. Add more if you want a deeper shade.
- Spoon dollops of batter into the prepared pan - alternating the colors until all the batter is used. Each dollop should be about 2 tablespoons for the best marbling.
- Using a butter knife, toothpick, or skewer, swirl gently through the batter just 1-3 times so the colors don't overblend.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil after about 25 minutes.
- Place the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cook completely before frosting, 1-1½ hours.
Make the vanilla buttercream
- Beat the butter on high speed for 3-4 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed, until it looks creamy and lighter in color.1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (226g)
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar in four additions, increasing to medium speed after each one and mixing well.3-4 cups powdered sugar, (360 - 480g), adding more if needed
- Add the vanilla, then add the milk or heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency. If it's too thick, add a little more milk; if it's too thin, add 1-2 tablespoons more powdered sugar.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1-3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, adding more if needed
- Beat again on high speed for 3-4 minutes until the buttercream is lighter in color, then stir with a spatula for about a minute to remove air bubbles and make it smooth and spreadable.
- If you want colored frosting, divide the buttercream into bowls and tint each portion with gel food coloring. Start with a tiny amount (just the tip of a toothpick) and mix until the color is even, adding more only if needed.
Assemble and decorate
- Spread a thin layer of white buttercream evenly over the cooled cake.
- For a two-tone border (optional), spread two different colors of buttercream side by side on a piece of plastic wrap, roll it up tightly, and twist the ends. Snip one end and place it cut-side-down into a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
- Pipe simple borders or rosettes around the edges using the two-tone buttercream or a single color.
- Finish with sprinkles, edible decorations, or anything festive you like.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Store the frosted cake, covered, at room temperature for 1–2 days. Keep it tightly covered in the fridge for 5–6 days.
Freeze frosted or unfrosted for up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before serving. Tips for Success
- Use a digital scale for the most accurate results.
- Gel food coloring works best and keeps the batter thick.
- Swirl the batter only 1-3 times for clean, defined colors.
- Use room-temperature ingredients for a smoother batter.
- Make sure the cake is fully cool before frosting so the buttercream sets properly.
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