Is It Possible To Make A Sheet Cake With A Layer Cake Recipe?

Whether you are feting someone with this frosted confection to mark a milestone birthday, a retirement, a graduation, an anniversary, or a victorious win for the kids' soccer team, a cake can turn a gathering from a simple occasion into a proper party. Layer cakes are nothing new, but they are still a unique and fun choice. Rosie's Creative Cakes notes layers of red velvet cake topped with a beautiful cream cheese frosting or a decadent homemade chocolate layer cake covered in chocolate frosting and sprinkles are all about the "visual appeal."

According to the New York Times, layer cakes were inspired by the jelly cake, which is described as thin griddle cakes piled into layers and each layer separated by jelly. They soon started popping up in the United States in the 1800s, and with the advent of the cast-iron stove and the availability of baking powder, the layer cake was practical to make. But as beautiful as a layer cake can be, and as fancy as you can get decorating one, they aren't necessarily as easy or convenient as a sheet cake to transport from point A to point B if you volunteered to bring this food item to the next potluck or book club meeting. So, how can you transform your layered cake recipe into a sheet cake?

It's actually a lot simpler than you might think. According to Southern Living, you can ditch your round cake pans and use your trusted rectangular cake pan for your layer cake recipes as well. Southern Living reveals if your recipe is for a two-layer cake, this batter will easily fill a 13x9-inch pan. How does this work?

King Arthur Baking explains that the layer cake recipes that work best for this transformation are those where the recipe calls for 8-inch round or 9-inch round cake pans. Additionally, the baking site recommends not trying this with non-traditional cake recipes, such as a sponge cake. You'd want to make sure it's mixed by "creaming," "blending," or the "paste method." 

Moreover, King Arthur Baking explains the cooking time is going to increase anywhere from 20% to 40% depending on the layer cake recipe and the size rounds it was intended to fill. It will also require a watchful eye to ensure you don't overcook it. Southern Living notes you will know your cake is ready to take out of the oven when it is springy, and the toothpick you insert in the center comes back free of crumbs.