A sheet cake or slab cake is a cake baked in a large, flat, rectangular cake pan. Sheet cakes can be grouped into two broad categories.

Sheet cake
Iced and decorated American sheet cake for a student graduation
Alternative namesSlab cake
TypeCake
CourseDessert
Serving temperatureCold

American sheet cake

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American sheet cakes are usually 2 inches (5 cm) deep, although they are sometimes 3 inches (8 cm) deep. These single-layer cakes are frequently frosted, with decorations and ornamental frosting along the borders and the flat top surface.[1]

They may be made in any flavor, with chocolate and vanilla being the two most common.[2] Commonly made in the home with boxed cake mixes, they can come in a variety of additional flavors, with batter mix-ins such as sprinkles and chocolate chips. By definition, they are made from a single continuous piece of cake. Ingredients such as nuts, chocolate chips, or coconut may be sprinkled over the top.

A layer cake may be made from a sheet cake that has been split, filled with jam or icing, and frosted.

Purchasing

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In the United States, these cakes are commonly available in supermarkets and bakeries and tend to be inexpensive due to their simple manufacturing process.[3][4]

Size

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Cake sizes are named after the size of pan that the cake is baked in. A full-size commercial sheet cake pan is 18 by 24 inches (46 cm × 61 cm) or 18 by 26 inches (46 cm × 66 cm) in size.[5] A half-sheet is half that size, and a quarter-sheet or 9-by-13-inch (23 cm × 33 cm) pan, which usually results in 16 to 24 servings of cake, is one-quarter the size. Sheet cakes, in general, are usually 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) deep.

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German sheet cake

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Several kinds of sheet cake are also part of traditional German cuisine. They are typically not iced or decorated for a specific celebration as American sheet cakes are, and may use any kind of dough such as yeast-leavened or sponge.

Examples of German-style sheet cakes (Blechkuchen, pronounced [ˈblɛçˌkuːxn̩]) include Bienenstich, Donauwelle, Butterkuchen and Schmandkuchen [de].

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "sheet cake (noun) American English definition and synonyms | Macmillan Dictionary". www.macmillandictionary.com. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  2. ^ "Popular Cake Flavors" (PDF).
  3. ^ "Cakes for Any Occasion - Walmart.com". Walmart.com. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  4. ^ "Sheet Cake Cite".
  5. ^ "What is the size of a full sheet cake?".