 Iced and decorated American sheet cake for a student graduation | |
| Alternative names | Slab cake |
|---|---|
| Type | Cake |
| Course | Dessert |
| Serving temperature | Cold |
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.
American sheet cake
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
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
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.
Gallery
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A man cuts into a slab cake. -
A large sheet cake, served at a political event -
Edible ink printing can produce a photo-like decoration. -
Donauwelle, a marble cake with cherries -
Chocolate sheet cake topped with nuts -
Sheet cake with pineapples and maraschino cherries -
Decorated sheet cake, partially cut for serving
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German sheet cake
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.
Gallery
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Bienenstich -
Donauwelle, cross-section -
A slice of Butterkuchen, showing a yeasted dough base and almond topping -
Schmandkuchen -
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A slice of apple sheet cake
See also
References
- ^ "sheet cake (noun) American English definition and synonyms | Macmillan Dictionary". www.macmillandictionary.com. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- ^ "Popular Cake Flavors" (PDF).
- ^ "Cakes for Any Occasion - Walmart.com". Walmart.com. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- ^ "Sheet Cake Cite".
- ^ "What is the size of a full sheet cake?".
