Graduation Sheet Cake Buttercream Roses (Printable)

Moist vanilla sheet cake topped with smooth buttercream and colorful piped roses for a festive touch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sheet Cake

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
09 - 1.25 cups whole milk, room temperature

→ Buttercream

10 - 1.5 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
11 - 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 0.25 cup whole milk
13 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
14 - Gel food coloring assorted colors

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 12x18-inch sheet cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly blended.
03 - In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until combined to avoid overdeveloping gluten.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack until completely cooled to room temperature before frosting.
08 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes.
09 - Divide buttercream into separate bowls. Tint portions with gel food coloring for roses in red, pink, and yellow shades, and green for leaves. Leave some buttercream white for the base layer.
10 - Spread a thin layer of white buttercream over the cooled cake to create a smooth foundation.
11 - Fit piping bags with petal tips for roses and leaf tips for foliage. Pipe roses and leaves across the cake, focusing on corners or creating a border design.
12 - Using a small round piping tip, write a congratulatory message or personalized graduation greeting on the cake.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cake stays impossibly moist and tender, so soft it melts on your tongue without that dense, heavy feeling.
  • Decorating with buttercream roses feels like you're creating edible art, and honestly, it's more forgiving than you'd think.
  • Feeds a crowd beautifully—24 servings means you're ready for any celebration without sweating the portions.
02 -
  • Bring all ingredients to room temperature before you start; a cold egg or cold milk can cause the batter to break and separate, leading to a grainy cake.
  • Don't overmix once you start adding the flour—overmixing develops too much gluten and makes your cake tough and dense instead of tender.
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale for the flour and powdered sugar if you have one—it eliminates the guesswork and gives you consistent results every single time.
  • Keep your piping tips clean between colors by wiping them with a damp cloth; it prevents colors from muddying together and keeps your roses pristine.
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