Baking a sheet cake

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmm. Does anyone have any good alternatives for baking a cake for 24? I really want to bake it myself because it’s because a birthday tradition, but we have never hosted such a big group before. No cupcakes please, must be cake!

Why do you need an alternative? You might be overthinking this.

Get two 9x13 cake pans. Personally I would do 2 boxes of cake mix per pan but 1.5 would be okay too. One box per pan will be way too skinny.

Lay out the two cakes side by side. Frost with a crumb layer to fill in the crack between cakes then do a thick layer of frosting.

If you wanted to get fancy with it you could bake 4 separate one box cakes so you can do a layer in between. Just as easy but more time consuming.

+1

[Anonymous]

Baker here.

Bake the half sheet cakes on a lined 1/2 sheet high sided cake pan - the Nordic one listed above are good. Bake one cake at a time, to ensure proper air circulation which will give you a more even bake. You can use cake nails, if you would like extra insurance. Pull the cakes once you have slight resistance and bounce back on the cake top, and let the cakes cool. Once cool, freeze the cakes - this will allow you to stack and frost them easily. You can level the top if the bake is uneven, but that’s best done with a turntable and a very long serrated knife. Good luck and let me know if you have any questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bigger question than your pan, what are you going to use to serve your cake on? I’ve never seen a cake board that large.

Yes 1/2 sheet cake drums are available no problem

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just get a cake at Costco. The price is cheaper than what you’ll spend making a cake that big at home.

I planned to do Costco but I traditionally make the kid’s cake so I’m hoping to do it again. Just never made for so many people before.

Ew please don't make it yourself. 😭

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just get a cake at Costco. The price is cheaper than what you’ll spend making a cake that big at home.

I planned to do Costco but I traditionally make the kid’s cake so I’m hoping to do it again. Just never made for so many people before.

Ew please don't make it yourself. 😭

Ew?

Do you know how things are made in factories and restaurant kitchens?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just get a cake at Costco. The price is cheaper than what you’ll spend making a cake that big at home.

I planned to do Costco but I traditionally make the kid’s cake so I’m hoping to do it again. Just never made for so many people before.

Ew please don't make it yourself. 😭

Grow up.
OP you will be fine stacking two layers. Go to Michaels and get a cake board. You've got this.

[Anonymous]

You can jury rig a cake board with a couple of layers of thick cardboard (like an amazon box) covered in aluminum foil.

[Anonymous]

I’m a prolific baker and I would never make a sheet cake. A 10 inch layer cake would probably do fine for that many people if you’re ok cutting it thin. For my kids parties I buy sheet cake from wegmans or Costco and bake a cake for their actual birthday dinner.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks all. I've gotten my courage up and I'm going to do a SINGLE layer half sheet cake, 18"x13". Looking at the pan in person, one layer should be good. I think I'm going to do a Betty Crocker whiter vanilla box mix and add store bought sprinkles to make a funfetti cake. Decorations TBD, but knowing the kid in question, probably more sprinkles!

[Anonymous]

I've never known someone to make baking a simple cake so complicated!

[Anonymous]

Texas sheet cake in a jelly roll pan is your solution. No, it's not a mix, but it's ridiculously easy and will make a lovely, fudgy chocolate cake. Sheet pan will be plenty for 24 2nd graders.

[Anonymous]

Cupcakes is the way to go.

[Anonymous]

Costco cake is going to taste better than the cake you made from a box and froze and defrosted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks all. I've gotten my courage up and I'm going to do a SINGLE layer half sheet cake, 18"x13". Looking at the pan in person, one layer should be good. I think I'm going to do a Betty Crocker whiter vanilla box mix and add store bought sprinkles to make a funfetti cake. Decorations TBD, but knowing the kid in question, probably more sprinkles!

Okay Costco cake definitely tastes better than a frozen betty crocker white vanilla cake with store bought sprinkles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Costco cake is going to taste better than the cake you made from a box and froze and defrosted.

I’m not going to freeze it.