Hello Fellow CC'ers:
At times I've needed a 1/2 sheet cake to use as a base for a smaller cake on top, and for some reason I cannot wrap my head around this challenge. I do no own a sheet cake pan, nor a 9"x13" just a large glass pyrex that is about 10"x15" with rounded edges. It's not big enough, so recently a friend of mine asked me to make her a 1/2 sheet cake. Hmmmmmmm................so I went to a Bakery where I work holidays, and asked them to sell me a 1/2 sheet cake and they did......very expensive....$25!
So my question is.....How do I bake a sheet cake, or at least a 1/2 sheet cake? What is the best pan to buy? I'm scared to bake a sheet cake. Doesn't it just bake too thin like a jelly roll cake? What am I not understanding here? I'd like to get past this challenge and move on to baking and decorating larger cakes. Can you help a sister out? Thanks in advance.

I would go with Magic Line pans. I've got some that are about 35 years old, and they still work perfectly. I like Magic Line because the sides are straight and the corners square, unlike the Wilton pans, which have slightly angled sides and rounded corners.

Don't worry, your sheet cake will bake up about 2" tall. I think my 12x18 pan takes the equivalent of 3 cake mixes. If you want the cake a little taller, you can torte and fill it.

Hello Gramof5:
Thanks for your help! Do you line your sheet pan with parchment, or spray it or what? Do you use a box or doctored cake mix? Or do you have some recipes that you use from scratch? I've never baked such a large cake before, and for some reason it scares the heck out of me.
Thanks!

Unless you have an oversize or commercial oven you won't be able to bake a full sheet anyway-too big. it is also difficult to handle. The 12 x 18 is plenty big enough & you could always stick 2 together.

I spray my pans with Baker's Joy or some other brand of spray that has flour in it. I use doctored mixes - 1 mix, 4 eggs, 1 box instant pudding, 2 tsp of a complementary extract and 1 TBSP meringue powder. Mix on medium for 6 minutes. This recipe bakes for at least 50-60 minutes for the 12x18 pan. HTH!

p.s. If you don't have the meringue powder, it's not a problem. If you want more volume, use XL or jumbo eggs.

I can bake a 12x18 in my regular home oven. I use homemade bake even strips and 2 flower nails to make it rise evenly. At 375 degrees it takes a little something over an hour. I use the homemade cake release that folks here talk about - 1 part shortening, 1 part oil, 1 part flour - and use a pastry brush to liberally cover pan and flower nails. Have not needed parchment paper, unless the recipe has chocolate chips in it - those do tend to stick for me. I use 3 cake mixes and 2 boxes of instant pudding - and like Gramof5 I also torte and fill mine.

Most of my cakes have been sheet cakes. I too use a 12x18 pan. I have the Wilton because that is what was available to me when I started doing cakes. I use the bake even strips and two flower nails. I use the homemade cake release( 1 part oil, 1 part flour, 1part shortning) to coat the pan with. I use 3 cake mixes mixed according to box directions. I bake at 325 degrees for about 45 to 50 min.

Torting can be a challenge to start with. I have some 1/2 sheet cake boards that I have covered with contact paper so they can be cleaned and reused. Once I have torted the cake I slip the cake board between the 2 layers so I can lift the layer off and slide it onto the cake board (1/2 in. foam core) I'm going to put the cake on. I then pipe the dam of firm buttercream and then spread on the filling. Slide the contact covered cake board under the other layer and slide it off onto the filling cover layer.

If you want to flip the layer for some reason slide a cake board under the layer and lay another on top. then holding the top in place with one hand slide your other hand under the bottom board lift all and flip.
To do a full sheet do the same thing only put them side by side on your 1/2 in foamcore board then frost as one big cake.