Vanilla Sheet Cake
This soft and fluffy Vanilla Cake is sweetened with honey and is perfect for those who want to enjoy a delicious treat without the added sugar. It’s not often you find such a delicious dessert with all of these healthy ingredients in it, but that is exactly what this Vanilla Cake brings to the table.
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This healthy Vanilla Cake recipe does not use cake flour or all-purpose flour, full of gluten. It instead uses a gluten-free combination of almond flour and coconut flour which serves the same purpose while being loads healthier than regular cakes.
You can also feel good about the sweet flavor of this cake, knowing that it comes from a natural source in honey instead of processed powdered sugar and confectioners’ sugar. Top this with fresh berries to give a little more of that natural sweet flavor. Blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are some classic fresh fruits that work great.
This cake recipe is a great template for any healthy sheet cake that you want to bake. It also can be used in a round cake pan; you may just have to adjust the baking time. You could also substitute out the vanilla extract for cocoa powder to make it a chocolate sheet cake or add in some different flavors like lemon to the cream cheese frosting.
It’s a great dessert recipe for those who are trying to limit the amount of sugar they are eating, and overall it’s just a good healthy option for those trying to get into healthier diet habits but still want that great flavor. There’s nothing complicated or fancy in this simple vanilla sheet cake recipe, either!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe:
Soft and fluffy: Almond and coconut flours create a tender, light crumb that’s perfectly moist.
Naturally sweetened: Made with honey for gentle sweetness without refined sugar.
Classic flavor: Warm vanilla and buttery richness make this a timeless cake for any occasion.
Gluten-free: Ideal for those avoiding traditional flour, no one will even notice the difference.
Easy to make: Simple ingredients and one bowl for dry and one for wet—ready in under an hour.
Versatile base: Pairs beautifully with cream cheese frosting, fruit, or a drizzle of glaze.
Ingredients to Make Vanilla Sheet Cake:
- almond flour. Provides a moist, nutty base and light texture, use finely ground almond flour (not almond meal) for the best results.
- coconut flour. Helps absorb moisture and balance the richness of the almond flour.
- eggs. Provide structure and moisture, use room temperature eggs for smoother mixing.
- milk. Adds lightness to the batter; use any kind (dairy or non-dairy) you prefer.
- butter. Adds richness and tenderness. Melt before mixing to blend evenly into the batter.
- honey. Naturally sweetens the cake and keeps it moist. Maple syrup can be used as a substitute if preferred.
- vanilla extract. The key flavor, use pure vanilla extract for the best aroma and taste.
- cream cheese frosting. A smooth, tangy complement to the sweet, buttery cake.
How to Make Vanilla Sheet Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt on medium speed.
- In another bowl, beat the eggs, then add milk, melted butter, honey, and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until a smooth batter forms.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Recommended Equipment
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Bring ingredients to room temperature: This helps the batter mix evenly and prevents the butter from solidifying when combined with cold milk or eggs.
- Measure coconut flour precisely: Even an extra tablespoon can make the cake too dry, spoon and level for accuracy.
- Avoid overmixing: Stir the batter just until smooth; overmixing can make the cake dense.
- Check early for doneness: Almond flour browns quickly, so start checking at 25 minutes. The center should spring back lightly when touched.
- Cool completely before frosting: The cream cheese frosting will melt on a warm cake, so wait until it’s fully cooled.
- Frosting variation: Add ½ teaspoon almond extract or a dash of lemon zest to the frosting for extra flavor.
- Serving idea: Top with fresh berries or toasted coconut for a simple yet elegant presentation.
Serving Suggestions:
- Homemade Unsweetened Almond Milk
- Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip
- Cinnamon Apples
- Homemade Hot Chocolate
- Peanut Butter Banana Cookies
How to Store:
Refrigerator: Store the frosted cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days. For the best texture, let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Freezer: Freeze unfrosted cake slices in a freezer-safe container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Store for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting.
Make ahead: Bake the cake a day in advance, cover tightly once cooled, and frost the next day. The flavor develops beautifully after resting overnight.
FAQs:
Maple syrup or agave nectar can replace the honey in equal amounts, though honey gives the richest flavor and best texture.
Definitely, divide the batter into a lined muffin tin and bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
You can replace it with ½ cup additional almond flour, though the texture will be a bit denser.
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Vanilla Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- ½ cup honey
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups cream cheese frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, beat the eggs, then add milk, melted butter, honey, and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until a smooth batter forms.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Nutrition
Notes
- Bring ingredients to room temperature: This helps the batter mix evenly and prevents the butter from solidifying when combined with cold milk or eggs.
- Measure coconut flour precisely: Even an extra tablespoon can make the cake too dry, spoon and level for accuracy.
- Avoid overmixing: Stir the batter just until smooth; overmixing can make the cake dense.
- Check early for doneness: Almond flour browns quickly, so start checking at 25 minutes. The center should spring back lightly when touched.
- Cool completely before frosting: The cream cheese frosting will melt on a warm cake, so wait until it’s fully cooled.
- Frosting variation: Add ½ teaspoon almond extract or a dash of lemon zest to the frosting for extra flavor.
- Serving idea: Top with fresh berries or toasted coconut for a simple yet elegant presentation.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
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Reversed the flour ratios and added 1&1/2 cups of milk. Turned out ok with fresh fruit topping.
Can you cook it in the oven? If so, for how long?
I’ve come back to this so many times. Such a delicious recipe and so easy. Hard to have the self control to not eat it all in one sitting. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
I made this it was quick and easy, except it was more of a biscuit so I made strawberry shortcake. What did I do wrong?
Perfect… just right for my sugar craving… cooked PERFECTLY… didn’t need to ease out of dish, it came straight out. This will definitely be my go to cake ❤️
This cake is so easy and delicious, it has been a lifesaver to me struggling to feel like I can’t have a keto treat so I made two and cream frosted between 😍
Not Keto friendly with honey! I swapped it out for monk.
You can make it with eruthilol honey by choc zero. Keto friendly
This is not a keto recipe. It contains honey. Honey is not used in keto recipes due to its incredibly high sugar content.
Forgive me. I see the measurements and will check back. Making it today! I’m starving for sweets! Thank you!
Can this be baked? What temp and for how long?
Can I bake this instead?
Six thumbs up from my two children and me! This was so easy and fast to make. Best of all was that we had all of the ingredients. Only change i made was adding cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to give it a spice cake twist with fall right around the corner. It went beautifully with the cream cheese frosting, also crazy easy to make. Thank you!
I made this few times. I like how easy and quick I can eat! When I don’t have time to bake. I just adjusted amount of oil bit less( used coconuts oil) and add coconuts milk instead.some with coco powder. I used coconuts coco cream topping instead of cream cheese topping.
This was great! I made a 1/2 serve and used maple syrup, coconut oil and cacao i also substituted 1tbs of the almond Flour with psyllium husk and i served it with coconut cream and blueberries. It was so moist snd yummy! Thank you
Hi! What oven temp and for how long did you bake it for?