Easy And Delicious 9x13 Cake Recipes That Feed A Crowd

Texas Sheet Cake With Fudge Icing — Photo:
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

When it comes to Southern gatherings and celebrations, it's safe to say that bigger is often better. From your batches of biscuits to pitchers of sweet tea, more is actually just right. As much as we love our layered cakes and pies, we get a little edgy when watching the slices disappear quicker than we feel comfortable with. That's why we've come to love our 9x13 baking pan even more than our round ones. The totally underrated, no-fuss 9x13 cake deserves a little more credit, especially considering all of the delicious variations that go well beyond the basics. We're talking old-school classics like chocolate-mayonnaise and cola cakes, as well as fancy new friends like coconut-carrot and strawberries-and-cream cakes. These top-rated 9x13 cake recipes make the most of the one-layered dessert that easily feeds a crowd and wins at the cake-to-frosting ratio every time. Plus, they're tasty and pretty enough to pull out for every occasion. Here are our favorite 9x13 cake recipes of all time.

01 of 13

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Sure, as kids we gasped at the reveal that this delicious old-fashioned delicacy uses mayonnaise; but we were quick to brush it off. You can't argue with the fluffiest, most moist sheet cake ever. Top with chocolate-cream cheese frosting and watch this cake quickly disappear.

02 of 13

Sweet Tea-and-Lemonade Cake

You won't find anything quite as Southern as this cake's take on an Arnold Palmer. Tea-infused batter gets topped with a zesty lemonade frosting and lemon slices for garnish. Turn this into a tipsy cake by substituting up to two tablespoons of vodka or bourbon for the lemon juice in the frosting.

03 of 13

Coca-Cola Cake

You can instantly tell the difference that the sweet syrup and magical bubbly brew of carbonated cola gives to the cake batter, resulting in an insanely tender texture. We even throw some Coca-Cola in the cream cheese frosting for a velvety finish! Use a spoon to make swooshes in the frosting for a pretty presentation.

04 of 13

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

You heard it here first: this poke cake made us love banana pudding more than ever before, and we've had a lot of banana pudding! The cake is rich and delicious, bursting with fresh banana flavor and soaked with homemade vanilla pudding. The toppings of banana slices, whipped cream frosting, and crushed vanilla wafers seal the deal.

05 of 13

Texas Sheet Cake

Every old-fashioned Southern cook knows the power of a basic Texas sheet cake. One of the most versatile cakes you'll ever bake, this chocolatey cake is topped with a to-die-for Fudge Frosting. Top it off with toffee bits or toasted pecans.

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Coconut-Carrot Cake with Coconut Buttercream

We never have to choose between carrot cake and coconut cake again with this amazing hybrid recipe—cooked in a 9x13 for ease to boot. Shredded carrots and coconut, raisins, and chopped walnuts add lots of texture. You'll be sneaking extra tastes of the mouthwatering coconut buttercream frosting too!

07 of 13

Plum-Berry Cornmeal Sheet Cake

Go ahead and line your 9x13 with parchment paper—because this plum and berry-studded sheet cake looks so happy and bright when displayed on a pretty serving tray. Fresh berries and plums balance nicely with the not-too-sweet vanilla-flavored cornmeal batter. Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream on top.

08 of 13

Heavenly Angel Food Cake

It's always good to have this most versatile sheet cake up your sleeve. It makes the perfect fluffy base for desserts aplenty, whether cut into squares for tea-time petit fours or frosted generously for a portable sheet cake. Spread on top with lemon-cream cheese frosting, and garnished with gumdrop rose petals and fresh mint leaves, this cake will look almost too pretty to eat.

09 of 13

Pumpkin Spice-Heath Cake

Pairing pumpkin spice with toffee bits and a spice cake mix couldn't be easier or more delicious. Pumpkin-spiced cream cheese frosting and a garnish of chopped Heath bars create the ultimate topping. Make and serve this dessert in your 9x13 baking pan for ultimate portability for all of your fall parties.

10 of 13

Cream Soda Confetti Sheet Cake

Cream soda, confetti sprinkles, and a tangy-sweet frosting naturally colored with freeze-dried strawberries make this sheet cake about the most festive thing we've ever seen. It can be your easy staple cake that fits every celebration. This cake can be made ahead by refrigerating for up to 3 days before serving.

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Wacky Cake

Between the unique ingredients and how it’s assembled, this cake is wacky. There is no dairy in wacky cake, it uses oil, vinegar, vanilla extract, and water instead for wet ingredients. The cake gets mixed in the pan it's baked in by making wells for the oil, vinegar, and vanilla, and then stirring with water. This easy-to-assemble dessert using pantry staples has stood the test of time—also called Depression cake, war cake, or crazy cake—wacky cake’s origins go back nearly a century when many common ingredients were hard to acquire or rationed.

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Peanut Butter Cake

This easy-to-make peanut butter-flavored cake feeds a crowd and uses mostly pantry staples. Buttermilk is the Southern-secret ingredient that makes this cake moist. This tasty cake is topped with a light and fluffy cream cheese frosting and chopped dry-roasted peanuts for a deliciously tangy and nutty flavor combo.

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Strawberries-and-Cream Sheet Cake

When you're looking for an easy cake that somehow looks even better than it tastes, this strawberry-speckled sheet cake is the way to go. Buttermilk adds a little tang, and strawberry-flavored gelatin adds a pretty, berry pink color to the cake. It won't disappoint, especially at any spring or summer gathering.

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9x13 Cake Recipes So Good You Might Never Make A Layer Cake Again

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