A light sheet cake topped with a thick cream cheese frosting and crushed Lucky Charms cereal.
This is a simple cake but one that tastes pretty good in my opinion. A basic sheet cake is slightly transformed by soaking some of the cereal in milk for a while before using the milk in the cake mix. This isn't a new concept but I've always wanted to try it and see if the cereal can really infuse the milk with that much flavor. The result- to begin with Lucky Charms cereal doesn't really have a flavor. It's sweet with a vanilla taste but that fits into the sheet cake perfectly. The cake tastes great and a little bit like a mild version of a tres leches cake. it would be perfect for any type of celebration and even makes the cut for St Patrick's Day because of the Lucky Charms!
How to make this easy sheet cake
The cake follows the same basic process as most sponge cakes. Beat the butter and sugar and add the dry and liquid ingredients.
- Make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature
- Sift the flour
- Add the eggs one at a time remembering to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
- Grease the 9x13 pan with butter and then line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Is this cake mix better than a box cake?
I'd have to say yes and not to toot my own horn. Box cake mixes are great when you might be in a time crunch but there's nothing better than baking from scratch and creating something wonderful. This sheet cake is light and fluffy and because of the cereal milk trick, the flavor is much better than a cake mix. I also adapted the original recipe to use pure butter and not shortening .
How to tell when my sheet cake is done
My preferred way to tell if baked goods are done is by gently pressing down on the top with a fingertip. If the cake springs back and doesn't leave a dent then it should be fully baked. The cake needs to cool before taking out of the pan. To do this successfully, place a cutting board or another pan larger than the cake on top of the cake pan. Holding both the baked cake which is still in its pan, flip the cake over so that the cake is now on top of the cutting board. The 9x13 pan should easily lift away from the cake. Carefully peel the parchment paper away from the cake and discard. Finally place another baking sheet pan on top of the cake and flip the whole thing over again. You should be looking at the cake on a sheet pan wit the top of the cake facing up ready to frost.
Frosting the cake
Cream cheese frosting falls into two categories, with butter or without. I like both but prefer a recipe with butter because I think it not only adds flavor and tastes less sweet, the texture seems a lot smoother and creamier. Make sure all of your frosting ingredients are at room temperature before you begin. This will prevent lumps and you'll have a lighter frosting. You can use a handheld mixer with beaters or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. You'll need to wait until the cake is completely cool before you frost it or you might end up with a bunch of crumbs mixed through the frosting when you lay it down on the cake. I actually made my cake the night before and it was perfect to frost the next morning. I also recommend placing the cake in the fridge for 20 minutes after you frost it just to let it settle and stiffen up a bit. The crumbled cereal on top will eventually turn soft due to the moisture from the frosting, so don't add it until closer to when you plan to serve it.
