Graduation Sheet Cake Buttercream Roses (Print)

Festive sheet cake with buttercream roses and a diploma, ideal for graduation celebrations and vibrant gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
03 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
05 - 6 large eggs, room temperature
06 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
07 - 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
08 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Buttercream Frosting

09 - 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
10 - 8 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - ½ cup whole milk or heavy cream
12 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
13 - Gel food coloring, as needed for decoration

→ Decorations

14 - Edible gold or silver pearls (optional)
15 - Fondant or white chocolate for diploma and ribbon (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 12x18-inch sheet pan with parchment paper.
02 - Beat unsalted butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
03 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
05 - Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three stages, alternating with milk. Begin and end with dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
06 - Transfer batter to the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
07 - Allow cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and finish cooling on a wire rack.
08 - Beat unsalted butter until creamy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk or cream. Mix until fluffy, adjusting consistency if needed.
09 - Divide frosting into separate bowls. Color portions pink, red, or yellow for roses, green for leaves, and leave some uncolored for coating.
10 - Apply a smooth layer of white buttercream over the cooled cake using an offset spatula.
11 - Pipe decorative roses with colored buttercream and a rose tip. Pipe leaves with green buttercream and a leaf tip.
12 - Shape a scroll from fondant or white chocolate for the diploma and tie with a ribbon of colored fondant. Position atop the cake.
13 - Adorn with edible pearls and any additional decorative touches as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You'll never run out of cake—the sheet pan yields enough for every guest, even those who sneak back for seconds.
  • The buttercream roses look stunning but are surprisingly easy to pipe after a little practice, making you feel like a pro without the stress.
02 -
  • Trying to pipe roses on a warm cake is a recipe for melting disasters—let it cool completely or decorate the next day.
  • Sifting powdered sugar changed the buttercream from lumpy to silky; skipping this step was my rookie mistake.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients ensure even mixing and a moist crumb; cold eggs or butter made my first cake dense.
  • Gel food coloring turned my frosting vibrant with just a drop—a little goes a long way for bold color.
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