Spring Birthday Sheet Cake (Print)

Tender vanilla sheet with lemon curd and whipped cream frosting adorned with fresh berries.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
10 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Lemon Curd Filling

11 - 4 large egg yolks
12 - ½ cup granulated sugar
13 - ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
14 - Zest of 2 lemons
15 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, cubed

→ Whipped Cream Frosting

16 - 2 cups heavy cream, chilled
17 - ½ cup powdered sugar
18 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Decoration

19 - Fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries), optional
20 - Edible flowers or lemon zest curls, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x13-inch sheet pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, cream softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract and lemon zest.
04 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture in three parts, alternating with milk. Begin and end with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
05 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack.
06 - In a small saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, approximately 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in cubed butter until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold.
07 - Whip chilled heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
08 - Once cake is completely cool, carefully slice it horizontally to create two layers. Remove the top layer and spread chilled lemon curd evenly over the bottom layer. Replace the top layer.
09 - Spread whipped cream frosting evenly over the cake. Decorate with fresh berries, edible flowers, or lemon zest curls as desired.
10 - Refrigerate cake for at least 1 hour before serving to ensure clean slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The lemon curd is tart enough to balance the sweetness, so you don't feel weighed down after a slice.
  • Whipped cream frosting stays light and airy, letting the bright lemon flavor actually shine instead of getting buried under buttercream.
  • A sheet cake means no fancy decorating skills required, yet it looks elegant enough to impress anyone.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients (especially eggs and milk) emulsify properly with the butter and create a smoother, more tender crumb—skipping this step is why some cakes feel dense.
  • Lemon curd breaks if the heat is too high, so medium-low is your friend—it should thicken gradually over 5-7 minutes, not scramble into chunks.
  • Chilling the assembled cake for at least an hour before serving is non-negotiable if you want clean slices instead of a collapsed mess on the plate.
03 -
  • If your kitchen is warm, work quickly when layering and frosting—a cake that's too warm will slide around and frustrate you.
  • For extra lemon flavor without making the cake soggy, brush each layer with a simple syrup made from equal parts lemon juice and sugar before assembling.
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