Sugar Cookie Cake

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This Sugar Cookie Cake is like a giant frosted sugar cookie in a soft and fluffy cake form. Topped with a light buttercream frosting and rainbow sprinkles for fun! Perfect for birthday parties and celebrations!

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sugar cookie cake

This super soft, fluffy and moist Sugar Cookie Cake is loaded with sugar cookie flavors and has a tender cake-like texture. Baked in one pan and smothered with buttercream frosting and rainbow sprinkles on top.

This cake can be served as a birthday cake or celebration cake since it’s fun and colorful. If you love traditional cookie cakes, try my Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake that’s a Halloween version.

If you love all things sugar cookies like I do, try my other sugar cookie recipes: Edible Sugar Cookie Dough, Sugar Cookie Fudge, Sugar Cookie Truffles, Chewy Sugar Cookies, Cut Out Sugar Cookies, and Soft Sugar Cookie Bars. 

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key ingredients

• Flour: All-purpose flour works great, but you can also use whole wheat flour. Just note the flavor will be slightly different. Always spoon and level flour when measuring it. Be sure not to scoop it out of the bag using the measuring cup. This way, you won’t accidentally measure out too much. 
• Baking soda and baking powder: Used as a leavening agent, this will make the cake rise and be soft and fluffy.
• Salted butter: If you use unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the recipe.
• Granulated white sugar: Used to make the cake sweet.
• Pure vanilla extract: Enhances all the flavors. I love using vanilla bean paste to maximize the flavors.
• Almond extract: Adds the sweet sugar cookie flavor. One of the key ingredients!
• Milk: Whole milk or reduced-fat milk can be used. This will also make the cake extra moist and soft.
• Eggs: We use 4 whole eggs at room temperature to help bind the cake batter and add richness.
• Cornstarch: Makes this cake super soft and tender.

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how to make a sugar cookie cake

Prepare baking pan: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 13×9 inch baking pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

Cream butter and sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add eggs and extract: Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add in the extracts and mix again.

Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder together until well combined.

Add milk and flour mixture: Rotate between adding the milk and flour mixture in 3 increments to the wet mixture. Make sure the cake batter is combined, but do not over-mix.

Bake and cool cake: Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean and the tops are a light golden brown. Let the cake cool on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes. Carefully run a butter knife along the edge of the cake pan and carefully flip it over on a cooling rack to cool for another 10-15 minutes or until cooled completely.

To Make The Frosting

Cream butter with an electric mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy. Mix on low speed and gradually increase the speed when adding the powdered sugar. Add in the extracts and milk and continue to beat on high speed until creamy and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Spread frosting all over the top of the cooled cake: Make the frosting smooth or make swirls with a spoon. Decorate with rainbow sprinkles (optional), slice and enjoy!

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pro tips

• Use room temperature ingredients. This will ensure a smooth and velvety batter and the ingredients will incorporate easily. 
• Make sure not to over-bake the cake. Every oven is different, so the bake times will be different. The best way to tell if it’s ready is it’s not jiggly in the center and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Make ahead: Save some time and make the cake a day or two ahead of time. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store in the freezer to preserve it’s freshness.
• Let cake cool completely: If you don’t let the cake cool completely, the frosting will melt off.
• Toppings: Instead of sprinkles, top the cake with fresh berries, white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, crushed sugar cookies or M&Ms.

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recipe variations

• Frosting: Swap the buttercream frosting for a Chocolate Frosting, Cream Cheese Frosting, Strawberry Frosting , classic Vanilla Frosting or Lemon Frosting. You could also leave it unfrosted like a pound cake and dust with powdered. To make it extra fancy, use a piping bag with a star piping tip to decorate pipe frosting along the edges.
• Size of baking pan: If you want to add layers, bake in 2 8-inch round cake pans (or 9-inch) and reduce the baking time by a few minutes. To bake into cupcakes, bake for 20-25 minutes. To bake in a bundt pan, bake for 50-55 minutes. Always use the toothpick test to see if the cake is baked and note that oven temperature times vary in every oven.
• Chocolate Sugar Cookie Cake: Add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and chocolate chips to the cake batter to give the cake a chocolate flavor.

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leftovers & storage

Leftovers: Store leftover cake in an airtight container or cover plate with foil or plastic wrap. Store in a cool area for up to 5 days.

Freeze: You can freeze unfrosted or frosted cake by wrapping the cooled unfrosted cake with plastic wrap, or cut into individual slices and wrap each slice, and then place in a heavy-duty ziplock bag or cover with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrost: To defrost the unfrosted or frosted cake, let the cake thaw completely before frosting. Place cake in the refrigerator to sit overnight or sit out in the counter for at least 3 hours.

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