# What's Needed:
→ Vanilla sheet cake
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
→ Sage green buttercream
09 - 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), room temperature
10 - 5 cups sifted powdered sugar
11 - 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, as needed
12 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of fine salt
14 - Sage green gel food coloring, as needed
→ Gold buttercream accents
15 - 1/2 cup reserved buttercream
16 - Gold edible luster dust
17 - 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract or vodka (optional, for mixing with dust)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12×18-inch sheet pan and line the base with parchment, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, cream the unsalted butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
04 - Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract until homogenous.
05 - Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined; avoid overmixing.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake 28–32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely in the pan.
07 - Beat the butter in a large bowl until creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, beating to combine. Add vanilla and salt, then add heavy cream or milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the buttercream reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency.
08 - Tint the majority of the buttercream with sage green gel coloring to the desired shade. Reserve 1/2 cup of uncolored buttercream for gold accents.
09 - Spread the sage green buttercream evenly over the cooled cake using an offset spatula, working from the center toward the edges for a smooth finish.
10 - For painted accents, mix gold luster dust with a few drops of clear vanilla or vodka to form a paint and apply with a food-safe brush to piped details. Alternatively, blend luster dust into the reserved buttercream for marbled gold effects and pipe as desired.
11 - Add graduation motifs, gold sprinkles, or additional piping. Chill the sheet on a rack for a short time to set the icing before slicing into neat squares.
