How to serve sheet cake?

[clarabelle]

I know this is kind of a silly question
I am making a cake for a family gathering this weekend.
It is a sheet cake that you frost in the pan you baked it in.

When making something like this do you usually serve it in the pan? or cut it into squares and put those on a plate?

 

[MIGrandma]

I made a peanut butter sheet cake for my granddaughter's high school graduation open house and it was served right from the pan it was baked in.

Other times when I make one and take to family gatherings it is also served right from the pan.

If I were taking it to a more "elegant" dinner, or to someone's house where I didn't know many people I would take the pieces out of the pan and arrange them on a nice platter or something.

 

[clarabelle]

Thanks

I want it to look nice -but it is not really a fancy occasion

I don't usually bring this sort of thing

 

[Janepod]

Take it out of the pan and slice it.

I would keep the cake whole til you get to the party, let people admire it, THEN slice it.

Easiest way to get it out of the pan is to put parchment paper in first, so you're baking it on top of parchment.

Enjoy the party!

 

[clarabelle]

I like the parchment idea
Thanks

 

[cornflake]

I've never served a frosted sheet cake out of the pan - there'd only be frosting on the top and it seems like it'd be hard to frost or decorate properly?

I'd take it out and put it on cardboard and frost and serve from that.

 

[RunningGirl]

I've never served a frosted sheet cake out of the pan - there'd only be frosting on the top and it seems like it'd be hard to frost or decorate properly?

I'd take it out and put it on cardboard and frost and serve from that.

This is what I'd do as well. And my cousin who bakes cakes used dental floss to cut the cake once it's out and frosted - makes for neater looking cuts than dragging a knife through the frosting. Just don't use flavored floss!

 

[clarabelle]

Cornflake,
I don't think it would come out in one piece. It's not that kind of cake.

http://www.southernliving.com/food/holidays-occasions/apple-recipes-00400000053069/page12.html

 

[Rylee]

Flip it.

Grease and flour the pan, or use parchment paper.
After the cake has cooled, take a knife and go all around the edges of the pan.
Take the tray or cake board, (if using regular cardboard from home, be sure to cover with foil) and center it over the cake pan, hold both together tightly and flip it over.
Tap the bottom of the pan to loosen the cake.
Lift the pan slowly.

If any pieces fall apart, just but the piece in it's place, using a little frosting to hold it together.

 

[cornflake]

Cornflake,
I don't think it would come out in one piece. It's not that kind of cake.

http://www.southernliving.com/food/holidays-occasions/apple-recipes-00400000053069/page12.html

Ah I see, thanks.

Looks yummy.

If you want it out of the pan, as another poster said, parchment. You can lightly grease the parchment and do a long piece, that you drape up over the two ends of the pan, and then cut a few thick long pieces and put then under the full parchment sheet, going the other way.

So it's like one long piece going the long way across, and underneath that, a bunch of pieces going the other way. They should all lay outside the pan. When baked, all you do is lift - you made a sling. If you grease it lightly it should come off very clean when you peel it off the cake.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Chocolate sheet cake is the one of the more popular desserts here in Texas. Here, everyone serves it out of the pan unless they are trying to make things go faster by cutting it up early and putting it on individual plates.

 

[clarabelle]

Thanks everyone

I think I will try the parchment. I have made this cake before and it was delicious
But I wasn't worried about presentation then

Jenna -I have had the chocolate and the white Texas sheet cake
both yummy

 

[SpecialK]

That recipe sounds delicious, but I'd be afraid it would be too heavy to keep its shape if you take it out of the pan. I'd just make it in a nice-looking pan and leave it there.

 

[Pamlur]

I made that cake for a Sunday School luncheon. I cut it into squares at home and put the squares on a large serving plate. It was messy, but it worked. At home I think I would just serve it from the pan.

 

[Rylee]

That recipe sounds delicious, but I'd be afraid it would be too heavy to keep its shape if you take it out of the pan. I'd just make it in a nice-looking pan and leave it there.

I would be concerned about that, too. Depending on the size and weight of the cake, lifting it out on parchment paper might result in it cracking down the middle from the weight of the cake caving in. Also, it would have to stay on the paper because I doubt a cake that size will slide off like cookies do.

I'd flip it or leave it in the pan.

 

[SpecialK]

I would be concerned about that, too. Depending on the size and weight of the cake, lifting it out on parchment paper might result in it cracking down the middle from the weight of the cake caving in. Also, it would have to stay on the paper because I doubt a cake that size will slide off like cookies do.

I'd flip it or leave it in the pan.

I only use parchment on the bottom of the cake pan, and it still gets flipped to take it out of the pan. I think an apple cake might not keep its shape after it's flipped.

 

[Shyvioletisme]

Chocolate sheet cake is the one of the more popular desserts here in Texas. Here, everyone serves it out of the pan unless they are trying to make things go faster by cutting it up early and putting it on individual plates.

This. Sheet cakes here are always served from the pan. If you want it to look nicer, you could always buy a prettier cake pan to bake it in.

 

[clarabelle]

Thanks everyone!