My First Sheet Cake:Disaster

I feel your pain!
My new best friend is "baker's joy" pan spray.
also, when turning a warm or hot cake out of the pan, tap on it's sides a few times on a soft surface- so you don't dent your pan.
then, leave the pan over the cake to "steam out".

the good part of your problem is you were nice enough to make some one a cake!!!!

 

The easiest way to handle frosted cake is to frost it on a cake board. 11 x 15 boards cost less than $1 each. However, most of us occasional bakers don't keep every size of board in stock in our home pantries.

Of course, there are ways to do it without precut boards. Here's one:

While your cake is cooling, turn a sheet pan upside down, and put a piece of parchment paper, the size of the pan on it.

Before frosting, slide your cooled cake off the rack and onto the parchment paper, using the largest spatula you own to help. If you think you'll be doing this kind of baking now and then, it's worth investing in inexpensive, plastic cake lifters. Here are some examples: Amazon.com: cake lifters - Home & Garden

Remember, you don't need to lift the whole sheet off in one piece, you just want to get it moving so that you can slide it onto the parchment paper you left sitting on the back of the pan.

After you've got the cake down it, trim the paper as close to the cake as you can -- leaving enough extra paper so you can frost the cake without frosting the pan.

Frost the cake. When you're done frosting, you can tilt the pan to slide the frosted cake off it and onto a serving plate.

Hope this helps,
BDL

 

I hate those chemical sprays, so make my own "Baker's Release"... equal parts AP flour, solid veg shortening and a neutral oil like canola. Mix well and apply sparingly with a brush . Keeps in the pantry for about 6 months, just give a little stir before using. I agree with BDL. From the cooling rack to a platter or board, THEN frost. Altho no need for the extra step with parchment and pan. If you do need to move a large cake to say...stack, slide to a cookie sheet (which is what Wilton is calling a 'cake lifter") then onto the bottom layer. No worries, do it every day.

 

I have always wanted to try to do some type of sheet cake but was afraid. I just stick with round cakes and cupcakes. If I were to do 2 rectangle cakes and paste them together with frosting would that be easier? Would that only be a 1/2 sheet cake? i guess I don't know how much to double or tripe a typle (2) 8 inch recipe yet.