7Up Sheet Cake (small batch)

 

I got this delicious recipe for a 7Up sheet cake in my email earlier this week from NYT Cooking.  I love their recipes. They are usually very reliable and delicious. 

I actually had a can of 7Up soda in my cupboard so I decided to try it out. I just didn't need a huge sheet cake, however.  With just me in the house full recipes are just no longer practical.  I thought I would throw caution to the wind and make a half batch of the original recipe. 

Apparently this is an old fashioned Southern recipe, very common at potlucks and such. I had never heard of it before and was intrigued.

There is no leavening in the recipe. No baking powder, or soda. Instead the cake relies on the carbonation of the soda drink to give it some rise.  This also helps to keep the cake tender and moist.

 

 

I like to try new things and the chemistry and mechanics of cooking, and especially baking, has always interested me.  I probably should have taken Home Economics in University. I would have enjoyed that.

Anyways, this cake interested me, and I thought it would adapt itself well to baking in a smaller batch. I say small batch, but this quarter sheet pan  recipe still makes 6 to 8 generous servings!

 

Apparently you can also bake the full recipe in a Bundt tin, which I might try sometime when I need a large cake for a special occasion.  For now I went with a much smaller cake.

It is also known to go very well with fruit, and I had picked up my first punnet of locally grown strawberries of the season.  I was keen to serve them with the cake. 

It has a dense pound-cake like texture and the flavor is really intense.  You get the pop from the 7Up (lemonade) and lemon and lime zests are used liberally in both the cake and the frosting.

So expect fresh and zesty!! Sweet and buttery!! Dense and delicious!! This cake does not disappoint on any level.

I have seen some versions which use a cake mix. This cake recipe which I am sharing is completely from scratch.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE 7UP SHEET CAKE

With the exception of the soda pop, very simple every day ingredients.

For the cake:

• 1/2 cup (115g) butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
• 2 large free range eggs, plus 1 large free range egg yolk, room temperature (freeze the white for another purpose)
• 1/2 tsp pure lemon extract
• 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest
• 1 1/2 cups (210g) cake flour (see note)
• 1/2 cup (120ml) 7-Up soda

For the frosting:

• 2 1/2 cups (245g) icing sugar, sifted
• 1/8 cup (30ml) 7-Up soda
• 1 1/2 TBS lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest

 

You can actually use 7Up or Sprite interchangeably in this recipe. Both work the same. I don't recommend using the sugar free versions. Use the full sugared option.

Don't worry if you do not have cake flour in the house. This is something I never buy actually. I just make my own. For every cup of flour used, remove 1 TBS of the flour and replace with 1 TBS of cornstarch/corn-flour.

 

HOW TO MAKE 7UP SHEET CAKE (SMALL BATCH)

Nothing could be easier, but do work quickly after you add the 7Up, so that you can take full advantage of its carbonation when baking.

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a quarter sheet baking tray and line with baking paper.

Rub the fruit zests into the sugar until quite fragrant. Add the butter and beat with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then beat in the egg yolk, until well combined.

Beat in the lemon extract.

Beat in the flour 1/3 at a time alternating with the 7-Up making three dry and two wet additions, working on low speed and scraping the bowl after each addition. Begin and end with dry ingredients.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan, smoothing it out with a spatula.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and the top springs back when lightly touched. A toothpick inserted in the center should also come out clean.

Place on a wire cooling rack and leave to cool completely in the pan.

To make the frosting/glaze combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, whisking together until smooth. Spoon over the cold cake and spread out to cover with the back of a metal spoon.

THREE TIPS FOR 7UP CAKE PERFECTION

Here are my sure fire tips to help you end up with a perfect 7Up cake each and every time.

1. Start off with room temperature ingredients. If all of your ingredients are the same temperature they will beat together much more evenly and give you a smoother batter. They are much easier to cream, and allow for maximum lift and volume for your cake.

2.  Use only butter. I do not recommend using shortening or margarine for this recipe. Butter is better.

3.  Once you have creamed all of the butter, sugar and eggs together, don't overbeat the cake. Mix only to combine at all of the next levels.  Overbeating can toughen cake batter.

Store this cake at room temperature in an airtight container. You will actually find that it gets better tasting as it sits. I will keep for 4-5 days at room temperature.  Storing cakes in the refrigerator actually alters their texture and taste.

This was quite simply a lovely cake. I did enjoy it with some of my fresh berries. They made the perfect addition to my dessert plate!  I think a dollop of whipped cream would also go very well.

  

Be prepared to fall in love. This is one pretty tasty, dense and delicious cake!

If you are a fan of the smaller batch bake, or are a small family and just can't use a full batch cake, you might also enjoy the following cake recipes:

SMALL BATCH GINGERBREAD CAKE WITH LEMON CREAM - This small batch gingerbread recipe lacks none of the deliciousness of the full batched version. It has a beautiful dense and moist crumb and loads of spicy flavor.  The delicious lemon cream is the perfect accompaniment. Lemon and Ginger are beautiful partners. A marriage made in heaven.

SMALL BATCH ZUCCHINI COFFEE CAKE - Not a coffee flavored cake but a cake meant to be enjoyed with a hot drink, such as coffee.  This cake is moist, delicious and lightly spiced with an incredibly moreish brown sugar streusel topping.  There is everything to love about this cake, and its a good way to use up the glut of zucchini in the vegetable garden.

7Up Sheet Cake (small batch)

Yield: 6 - 8

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 45 Min

A delicious lemon sheet cake that uses 7-up soda both in the batter and in the frosting. Delicious served with berries. This small batch recipe bakes in a lipped quarter-sheet pan. (9 1/2 inches by 13 inches)

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1/2 cup (115g) butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
• 2 large free range eggs, plus 1 large free range egg yolk, room temperature (freeze the white for another purpose)
• 1/2 tsp pure lemon extract
• 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest
• 1 1/2 cups (210g) cake flour (see note)
• 1/2 cup (120ml) 7-Up soda

For the frosting:

• 2 1/2 cups (245g) icing sugar, sifted
• 1/8 cup (30ml) 7-Up soda
• 1 1/2 TBS lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a quarter sheet baking tray and line with baking paper.
2. Rub the fruit zests into the sugar until quite fragrant. Add the butter and beat with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then beat in the egg yolk, until well combined.
3. Beat in the lemon extract.
4. Beat in the flour 1/3 at a time alternating with the 7-Up making three dry and two wet additions, working on low speed and scraping the bowl after each addition. Begin and end with dry ingredients.
5. Spread the batter in the prepared pan, smoothing it out with a spatula.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and the top springs back when lightly touched. A toothpick inserted in the center should also come out clean.
7. Place on a wire cooling rack and leave to cool completely in the pan.
8. To make the frosting/glaze combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, whisking together until smooth. Spoon over the cold cake and spread out to cover with the back of a metal spoon.

Notes

You can very easily make your own cake flour. Measure the flour into a bowl. Remove 2 TBS of the flour and replace with 2 TBS of corn starch/corn flour. Whisk together to combine.

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