Berry Sheet Cake
138 Comments
Updated Jun 30, 2023
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
This berry sheet cake is soft, lightly sweet, and made easy in one sheet pan. Just whip together the batter, dot it with fresh berries, then pop it in the oven. It’s the perfect summer treat – especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
This is the perfect dessert recipe for any occasion, but it’s especially great for the summer holidays of Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day. It’s easy to cut into individual portions and transport to a party, barbeque or beach gathering.
And if you’re eating it at home, top it with a dollop of coconut whipped cream, a sprinkle of powdered sugar, or a scoop of ice cream. It’s couldn’t be easier!
What Is A Sheet Cake?
Unlike my other paleo cake recipes, I’m keeping it short and sweet this time (literally). This berry cake is baked in a rectangular 1/4 sheet pan (jelly roll pan), rather than a round cake pan, which means it’s much thinner than normal. But it makes it easy to slice into squares for a small sweet treat.
Ingredients You’ll Need – Plus A Few Tips
The Dry Ingredients
This cake uses my usual flour triumvirate of almond flour, tapioca flour and coconut flour (as well as baking soda and salt). But the ratios are slightly different to my other cake recipes.
That’s because this sheet cake is much thinner and the berries release quite a bit of moisture. So I slightly increased the amount of coconut flour to absorb some of that moisture, and reduced the liquid ingredients a little. You may notice this batter is thicker than my other cake recipes. That’s how it should be.
The Wet Ingredients
As for the rest of this recipe, you’ll need the below pantry staples.
- Eggs – you just need two eggs here.
- Almond Milk – feel free to use any non-dairy milk such as oat milk or cashew milk.
- Maple Syrup – for a touch of sweetness. But I’ve reduced the amount here to make sure the cake isn’t too wet.
- Coconut Oil – gives this the perfect amount of moisture.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – to gives it the fluff it needs.
- Vanilla Extract – adds that natural sweet depth of flavor.
The Toppings
To top this off, I’m using 3 cups of fresh berries. You can use a mix of blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries – or whichever combination you like. Just make sure they are completely dry so that you’re not adding extra moisture.
Baking This Sheet Cake Is Easy
To get started, grease a 9×13-inch sheet pan (a 1/4 sheet jelly roll pan) with oil, ghee, or butter. Then preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and follow along to the steps below.
- Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Mix together the wet ingredients in another bowl. Then whisk together both dry and wet ingredients until a batter is formed. Note that the the batter will be much thicker than normal.
- Pour the batter into the sheet pan and smooth out the top with a spatula.
- Sprinkle on the berries and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until it’s golden brown.
A Few Notes To Perfect This Recipe
- Better to slightly over-bake than under-bake. You want to make sure the middle section of the cake also has a golden color, not just the edges. This will ensure that the entire cake is cooked through. If it’s under-baked, your cake will become way too moist as it cools.
- Use fresh berries, not frozen. Frozen berries hold too much moisture, which will make your cake soggy.
Make Ahead And Storage Tips
Lucky for you, this berry sheet cake can easily be made ahead of time. Once it’s fully cooled, you can store it at room temperature with a kitchen towel over it, or store it in the fridge and serve the next day.
For leftovers, just store the cake in a sealed container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
More Cake Recipes
Whether you’ve got a birthday coming up or just want a sweet treat, these cakes won’t disappoint.
- Paleo Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Amazing Paleo Chocolate Cake
- Gluten-Free Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Mug Cake
And you can’t go wrong with this fruity berry crisp either!
Berry Sheet Cake (gluten-free, dairy-free)
Description
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- 2/3 cup tapioca flour
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Berries
- 12-14 ounces fresh berries (approx 3 cups), make sure they're completely dry (if recently washed)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit and grease a 9x13-inch sheet pan (a 1/4 sheet jelly roll pan).
- Add all of the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir together.
- Add all of the wet ingredients to a separate mixing bowl and whisk together. Then, pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk for about 30 seconds, until you have a batter.
- Pour the batter into the greased pan and use a spatula to flatten the top.
- Add the berries to the top of the cake and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 35-40 minutes, or until golden across the top (not just the edges).
- Once it's cooled, slice and serve!
Lisa's Tips
- This is the 1/4 sheet pan that I used in the recipe.
- If you use as many berries as I show in the photos above, you'll likely need the full bake time. If you reduce the amount of berries, you can likely reduce the bake time as there will be less moisture in the cake.
- You could also serve this slightly warm, if you want melty ice cream on top!
Nutrition
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Lisa, I recently found you and LOVE your videos. How do you keep your sheet pans so spotless?
Just making sure to always clean it right away!
Love your recipes, Lisa!
I cannot eat almonds. Is there a good substitute to still keep it gluten free?
Thanks!
Hi Gayla – you can swap with hazelnut flour, if you can eat those. :)
Hi Lisa,
I made your berry sheet cake, and it tasted very nice. However I was hoping if I can ask your advice please. You said the batter will be thicker than your other recipes, but for me I think it was just too thick. I followed your recipe step by step and have put everything as you wrote down. It seemed like the flavours sucked up all the moisture and it was so thick that the berries didn’t even want to sink in not even a lil bit, I had to push them into the batter. I’ve put the 62.5 g milk as you said but seemed like I would need more than that.
I’d say the batter turned out like your meyer lemon coconut macaroons. Thank you in advance. :)
Hi Anita – you might need a little bit more milk next time. I’d base it more on the texture you see, as there can always be variations with flours/brands purchased that affect the texture. So if it looks a little bit too dry, just add a splash more milk. Hope your next try turns out better!
Oh I see! I bought organic flours from UK sellers, but I’d never think of this to be honest. I thought all almond flours are the same as they’re made from almonds even if it’s from different suppliers . You’ve been very helpful as always, thank you so much.
Made this last minute with some left-over berries for an outdoor Easter lunch. This cake was light and sweet and so delicious. A great dessert for an Easter picknick ;-).
Glad this recipe came in handy for an Easter dessert!
Delicious 😋
So easy to make. I didn’t have fresh fruits so I used frozen berries. I left the fruit defrost for 30 minutes so it won’t be too wet. It works.
Perfect combination. Great for breakfast!
Thanks for the great recipe.
Glad this turned out great with frozen berries!
What flour can I substitute or use more of, instead of almond flour? I have a nut allergy…
Hi Mary – unfortunately, I haven’t tried this recipe with any other flours. Sorry!
Love berries, love cake, perfect combo. So easy and delicious! Big success even with the gluten tolerant relatives ;) thanks!!
Yay! Glad this cake was a winner for everyone (even non celiac people)!
Hoi Lisa!
Can something be substituded by maple syrup? Here in Brazil maple is very expensive. Can I use coconut sugar instead of maple?
Tks, love your recepies!
The perfect treat! Not too sweet and it hits the spot. Can’t wait to make this again. Thank you for the recipe, Lisa!
So glad you enjoyed this berry sheet cake!
Lisa, any time I have a gluten free, dairy free friends over for dinner, I always rely on your desserts. I usually make your cheesecakes, but this time I wanted something simple. But man, this berry sheet impressed everyone, even my husband! haha! He is the one who always gives a feedback))) I am glad we had only 3 guests as that meant many leftovers for us…haha! and I ate them all after they left! Thank you!!!!
Hi Assem- So glad everyone enjoyed this berry sheet cake! Now you have another cake recipe on hand :)
Hi Lisa,
This is a terrific recipe and will be on high rotation in our home! I ran out of coconut flour and almond milk so used green banana flour and regular milk and it worked out really well. Thanks so much, Jo
Oh interesting! I’ve never tried green banana flour. Glad it turned out with that substitution!
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for your recipes and great videos. Would I be able to replace all the different flours with 3 cups of a gluten free flour?
Hi Myra – unfortunately, I haven’t tried that and all GF flour blends are slightly different. But I say it worth a try!
This berry cake is SOOOOOO good. I made it for my husband and I and even though you said it keeps 5 days, we at the whole thing in 3! Delicious!! 2 questions – Can I freeze this cake? Can I double the recipe and use 2 sheet pans. It’s my dad’s birthday today and I want to take on for him and one for me at home.
Thank you so much!
So glad you loved this one! As for freezing, I don’t suggest it as the fruits will become soggy. But you can double the recipe to make two sheet pans :)
Hi Lisa, I made this cake tonight and It came out perfect. Everything I have made from you has come out delish, unlike some recipes from other bloggers or you tubers. Love your recipes, health tips and posts in general. Be well, and always blessed.
I’m thrilled to hear this cake turned out to be a success! I always make sure to test my recipes to the T, especially when it comes to baking ones :)
Hi Lisa! ☺️
I’m allergic to coconut 😔 what would you suggest as an alternative for the coconut flour and coconut oil?
Hi Lindsay – you could try it with butter/ghee for the coconut oil and use maybe double the amount of almond flour for the coconut flour. But coconut flour is highly absorbent, and almond flour isn’t, so not sure how that would turn out.
I pulsed 2 cups of slivered almonds in my food processor to a sand-like texture and used it for the almond flour. I had about 3/4 cup too much and froze that for later use. There may be a better way to measure to get the 2 cups of almond flour needed. I followed the recipe and used a 9×13 jelly roll pan. We thought the cake was very good!
Wonderful! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe, Joan!
Good Morning Lisa from Hilton Head Island South Carolina – I’m an RN in our local hospital. I am constantly looking for healthy easy food ideas to keep myself energized and “well”. I’m new to your website and videos but am really enjoying spending time watching and learning. I’m sending great words of encouragement to you and your team and look forward to watching my next video and or trying the next recipe.
Warm Regards
Melanie
Welcome to the Downshiftology community! I’m so glad you discovered my channel as I know it may be rough times for you right now. But can’t wait to share tons more recipes this upcoming season, so stay tuned :)
Can something be substituted for tapioca flour?! Thanks!!
Hi Anna- You can use a gluten-free flour blend or arrowroot flour :)
Hi Lisa,
Do you have a substitution for almond flour in this recipe? I’m always looking for gluten and dairy free recipes, and usually almond flour is the main ingredient in gf baking. Unfortunately I can’t eat almond flour either and I’m wondering if there’s a decent substitution.
Hi Chrissy – hazelnut flour can usually be substituted for almond flour 1:1. Give that a try!
Thank you Lisa from Sydney! The cake turned out beautifully- I didn’t have any coconut flour left so I used green banana flour and I was out of almond milk so used regular and it worked a treat. This one will be on high rotation as it’s so quick to make (and eat!)
My family loves this fruity sheet cake. So light and scrumptious. So simple to make also. It has been a repeat dessert and snack for us this month.
I used only 1/3 cup maple syrup and increase almond milk by 2 Tbsp (1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp) to keep same proportion of wet ingredients.
The combined natural sweetness of the almond flour, maple syrup and fresh berries was just right for my taste.
Thank you Lisa for a wonderful recipe.
Hi Kim- I’m so happy to hear this recipe turned out to be a success and hit just the right amount of sweetness for you!
Hello Lisa,
I would like to make this recipe. Have you tried substituting arrow root flour for the tapioca flour?
Thank you,
Susy
Hi Susy- I haven’t tried using arrowroot flour for this, but I believe it should be okay as my general rule of thumb for a tapioca flour replacement is arrowroot flour :)
This was fantastic! I subbed the almond milk for cow’s milk and used slightly less maple syrup. I’d love to see more Downshiftology sheet cake recipes using the 1/4 sheet pan. Perhaps you can do a pumpkin sheet cake recipe during autumn.
Happy to hear this cake was a success! I’ll have to keep in mind for a pumpkin sheet cake for the holidays :)
I made for my birthday party and was finish in 10 min. This cake is perfect for all tastes. I made it today again to finish with my berries. I love all the receipts from Lisa. Tks so much.
Amazing! Happy to hear everyone loved this so much and happy belated birthday Karen :)
This is so good! I did use whipped topping too. My family and friends raved about how good this is!
Hi Lisa- Happy to hear everyone enjoyed this berry cake! :)
Great recipe, thank you Lisa!
Hi Naomi- So glad you enjoyed this sheet cake!
LISA!! Help. I’m making this cake for a neighbor RIGHT NOW. I have all the ingredients but am now in a panic. . . is the coconut oil LIQUID? Or is the hard one from Trader Joes the correct one?
~ signed, inexperience and sorry if its a dumb question ;)
Hi Sandy- The coconut oil can be either one :)
Thank you :)
On July 4th, I made this cake exactly according to your recipe, and we absolutely loved it.
I could have used cow’s milk but I did use almond milk since I have a bottle in my fridge for my protein shakes.
I will definitely make it again!!
Thanks.
Wonderful! I’m glad you really enjoyed this berry sheet cake :)
This was incredible! Another delicious Downshiftology recipe. Super flavorful and the berries balanced out the sweetness. I didn’t have a sheet pan that’s would hold this so I just used my glass 9×13 and it did great. I dusted this with powdered sugar, definitely a keeper.
Hi Felishia- So happy to hear you enjoyed this berry sheet cake! Good to know this worked out in a glass dish!
Brilliant cake recipe especially for kids. They’ll love to have it.
This is the perfect cake for kids!
My kids wanted breakfast-for-dinner. They LOVE pancakes, but I hate making them (SO time consuming! 😂) Then I remembered this recipe! It’s cake-n-bacon for dinner! Not the most healthy, but definitely not the worst, either! As all of your recipes, this was clear, easy to follow, with perfect results!! My only challenge was not having a jelly roll pan. I used a Pyrex, 9×13 pan. It worked perfectly!! Thanks for another amazing recipe!!
Hi Melissa- Glad this recipe came in handy for your kids :) And yes, you don’t need a jelly roll pan specifically for this. Any small baking tray works!
I made this exact recipe for July 4th and it was delicious! We will make it again soon.
Many thanks!
Wonderful! Happy to hear this cake was a success over the long weekend :)
I made this cake over the holiday weekend and was pretty pleased. I did sub plain greek yogurt for the milk because I didn’t have any and I also use a glass casserole instead of a metal sheet pan. I adjusted the heat to 325 and cooked it for slightly less time due to the glass pan, but it turned out very nice. We used fresh cherries, blueberries and strawberries. It reminds me a bit of shortcake, but better and is nice served with more greek yogurt.
Hi Sonya- Wonderful! I’m glad you got to enjoy this cake over the long weekend :)
I used Bob’s Red Mill gluten free baking mix (similar flour ratio) for this cake. When I read the instructions and it said, “ pour batter into pan” I was like…what the heck? My batter was like wallpaper paste, it was so thick. I added more hemp milk to thin it out, but the end result was a very hard and dry cake. I was sooooo disappointed. I can’t figure out what I did wrong. I was so looking forward to serving this at my 4th of July party. Next time, I will do a test run in advance to make sure it’s good before I serve it to a crowd.
Hi Ann – by swapping out those flours you didn’t make my well-tested recipe. Gluten-free flours are highly nuanced and even a tablespoon difference can significantly alter results. Additionally, Bob’s Red Mill’s baking mix (I’m assuming you used their Paleo Mix, as it’s most similar) contains arrowroot flour and a higher percentage of coconut flour, which would certainly result in the thicker consistency you experienced. Baking is an exact science, and gluten-free/paleo baking is even more so. As you can see from the many positive comments below, those who made my recipe as written were rewarded with a beautiful and delicious cake. Of course, you’re welcome to try a substitution, but I can’t guarantee the results if you do.
This looks yummy and would like to bake it for my kids, but I have no fresh berries. Would it turn out bad if I top it up with banana slices?
Hi Simona- I have’t tried this with banana slices, but I think it might turn out okay!
HEY!! This looks soo delicious! I’m just wondering can I replace eggs with flaxeggs or applesauce ? For a vegan version
Hi Seeta- I haven’t tried this recipe using egg replacers yet, but if you try it do let me know how it goes!
Hello,
Made an attempt at the cake. Baking level (have made chocolate chip cookies before).Used cassava flour in lieu of tapioca, was distracted and added a bit too much salt, Used coldish coconut oil and only had blue berries. Turned your creation into something all my own that had more resemblance to a blueberry cookie bar. Never the less, the 6 and 3 year old son loved it! Thanks for the motivation guess I’ll stick to the pico de gallo recipe for now :)
Hi Nick- Even though you had to make adjustments on the cake, I’m glad it still turned out delicious for your kids! :)
Hi,
Can I use another flour than tapioca’s? Why tapioca’s flour, how is it? more fluffy or something like that?
thanks!
Hi Carolina – Tapioca flour is part of my flour blend that I find works to help make it fluffy and perfect. But, you can also try using arrowroot flour or a gluten-free flour blend.
Lisa, Is the cream you serve with the berry sheet cake whipped cream or creamer fraiche?
Hi Dede- It’s my coconut whipped cream recipe :)
can you reduce the syrup in half and sub with stevia? Do I need to increase the milk by 1/4 cup?
Hi Lori – yes, that would probably work.
Hi Lisa! I just made this and had 4 slices already! I am obsessed. I’ve made gluten version of this kind of cake before,I grew up eating gluten version of sheet cakes, but this one is the best I’ve had. It is so light, not overly sweet, just enough. I love that you use almond, coconut and tapioca flour. And it tastes way better than gluten versions.
Hi Svetlana- Wow, I’m so glad this is the best gluten-free sheet cake you’ve had so far! And yes, I always make sure to use the right measurements, especially when it comes to the flours :)
Hi Lisa,
Thanks – this looks so festive and I am going to try it this weekend. Regarding the link for the pan – it is aluminum? I actually thought the pan looked like white ceramic or stoneware, and was surprised to see it was aluminum. I have been doing my best to stay away from cooking with aluminum pans and foil – it is really a challenge!
Hi Mary – Yes the tray is aluminum! You can also use a smaller ceramic baking dish if you have one :)
My husband likes cakes, muffins with Berries except strawberryies which I can’t eat anymore because of alergy problems. I do not like the baked taste of berries. However, I tried the recipe yesterday and We couldn’t stop eating :) We really enjoyed it. By the way I didn’t have Tapioca Flour and went out to buy some but some grocery stores are out of gluten free baking essentials.
Thanks very much Lisa.
Now it is time to try Garlic recipe. :)
So glad to hear you enjoyed this berry cake, even though you don’t like baked berries! And good to know – you can also use a gluten-free flour blend or arrowroot flour :)
Hi,
Can I substitute maple syrup with erythritol?
Thank you!
Hi Jelena- I haven’t tried it with Erythritol, but let me know how it is!
Thank you, Lisa. My daughter just turned 2 today, her most favorite food is berries and I was looking for a tasty and easy cake to make for her birthday. This popped up in my feed before I even started searching. This is beyond perfect.
Your recipes are always delicious and beautiful, so I know I don’t have to demo it before her party. Thank you for all your consistently great content. Have a wonderful day.
Hi Brittany- I cannot wait for you and your daughter to try this cake! Do let me know how everyones loves this one :)
I can’t wait to try this recipe, however, I do not have access to tapioca flour or coconut flour, with which flour can I replace them ? (I have corn flour, rice flour, SchÄr universal mix flour, millet flour and oat flour).
Thank you Lisa !
Hi Ishy – Unfortunately, I’ve not tested this recipe with those other flours so I don’t know the correct ratios or how they’d turn out. But you’re welcome to try!
Perfect way to use ripe summer berries. Absolutely delicious!
It sure is! Adds tons of freshness to a cake :)
I have never made a sheet cake and do not know why. Your recipe sounds so tempting and inviting that I cannot wait to give it a try!
It’s definitely a light alternative to a larger cake! Can’t wait for you to make this one.
Can I use 8x 8 square pan and mini muffin pan for this recipe?
Yes, that should work. The thickness might just be a little different. :)
Wow, this cake looks so perfect for berry season! I love the mix of flours in this recipe :)
Thanks Cathleen! It really does make the most of berry season :)
I love all the berries in this. So pretty and perfect for the upcoming JUly 4th holiday weekend and the fact that it is gluten free, even better!
This will definitely be the perfect July 4th treat for everyone!
Hi Lisa !
I love your blog, it’s written so well and the pictures and videos are amazing :)
In Israel, berries are not that easy to come by and they’re expensive too. Can i use a different fruit ? Nectarines, plums, apples ?
If so, how do you suggest that I slice it ?
Many thanks and happy 4th of July:)
Sharon
Hi Sharon – yes, absolutely! I’d recommend any kind of stone fruit. Just slice them into thin wedges and place them on top. Enjoy!
We would love the flavors in this cake. Having a gluten free recipe for a cake is so valuable for sweet celebrations.
It’s a perfect option for anyone who has dietary needs :)