This delightful Scone Cake merges the tender, buttery crumb of a scone with the simplicity of a large sheet-pan cake. It’s a perfect make-ahead breakfast or brunch treat when you want the flavor of fresh scones without rolling and cutting individual pieces. The cake bakes in one pan, is easy to slice, and stays moist for days.
Recipe review
A quick look at the recipe
- Recipe name: Scone Cake
- Ready in: 10 minutes prep, 25–30 minutes bake, about 35–40 minutes total
- Serves: 16
- Calories: 375 per slice
- Main ingredients: Butter, sugar, eggs, flour, heavy cream, pie filling
- Difficulty: Easy
My mother always kept a baked treat on the counter, ready for snacking, and this giant scone cake is one of those comforting favorites I grew up with. It’s familiar, simple, and reliably delicious. Baking this recipe brings back those easy mornings and makes feeding a crowd effortless.
On most weekends I enjoy baking easy cakes, muffins, or scones, and this sheet-pan scone cake is a go-to when we have guests or want a big batch to share. It pairs beautifully with coffee or tea and can be adapted with seasonal pie fillings.
When we host overnight guests, this scone breakfast cake with a fruit swirl is often the first thing I put in the oven.
What is a scone cake?
Scones and cakes share many basic ingredients—butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and a leavening agent—yet they differ in texture. Scones are dense and crumbly like sweet biscuits, while cakes are lighter and more tender. A sheet-pan scone cake combines the best of both: a sturdy, scone-like cake base with the softness and convenience of a cake baked in one large pan.
This version is spread into a jelly-roll pan, topped with fruit pie filling, swirled lightly, and baked until golden. The result is a reliable breakfast cake that’s easy to cut and share.
What’s to love about this scone cake recipe
- Simple and fast: Mix the batter in one bowl and bake it in a single sheet pan—no rolling or cutting individual scones.
- Feeds a crowd: Baked in a 15 x 10 inch pan, it yields 16 generous slices or up to 32 small squares.
- Flexible flavors: Use any canned or homemade pie filling you like—strawberry, blueberry, apple, cherry, or peach work great.
Ingredients for breakfast scone cake
A handful of pantry staples is all you need. Quantities and complete directions appear in the recipe card below.
- Salted butter (room temperature)
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- Vanilla and almond extract
- All‑purpose flour
- Baking powder and kosher salt
- Heavy cream
- Canned or homemade pie filling (blueberry, apple, cherry, etc.)
- Powdered sugar for the glaze
Tip: Bring ingredients to room temperature so they blend smoothly and bake evenly.
Substitutions
- Unsalted butter works fine; adjust added salt if desired.
- Swap in any favorite pie filling—cherry, blueberry, peach, strawberry, or a homemade filling (about 2 cups) all work well.
How to make a scone cake
This recipe is approachable for bakers of every level. The batter mixes quickly and the bake time is short. Below is a concise walkthrough; full, step-by-step instructions are available in the recipe card.
- Step 1: Cream the butter and sugar until light and pale, about 3–5 minutes.
- Step 2: Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and almond extracts.
- Step 3: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients alternately with heavy cream until just combined—do not overmix.
- Step 4: Spread the batter in a greased 15 x 10 inch pan. Spoon pie filling over the batter and gently swirl with a knife—avoid scraping the pan bottom.
- Step 5: Bake 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Step 6: Whisk powdered sugar with vanilla and enough heavy cream to make a drizzle-able icing. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
Amy’s expert tips
- Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar for easiest results.
- Add flour and cream alternately and stop mixing as soon as the batter comes together to avoid toughness.
- Swirl gently: When you marble the pie filling into the batter, use a light hand to keep pockets of fruit without overmixing.
- Drizzle icing easily: Put the glaze in a small resealable bag, snip a corner, and squeeze thin lines over the cooled cake.
Storage
- Room temperature: Store the cake lightly covered at room temperature for several days; it stays moist and flavorful.
- Freezer: Cut into pieces and flash-freeze on a tray for about an hour. Transfer into airtight containers or freezer bags with parchment between layers and freeze up to one month.
Frequently asked questions
Not exactly. Scones are more like sweet biscuits: crumbly, dense, and often served with jam. Cakes are lighter and sweeter with a tender crumb. This scone cake blends elements of both—sturdy like a scone but with the ease and sliceability of a cake.
Yes. A 9 x 13 inch pan can be used; bake longer (about 35–45 minutes) until set and a toothpick comes out clean.
Absolutely. Homemade fruit filling is excellent here—use about 2 cups.
The glaze is optional but recommended; it adds a bright, sweet finish that complements the fruit and buttery base.
One more thing
Did you try this recipe?
If you make this scone cake, please leave a comment and rating below so others can find and enjoy it. I love hearing how you adapt the recipe and what fillings you choose. Thanks — Amy
Recipe
Scone Cake {Sheet Pan Recipe}
Equipment
-
Jelly roll pan (15 x 10 inch)
-
Measuring cups and spoons
-
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
- for the scone cake
- 1 cup salted butter at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 can pie filling blueberry, apple, or cherry
- for the icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 15 x 10 inch jelly roll pan and set aside.
-
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium-low until creamy and pale yellow, about 3–5 minutes.
-
Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts.
-
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with the heavy cream, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until just combined.
-
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
-
Spoon the pie filling over the batter in dollops. Use a knife to swirl the filling gently into the batter, avoiding the pan bottom.
-
Bake 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
-
Cool the cake on a wire rack.
-
For the icing: whisk powdered sugar and vanilla in a bowl, then add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the glaze reaches a drizzle-able consistency.
-
When the cake is completely cool, drizzle the icing over the top and slice to serve.
Notes
- Room-temperature ingredients blend more easily and give a more even bake.
- A stand mixer speeds the process, but a hand mixer works fine.
- Alternate the dry ingredients with the cream and mix only until combined to avoid a tough texture.
- Use your favorite pie filling; homemade or canned both work well.
- When swirling, avoid scraping the bottom of the pan to keep the marble effect intact.
- To drizzle icing neatly, place it in a small resealable bag, snip a corner, and squeeze in thin lines.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 62.6 g
| Protein: 4.4 g
Did you make this recipe?Tag @amycaseycooks on social media so others can see your version.