I am doing 2 "present" cakes for a birthday party and have to deliver on Friday. I'm doing one stacked cake I'm going to cover in fondant. I'm not worried about doing that one, but I also agreed to do a sheet cake. I've never baked one, and I'm worried about it falling apart taking it out of the pan. Should I let the cake completely cool in the pan before trying? And also, she is wanting a strawberry filling, should I tort the cake or make 2 cakes and stack them? 
I've never baked one, and I'm worried about it falling apart taking it out of the pan. Should I let the cake completely cool in the pan before trying? And also, she is wanting a strawberry filling, should I tort the cake or make 2 cakes and stack them?
Depends on how you prepare the pans. If you grease and flour, you need to let cool only 10 minutes then flip out. flip onto a cookie sheet, cooling rack or large cardboard to support it.
If you parchement paper your pans, then yes you can leave in the pan until cool. They will flip out later. your cake may cook a bit more if left in a hot pan, though.
As for filling, you can do either tort or make 2 cakes, depends on your servings needed.
Alot of people use Wilton's cake release. I personally just use PAM spray and enough so that if the pan is tilted, the oil runs. yum! I let the pan cool about 15-20 min. it's still just warm. As far as the filling, since the pan is only about what 2 in deep? I would wrap the cake and freeze it till cold then cut into 2 layers. Wouldn't it be way too much cake to bake 2 seperate sheet cakes?
Just some suggestions from a newbie 
Doing a sheet cake is no different than other cakes, you just need to make sure you support it the whole time.
I use a homemade cake release around the edges of my pan, then parchment the bottom of the pan. i NEVER let cool in the pan, b/c as mentioned the pan is hot and it will continue to cook the cake and it can overbake the cake then. I let cool in the pan for 10 mins. I place my cooling rack upside done on top of my cake while it's in the pan. Grab both and flip over all at once.
I remove the pan and then put another cooling rack on top of the cake (the bottom that was in the pan) and then grab both cooling racks and flip the cake again. So the cake is always supported fully by a cooling rack when flipping it.
I flip it twice so that if there is a dome on the cake it's not resting on that, it's resting on the bottom which is completely flat and supports the cake all the way across.
As for torting or doing a second layer. How many servings do they need? If you make two layers you're providing twice as many servings so you need to charge double. If you torte then fill you're still providing the same amount of servings as the one layer.
Doing a sheet cake is no different than other cakes, you just need to make sure you support it the whole time ....... I remove the pan and then put another cooling rack on top of the cake (the bottom that was in the pan) and then grab both cooling racks and flip the cake again. So the cake is always supported fully by a cooling rack when flipping it. I flip it twice so that if there is a dome on the cake it's not resting on that, it's resting on the bottom which is completely flat and supports the cake all the way across.
Totally agree with the above on all counts. if you do larger round cakes, the only diff is the shape of the cake.
For my 12x18 (half sheet) cakes, I bought large cooking racks ... roughly 16x24. easy to flip them out using these.
I level and flip my cakes out within 2 minutes of coming out of the oven. I dont' want it to cook any longer in the hot pan and I personally find I have better luck flipping them out right away as opposed to letting them sit in the pan for any length of time. Again, that's my personal experience.
I like to wrap my sheet cake pans with wet cloth strips. Helps with edges browning to quickly before the center is cooked. I also like to remove from the pan after quick cool down, I don't like leaving any cake in pan to long. Wax paper on a sturdy board works great to flip onto. GL 
Thank you guys sooooooo much!! Logically, I knew it would be WAY too much to do 2 cakes, but was afraid of torting it!! I use a spray cake release, can't think of the name of it. I bought it at a cake supply shop. But I think I will try the parchment paper. I think I'm going to freeze it and then tort it. Hope to have good pictures by this weekend!!!!!!!!
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