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This small vanilla cake is what birthday dreams are made of! It’s a soft, spongy, and moist 6″ vanilla cake coated with fluffy vanilla buttercream frosting. Made entirely from scratch, with a very easy and straightforward process, it’s so much better than boxed cake mix and so dang cute! It’s perfect for small gatherings or just to treat yourself.
all about this small vanilla cake
This cake was inspired by my small chocolate cake (which is really getting some love right now). I love making mini cakes because they’re quick, easy, and so incredibly cute! Plus, not all occasions call for a huge cake (although, I would say most do lol). I figured we needed the other classic cake in mini form, so now we have a vanilla version!
This recipe is adapted from my favorite vanilla cupcakes recipe. They’re so soft, plush, and delicious, so I knew it would be the best starting point for this cake! Here’s a closer look at the main ingredients that make this mini cake so incredible:
- Baking powder + soda: Using a combination will give this cake the perfect amount of airiness and lift without sinking in the center!
- Butter + oil: Butter adds a rich flavor but can dry out cakes because it firms up when the cake cools. Oil makes for a soft, spongy, and moist slice, but doesn’t do much for the flavor. The solution to get the best of both worlds is to combine the 2! Some butter gives the cake a buttery flavor and firmer crumb while the oil softens it up and makes it SO moist.
- 2 teaspoons vanilla: For a cake this size, 2 teaspoons of vanilla is a bit more than usual. Using slightly more vanilla will give the cake an incredible bakery style flavor without you needing to do anything special!
- Sour cream: Finally, this is truly what makes this cake extra incredible. The sour cream adds even more moisture, richness, and flavor and gives the cake a texture that’s similar to box cake mixes. It helps active the baking soda to give the cake extra lift and makes the cake more fluffy.
how to make mini vanilla cake
I’ve made A LOT of cakes so I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks along the way. Here are the most important things to keep in mind to ensure this cake bakes up perfect:
- Measure the flour carefully: No brainer, right? But flour is actually very easy to overmeasure when you’re using cups. If possible, the best way to measure flour is by weight so you know you have the right amount. If you prefer to measure using cups, don’t scoop the measuring cup directly into the bag of flour. This will condense the flour into the cup and leave you with more flour by weight. Instead, use a spoon to scoop the flour into your cup and then use a flat utensil like a butter knife to level off any excess.
- Mixing the batter: Over or under mixing the batter can cause the cake to sink in the middle or bake up dense. This is mostly a problem when the flour is introduced into the batter because overmixing can overwork the gluten. Overworked gluten is one of the most common reasons a cake will not rise properly and / or come out dense.
- Dividing the batter between your pans: It can be a bit tricky trying to get the right amount of batter into each pan. My favorite strategy is to use a large cookie scoop to drop alternating blobs of batter into each pan. That way you can keep track of how much is going into each cake.
- Baking and cooling the cakes: Keep an eye on the cakes towards the end of the bake time to ensure they don’t overbake. Mine are always perfect after baking for exactly 40 minutes, but your oven may behave differently. So check on them 5 minutes early. When cooling the cakes, don’t let them sit in the pans for too long or the residual heat can continue to dry them out.
- Making the frosting: When it comes to the frosting, there are 3 main things to keep in mind. 1) Use room temperature ingredients to make sure it whips up easier and smoother. 2) Make sure to sift the powdered sugar so you don’t get any clumps in the frosting. And 3) Start with less milk and add as needed – because you can always add but can’t take away!
storing mini cake
Keep this mini cake covered and stored either at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. During the warmer months, I would keep it in the fridge. This cake is best served at room temperature because the cake and frosting will firm up slightly when cold. So if you do keep it in the fridge, I would set it out on your counter for about 30 minutes before serving to allow it to soften back up.
One lovely human mentioned that a problem they had with my chocolate mini cake was finding a cake cover that could fit it. This is a tall cake, so a cake cover may not fit (depending on the size you have). So here are 2 alternatives:
- The unconventional cake cover: A cake cover can literally be anything that can cover your cake! So if you have a tall bowl that’s the height of your cake, you can invert it and lay it on top as a makeshift cover.
- The plastic wrap trick: This is usually my go to for taller cakes. The problem with covering a cake with plastic wrap is that it can stick to the frosting and ruin your decorations. The simple solution? Chill the cake uncovered for about an hour or until the frosting has firmed up. If you gently poke the outside of the cake, no frosting residue should transfer onto your finger. Then you can gently cover the cake with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge! If you do this method, before serving, make sure to peel off the plastic wrap while the cake is still cold to ensure the frosting doesn’t soften and stick to it.
check out these other mini recipes!
• Mini Pie Crust Cinnamon Rolls
• Mini No Bake Cinnamon Roll Cheesecakes
• Mini Cranberry Mousse Cakes
• Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
• Oreo Balls
Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you’re making.
Description
This small vanilla cake is what birthday dreams are made of! It’s a soft, spongy, and moist 6″ vanilla cake coated with fluffy vanilla buttercream frosting. Made entirely from scratch, with a very easy and straightforward process, it’s so much better than boxed cake mix and so dang cute! It’s perfect for small gatherings or just to treat yourself.
For the mini vanilla cake:
- 1 ¾ cups (227g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240g) full fat sour cream, room temperature
For the vanilla buttercream:
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Mini Vanilla Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease 2 (6″) round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Lightly dust the sides of the pans with flour and tap out any excess.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. Set aside.
– 1 ¾ cups (227g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until you have a thick paste.
– 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- Add in the oil and whisk until light and fluffy. Next whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
– 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Alternate mixing in the dry ingredients and sour cream. Start by mixing in about half of the flour, and stop when it’s almost combined but there are sill a few small streaks. Mix in the sour cream, again stopping when there are a few small streaks. Finally, mix in the remaining flour until combined and streak free. Be careful not to overmix.
– 1 cup (240g) full fat sour cream
- Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and spread into an even layer.
- Bake the cakes in the center of your preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs on the tip.
- Cool the cakes for 5 minutes in the pans then flip onto a wire rack. Set aside to cool completely before frosting.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- In a large bowl, combine butter, powdered sugar, and salt.
– ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
- Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl then add in the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. Mix again on low speed to combine.
– 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1-2 tablespoons milk
- If the frosting is too thick, add a splash more milk. Once it’s at your desired consistency, whip on high speed for about 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
- If the cakes are too rounded on top, you can level them off using a serrated knife or cake leveler. I personally didn’t do anything to them.
- Layer the cooled cakes with the frosting and frost the outside. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Cakes
Enjoy!
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