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Small Batch Vanilla Cake Recipe: 6 Inch Cake

I’ve shared my very favorite vanilla cake recipe, which has received rave reviews. It’s an amazing recipe but makes a pretty big cake and feeds 24 people. What if you wanted to make a 6-inch cake??

Maybe you don’t need to feed a ton of people. Or maybe you want to make a smaller cake to create a certain look.

More often, people don’t have bigger pans. A lot of people start off with 6-inch cake pans, which may be the only size they have on hand. If that’s you, then today is your lucky day.

image of a white drip cake made with white chocolate ganache drips

How Many Cake Layers Does This Recipe Make?

This small batch of my vanilla layer cake recipe bakes three, perfect little 6-inch cake layers. It may seem like you’re filling your pans pretty full, but this batter doesn’t rise much as it bakes.

That’s part of what makes my vanilla cake recipe so great though. It bakes flat, so leveling your cake layers is optional. With that in mind, you should end up with cake layers that are just a bit taller than 1 inch.

image of a cute small cake made with 3, 6-inch cake layers

What Does Small Batch Mean?

In this case, “small batch vanilla cake recipe” just means I’ve updated the amount of ingredients you use to make this batter to make a smaller cake.

Initially I thought I could just cut the recipe in half and make three cake layers. You can do this, but the cake layers turn out quite a bit thinner than I’m used to.

I wanted each cake layer to be at least an inch tall, so I knew I’d have to play around the with ratios.

In the end, it turned out that making 2/3 of a batch is the ideal amount of batter for 6-inch cake layers.

I used this small vanilla cake recipe to make my hand painted floral cake. I wanted to create this design on a smaller cake, because I needed a smaller surface area.

It takes hours to layer the “paint” (a mixture of gel food coloring and vodka) on a cake like this, and I didn’t want to spend days painting a larger cake. I was so happy with how the cake turned out, and with its size!

beautifully painted blue floral cake, made with 6 inch vanilla cake layers

Substitutions and Swaps – Vanilla Cake Layers

This 6-inch vanilla cake recipe uses quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have all of them on hand. Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this cake recipe.

  • All Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten free flour blend or cake flour if that’s all you have on hand.
  • Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture of the cake layers.
  • Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter in this recipe. Just be sure to omit the salt that this cake recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place (and also omit the salt)!
  • Egg whites – I use egg whites out of a carton to avoid wasting any yolks! You can also use 5 egg whites or 3 whole eggs if needed. Or if you have an egg allergy you can use flaxseed eggs or an egg replacer.
  • Buttermilk – You can also use full fat yogurt, sour cream, whole milk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy free.
  • Vegetable Oil – You can use any flavorless oil in this recipe. Canola or even sunflower oil would work great!
  • Vanilla Extract – Other extracts can also be used in place of the vanilla extract. Feel free to use almond, lemon, or even coconut extract.
image of vanilla cake batter that's been poured into 6-inch cake pans and is ready to be baked

Substitutions and Swaps – Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  • Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this frosting recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place (and omit the salt)!
  • Heavy Cream – Whole milk or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
  • Vanilla Extract – Other extracts can also be used in place of the vanilla extract. Feel free to use coconut extracthazelnut extract, or even pistachio extract.
  • Gel food coloring – If you want to color this frosting, I recommend using gel food coloring! It creates vibrant colors without throwing off the consistency of the buttercream.
image of vanilla buttercream frosting in a large bowl

Tips for Making this Small Batch Vanilla Cake Recipe

  • Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes it easier to stack and frost.
  • Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
  • Use a serrated knife to level your cake layers once they’re fully cooled to make it easier to assemble and frost the cake.
  • I do NOT recommend using this recipe to make cupcakes! Instead, I highly recommend trying my vanilla cupcake recipe (I like the texture better for cupcakes).
  • Use my regular vanilla cake recipe to make a 7-inch or 8-inch layer cake.
image of a 6-inch cake layer that's been leveled and trimmed using a serrated knife

Making These 6-inch Cake Layers in Advance and Storage Tips

Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.

Make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.

image a slice of cake being cut from a 6-inch layer cake made using a small batch cake recipe

Let Me Know What You Think!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this small batch cake recipe! Do you like to make smaller cakes like this?

If you try this small batch vanilla cake recipe, please tag me @chelsweets and #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations!

image of a slice of a small, 6-inch vanilla cake that's decorated with white drips

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Yield: 16

Small Batch Vanilla Layer Cake Recipe

image of a 6-inch layer cake that's being frosted smoothly with vanilla buttercream frosting

This vanilla layer cake recipe makes the perfect 6-inch layer cake! It makes three, moist cake layers that are perfect for stacking.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

Vanilla Cake

  • 2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (270g)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder (6g)
  • 1/2 tsp salt (3g)
  • 2/3 cup or about 1 and 1/3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature (150g)
  • 2/3 cup egg whites or about 5 egg whites (155g)
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature (240g)
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil (14g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (4g)
  • gel food coloring (if desired)

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  • 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (452g)
  • 7 cups or a 2 lb. bag powdered sugar (907g)
  • 2 Tbsp heavy cream or whipping cream (30g)
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (12g)
  • 1/2 tsp salt (3g)

Instructions

Vanilla Cake Layers:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line three 6 inch pans with parchment rounds, and grease with non-stick baking spray.
  2. Mix together 2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer to mix on a low speed until combined.
  3. Mix in 2/3 cup (1 & 1/3 stick) unsalted butter slowly into the dry mix, on a medium-low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.
  4. Pour in 2/3 cup or about 5 egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated and the batter looks wet.
  5. Mix in 1 cup of buttermilk, 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil, and 1 tsp vanilla extract on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula, then beat on a medium speed for about a minute to make sure everything is properly mixed together. This also helps lighten the texture of the cake layers a bit.
  6. If desired, add in gel food coloring and stir by hand with a rubber spatula until the batter is evenly colored.
  7. Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. I like to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh my pans, and ensure they all have the same amount of batter. This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.
  8. Bake for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes, then run a small offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
  9. Place cake layers into the freezer for 30 minutes to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers.
  10. Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers right before you plan to assemble your cake.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

  1. While the cake layers bake and cool, make the vanilla buttercream frosting.
  2. Beat 2 cups of unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until smooth.
  3. Slowly mix in 7 cups of powdered sugar on a low speed, 1 cup at a time. Halfway through, add in 2 Tbsp of heavy cream or milk to make it easier to mix.
  4. Scrape the sides and bottom of of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
  5. Once the frosting is fully mixed and smooth, add in 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix on the lowest speed for a couple minutes to help make the frosting silky smooth.
  6. If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 teaspoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time). If you're unsure how thick your frosting should be, you can learn what consistency you're looking for in my frosting consistency post.
  7. If you plan to color the buttercream, add in the gel food coloring once the frosting is fully made, and beat on low until it reaches the desired color.

To Assemble The Cake:

  1. Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board, using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
  2. Spread an even layer of buttercream between each cake layer with a large offset spatula.
  3. Add a thin coat of frosting around the cake to fully cover the cake layers.
  4. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
  5. Add a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake, and smooth using a bench scraper. Then decorate as desired!

Notes

Tips for Making the Best 6-inch Layer Cake

  • Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale.
  • Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature to help them mix together better.
  • Don't level and torte your cake layers until they are completely cooled.
  • Make sure your buttercream is the right consistency. This will help give your cake proper structure and make it easier to decorate.
  • If your cake layers turn out less than perfect, read my cake troubleshooting guide to see where things might've gone awry.
  • Be sure to use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream to make the frosting! You need the high fat content to create the right consistency in this recipe. Milk cannot be used in place of the cream.

Making This Small-Batch Cake in Advance and Storage Tips

Make your cake layers in advance and freeze themIt breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.

Make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition Information

Yield

16

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 581Total Fat 27gSaturated Fat 17gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 71mgSodium 260mgCarbohydrates 84gFiber 0gSugar 82gProtein 3g

24 Best 6-Inch Cake Recipes on the Internet

Thursday 16th of February 2023

[…] 8. Small Batch Vanilla Layer Cake Recipe […]

Margaret

Monday 16th of January 2023

Hi, I am going to make this cake in the next few days as it looks gorgeous. Could you please tell me what sort of frosting is dripping down the side of the cake as I would like to add that too.

Many thanks Margaret

Chelsweets

Sunday 22nd of January 2023

Hi Margaret,

Apologies for the delayed response! The drips down the sides are made with my white chocolate ganache, here's the link to the recipe: https://chelsweets.com/colored-drips-recipe-white-chocolate-ganache/

Hope that helps for the future <3

Chinaenye

Saturday 7th of January 2023

Thank you so much for this recipe, it BRILLIANT. I was wondering what recipe you would use if you did a 6 inch 4 layer cake rather than 3? Thank youuu!

Chelsweets

Sunday 8th of January 2023

Hi Chinaenye,

Great question! I would use the regular / full batch version of my vanilla cake recipe to make 4, 6-inch cake layers. The cake will end up being pretty tall, but if you use the small batch version the layers will be quite thin. Hope that helps, happy baking!

Victoria

Saturday 26th of November 2022

I love this recipe, I always struggled with a vanilla cake until I found this one, I’ve used it several times with success ? do you think it would still work ok if I swapped unsalted butter for brown butter. I love the flavor that brown butter adds but I don’t want to mess with the recipe too much. Thanks!

Chelsweets

Sunday 27th of November 2022

So happy to hear that Victoria!! I think using brown butter in this recipe would be amazing! I'd recommend browning it, letting it come to room temperature, then making the recipe like usual. You also might want to add in an extra TBSP of butter when you brown it, because some of the moisture evaporates as it cooks and you end up with slightly less butter once it's browned. Hope that helps, happy baking!

Lauren Russo

Tuesday 15th of November 2022

If I have two 9 inch round cake pans should I make this recipe or the regular one?

Chelsweets

Saturday 19th of November 2022

Hi Lauren,

I would recommend using my regular / not small batch vanilla cake recipe to make 2, 9-inch cake layers. Hope that helps, happy baking!

Regular vanilla cake recipe: https://chelsweets.com/best-vanilla-layer-cake-recipe/

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