Mini Vanilla Cake Recipe
I love making cakes, but it’s a lot harder to share them with my friends and family right now. To avoid waste while still getting my baking fix, I decided to work on a mini vanilla cake recipe.
This recipe is based on my vanilla layer cake recipe, but has a few modifications that allow you to make it by hand!
I wanted this recipe to be easy peasy, so that you have no excuse not to get busy in the kitchen if you’re bored!
How Much Batter Does this Recipe Make?
One batch of this mini cake recipe makes enough batter to make 3, 4-inch cake layers, or 2 6-inch cake layers.
I like to make cute little 4-inch cake layers, but I know that’s an odd pan size that not everyone has on hand.
Decorating This Mini Vanilla Cake
I challenged myself to decorate this mini vanilla cake without a spinning cake stand! I wanted to see what styles and decorations are doable if you don’t have tons of baking tools on hand.
The easiest style was a textured look with a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
Or if you’re after a more classic look, you can smooth with a bench scraper and add some buttercream swirls.
I also topped my cake with some nonpareil sprinkles. I figured a mini cake should have some mini sprinkles. They give this cake a nice pop of color that makes it perfect to celebrate any occasion.
Substitutions and Swaps – Mini Cake Layers
This mini birthday cake uses quite a few ingredients, and I know you might not have them all 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)!
- 1 Large Egg– If you have an egg allergy, you can use a flaxseed egg 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!
Substitutions and Swaps – Vanilla Buttercream
- 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.
Making This Mini Cake Gluten Free
You can swap in your favorite gluten-free flour blend cup for cup in this recipe!
I personally prefer King Arthur’s gluten-free flour blend, and find that 1 cup of GF flour weighs about 120 grams.
In addition to swapping the flour, there are two additional steps you need to take when making this mini cake gluten-free.
Gluten Free Baking Tip #1: Over-mix Your Batter
The first step is to vigorously whisk your batter for a few minutes once it’s made. This helps give your cake layers structure.
I know this goes against everything you’ve ever heard about baking, but over-mixing your batter is key when making anything gluten-free.
It helps the cake layers rise better as they bake, and gives the cake a more tender crumb.
Gluten Free Baking Tip #2: Let Your Batter Rest
The second step I recommend is letting your batter rest for about 30 minutes before baking your cake layers.
Gluten-free flour blends can have a hard time absorbing moisture and fats. Letting the batter sit before baking it gives the flour more time to absorb all that goodness.
This helps thicken the batter and prevents your cake layers from having a gritty texture.
Tips for Making the Best Mini Vanilla Cake:
- Make sure you’re properly measuring your flour! Fluff it up in the bag, then spoon it into the measuring cup and level it with a knife, or use a kitchen scale. You don’t want to pack it into the measuring cup, or else you’ll end up using a lot more flour than the recipe calls for.
- Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes it so much easier to stack and frost.
- If your cake layers turn out less than perfect, please check out my cake troubleshooting guide.
- Use a serrated knife to level your cake layers once they’re fully cooled. It makes this mini cake so much easier to assemble and frost.
- I do NOT recommend using this recipe to make cupcakes! Instead, I highly recommend trying my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe. I like the texture better for cupcakes!
Making These Cake Layers in Advance and Storage Tips
I highly recommend making these cake layers in advance and freezing them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable. They can be frozen for up to 3 months, and as long as they’re wrapped right, I promise they’ll taste just like they did the day you baked them.
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.
Let Me Know What You Think!
If you try this mini vanilla layer cake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating and comment below.
Tag me @chelsweets and use the #chelsweets on social media so that I can see your amazing creations!
Mini Vanilla Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Mini Vanilla Cake Recipe
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 125g
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 1 tsp baking powder 4g
- 1/4 tsp fine salt 1g
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled 56g
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil 56g
- 1 large egg, room temperature 56g
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature 120g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
- gel food coloring if desired
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 170g
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g
- 1/4 tsp fine salt 1g
- 3 cups powdered sugar 375g
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp heavy cream or whipping cream 20g
Instructions
Mini Vanilla Cake Layers:
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Line three 4-inch or two 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper, then grease them with non-stick spray. This recipe turns out best with light-colored metal pans – preferably aluminum!
- This recipe can be made by hand with a whisk or with a hand mixer. I prefer making it with a whisk.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt.
- Add 1/4 cup of melted butter, 1/4 cup oil, and 1 egg into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. The batter will be thick.
- Then mix in 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and gel food coloring if you want to color the cake layers. Mix until combined and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Then, continue to mix the batter for an additional 30 seconds to make sure everything is properly combined. This will also help lighten the texture of the cake layers – this recipe uses the reverse crumbing method, so I promise this won't overmix the batter!.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 32-35 minutes on the middle rack of the oven, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
- Place cake layers into the freezer for 20 minutes to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers from the pans.
- Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers, then set aside. If you're making these in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- While the cake layers bake and cool, make the vanilla buttercream frosting. Beat 3/4 cup butter on medium speed for 30 seconds with either a hand mixer or a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment.
- Mix in 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste and 1/4 tsp fine salt on a low speed.
- Gradually mix in 3 cups of powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp of heavy cream. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is properly mixed together.
- Continue to mix on low speed for a few minutes, until the desired consistency is reached.
- If the frosting seems too thick, add additional cream (1 tsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar (a quarter of a cup at a time).
- If you want to color the buttercream, add in the gel food coloring once the frosting is fully made, and beat on low until it's evenly colored.
Assembling This Mini Vanilla Cake:
- Stack and frost cake layers on a small plate or cake stand using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer in place.
- Add an even layer of buttercream between each cake layer with a small offset spatula.
- Add a thin coat of frosting around the cake that fully covers the cake layers. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
- Add a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake, and smooth using a bench scraper. If you're struggling to get smooth sides on your cake, I share all my tips and tricks in this smooth cake tutorial.
- Then decorate as desired! I used a Wilton 1M frosting tip (any open star tip would work great)to pipe some fun swirls on top of the cake and topped them with nonpareil sprinkles.
Video
Notes
How Many People Does This Mini Cake Feed?
If you make this cake with 3, 4-inch cake layers or 2, 6-inch cake layers, it will feed about 8 people. For more information on cake sizes and servings, check out my cake portion guide.Tips for Making the Best Mini Vanilla Cake
- Make sure you’re properly measuring your flour! Fluff it up in the bag, then spoon it into the measuring cup and level it with a knife, or use a kitchen scale. You don’t want to pack it into the measuring cup, or else you’ll end up using a lot more flour than the recipe calls for.
- Ingredients at room temperature mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
- Properly measure the flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
- Use a scale to weigh your cake pans as you fill them. It will make your cake layers bake to the same height and bake more evenly.
- Make sure the buttercream is the right consistency. This will help give the cake proper structure and make it easier to decorate.
- Level the room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack.
- Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes it so much easier to stack and frost them!
- If your cake layers turn out less than perfect, read my cake troubleshooting guide to see where things might’ve gone awry.
Making This Vanilla Layer Cake in Advance & Storage Tips
I highly recommend making the cake layers in advance and freezing them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable and enjoyable, and I promise they taste just as delicious! You can also make the frosting ahead of time 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 (as long as it doesn’t have a perishable fruit filling) 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 it in the fridge for up to a week.Nutrition
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Hi! I wanted to try the mini cake with almond flour and almond buttermilk milk (Almond milk turned to buttermilk with lemon) Would you recommend changing anything else for these substitutes?
I also have coconut flour, not sure if I should use a blend of almond and coconut.
Hi Dania,
I have never tried baking a cake with just almond flour, usually I use a gluten free flour blend instead! Are you using it bc you want the cake to be gluten free? Or because it’s what you have on hand? Usually flour blends work better for cakes!!
I’d recommend using GF flour and almond milk if possible (and if you want the cake to be GF). Hope that helps, happy baking!
Do you really mean a full cup of sugar to one of flour?
I do! This cake recipe is a butter cake, which uses a lot of sugar.
I just made this recipe today. Maybe I did something wrong…whisking was a little difficult and most of the ingredients got caught in the whisk. Very thick batter, as I think you mentioned. I used 3 4″ pans, and once turning out, I saw that they sunk in the middle a bit and the crumb was heavy, not somewhat fine looking as in your 4″ cakes. I am going to try again..going for no sink and a lighter crumb…
Hi Paula,
So sorry to hear that! Hopefully we’ll be able to figure it out together.
Were all your ingredients at room temp? Sometimes the batter gets really thick it they aren’t. If the centers sunk, it usually means the cakes needed a bit more time in the oven! I’d recommend letting them bake a tiny bit longer, until a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs. The only other thing I can think of is that the batter might have been slightly overmixed? That can also lead to denser cake layers. Be sure to mix just until the ingredients are incorporated.
Hopefully that will help for next time <3
I had the exact same result. Disappointing
🙁
@Paula, Same exact thing happened to me! I’m pretty bummed 🙁 The edges were definitely done, but the centers completely sunk.
@Sarah, @chelsweets the same thing happened to me. I made it twice even. I did not have the ingredients at room temp though. The first time I weighed everything. The crumb definitely worked better with weighing than with using the measuring cups as I did with the second batch. So…I’m going to give it one more go with all the ingredients at room temp and weighing and see if that works. Cake is definitely not undercooked, it’s like the edges cooked and rode up the side of the cake pan and left less cake batter for the center.
@Sarah, I made it again and accidentally swapped step 4 and 5 so I added the milk and vanilla first and the nthe butter, oil and egg. I measured everything and everything was room temperature. I also put the cake in an 8X8 pan rather than three 4″ rounds. It turned out perfect. Gonna try again in the right order and with room temp ingredients and measuring and do in the rounds and see if the dimple comes back. I’m curious, as you can see!
@Sarah, Same her. They all sunk and they were definitely done.
So sorry to hear that Jennifer!! What type of pans are you using? Is there a chance you over-mixed the batter? I actually have a whole post about what can cause sunken cake layers and how to fix them here: https://chelsweets.com/why-do-cakes-sink-in-the-middle/
Hopefully we’ll be able to figure out what happened and prevent it in the future!
@Sarah, I’m making again today. Hoping for better results!
Looks great but if I want to make it chocolate how Would I swap out ingredients and how much?
Hi Janis! You can replace 1/4 cup of flour in this recipe with baking cocoa to make chocolate cake layers. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Love this recipe!! Is there a way to do a chocolate version?
Hi Michelle,
For sure! You can replace 1/4 cup of the flour in this recipe with baking cocoa. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I made it again. I used sour cream as a sub for the buttermilk, which you said can be done, and I have the same result. Your little cake looks like your larger version: mine looks very heavy and the batter, once the butter/oil/sour cream are added, make such a thick batter that it all gets caught in the whisk. Don’t know what I might be doing wrong, but I will stick to your 6″ recipe (egg whites, reg butter) and use it in 4″ pans if I want a small cake. Maybe you have advise?? Thank you.
Hi Paula,
I think I answered this in a different comment <3
Same thing happened to me today. Bottom crumb was heavy bcoz of caramalized sugar. Waste of time!
Hi! What can we substitute the heavy cream or heavy whipping cream with for the frosting?
Hi Mahfuza, you can use heavy whipping cream or whole milk in place of the heavy cream my recipe calls for. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I really liked the recipe.. I would live to try!
So happy to hear that Divya, you totally should!!
Are your 4 inch pans 4×2″ or 4×3″?
@Lori, I have the same question
If you use a square cake pan for all the batter how long would you bake it for
I think I answered this a different quesitons <3
Hello! Thank you for this smaller version of your vanilla cake. And thank you for giving some variations.
However I was wondering, can I substitute the butter in the cake for all vegetable oil? It’s hard to find butter and I’d rather keep that for the buttercream!! 🙂
Also…..huge hug to you for your absolute accurate gram measurements you give us.
You’re amazing! xx
Hi Aggs,
No problem! You can, but it will make the layers a bit softer and change the flavor a bit! I’ve done it before and it still tasted great, just slightly different than with butter. I fully support saving your butter for the buttercream 🙂
Hope that helps, happy baking!!
Hi, if you have trouble getting butter, why don’t you make your own. It is much easier than you think. I use double whipping cream. Fill half full a jam jar and close the top securely. Then shake like crazy as you dance round the kitchen. Or do what I did and gave it to a male friend who could prove his manliness. When it separates, strain off the liquid then add salt to taste and strain any other liquid off as you mix in the salt. With this method and a helpful bloke it took 10 minutes. Who would think after all the hard work that people says it is, it could be so easy. I like salted butter and I add much more than you would think, but just add and try, add and try, but don’t have any bread handy otherwise you will have none left for the cakes.
Planning on trying this today, thank you for the smaller sized cake recipe. Quick question would the Russian Buttercream work well on this cake also? Been trying to find a reason to make that as well.
Yay, I hope it turns our wonderfully Anne! I think my Russian buttercream would taste great on this cake!! You will definitely have some frosting left over though if you make a full batch 🙂
This is awesome! So happy to see this mini cake recipe- sometimes that’s all you need! Is there an easy way to make this into a chocolate version?
Hi Alexandra,
There is! just swap 1/4 cup of cocoa powder for 1/4 cup of the AP flour in this recipe 🙂
Hey! I noticed from your 8 inch cake recipe, instead off halving most of the ingredients for this recipe, you took a 1/3 of them. Is there a reason for this? I just got 4 inch pans and I have been trying to figure out how to adapt some of my favorite recipes!
Hi Lindsey,
Using 1/3 of a batch makes a pretty tall 4 inch layer cake (as you can see in my pictures). If I used any more batter the end cake would be super tall and hard to frost! I think this amount of batter makes the right size / height of mini cake <3
You’re amazing and I love you! I follow you on YouTube and Pinterest and anytime I ever try a new cake I go to your recipes because they ALWAYS work the first time! I tell everyone about you if they’re looking for a new recipe. You’re like a modern Martha Stewart because her recipes always work the first time too! Thank you so much for existing and sharing things with us!!!! ???
Aw you’re too sweet Shaina!! Thank you 🙂 Your comment put the biggest smile on my face!!
Just inspired me to buy a few 4” pans because I love this size! What piping tip is this? I’ve looked everywhere so I wouldn’t have to bother you with a question that was already answered somewhere. But I love this look and I can’t find it. Thank you!
Aw that’s great to hear Kate! They can definitely be hard to find, I order mine on a amazon! Here’s the link: https://amzn.to/2VAduXg
Hope that helps, happy baking!
Sweet! Thank you! I’d love to see a video on how to do the spatula or spoon method of icing a cake! I have an order coming up that gas requested this finish!
What is the time a temperature for this cake? At the top it says 350 for 18-19 mins and in the recipe it says 350 for 30-32 mins. Thanks!
Hi Amrit,
It should be 350 F for 30-32 minutes, so sorry for any confusion!
Oops, I mean in the recipe it says 325 for 30-32 mins.
I am so excited to try this! Do you have suggestions on how to make a chocolate version?
Hi Katy,
I’d recommend using 1/4 cup of baking cocoa in place of 1/4 cup of the flour in this recipe. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi! Just to confirm on this – are you using 4”x2” pans? Do you ever use 3” pans and if so what adjustments do you make? I have a mix of pans in my kitchen and cakes have turned out dry so I’m working to adjust. Thanks!
Hi Jessica,
Yup, all my cake pans are 2″ tall! I don’t really use 3″ tall pans, but I don’t think it should change the way the layers bake. If your cake layers turned out a bit dry, that could be caused by a few things.
The cake layers might be slightly over baked! if you think that’s the case, take them out of the oven a minute or two earlier next time.
Or the batter may have been overmixed (mix just until the ingredients are incorporated), or you may have added too much flour! Be sure to properly fluff and scoop your flour when you measure it, or use a scale to make sure you add just the right amount. Hope that helps, happy baking!
My cake came out great but it is SOOOO sweet! Do you have any idea what I could’ve done wrong to make it like that? Thanks!!
Hi Kimberly,
This cake is on the sweet side, and the frosting is also quite sweet bc it’s american buttercream! If it’s a bit too sweet for your liking, you can try pairing it with a less sweet frosting like my russian buttercream or swiss meringue buttercream, which will help balance out the sweetness. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Have you tried making this vegan? What would be the best vegan substitutes for the egg and the buttermilk?
Hi Charlotte,
I haven’t with this specific recipe, but I’d recommend using either a flax egg or 1/4 cup of applesauce, and then any dairy free yogurt or milk should work in place of the buttermilk (oat, soy, almond, etc). Hope that helps, happy baking!
I just made this in my instant pot! My oven isn’t working but I’ve been wanting to practice decorating before my kids’ summer birthdays. I had to cook each layer one at a time for 32 minutes on high in the pressure cooker and it turned out great! Frosted stripes for the first time and the cake was delicious! Worth the time it took to use the instant pot since I’m stuck at home anyway during this crazy time.
That’s crazy Morgan!! You’re definitely the first person I know who has ever done that with one of my recipes! That’s such a great work around, and good to know! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Mine came out tasting like cornbread, or reminds me of the taste of it. What have I done wrong? Is it the buttermilk?
Hi Destiny,
Do you usually bake with buttermilk? Sometimes it gives baked goods a taste people aren’t used to if they don’t use it often! I’d recommend either trying a different type of buttermilk, or using whole milk or sour cream in place of the buttermilk. Hopefully that helps, happy baking!
Hey I was wondering if you could use whipping cream?
Hi Bella,
You can definitely use whipping cream or even whole milk in place of the heavy cream used in the frosting. Happy baking!
Thank you so much for the reply! I actually meant the # for the piping tip? I love that look.
Ah so sorry! Haha it’s just a wilton 1M frosting tip!! 🙂 I ordered it on amazon: https://amzn.to/2ShNH3h
Hey Chelsea! I tried your recipe and it came out so good! I was wondering if I can just triple this recipe so that it is a regular amount of batter? Thank you!
Hi Jesus,
I’d recommend just using my regular vanilla layer cake recipe, which does exactly that! It’s actually what this recipe is based on. Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/2016/09/05/best-vanilla-layer-cake-recipe/
I used this recipe last night, and it’s wonderful! I have never found a made from scratch vanilla cake I like until now. Thank you so much for sharing it. I’m a nurse and self taught baker, and am looking into starting a small side business with baking. I love baking, found your videos last night, and you have inspired me! Thank you so much!!
So happy to hear that Jessie! That’s awesome, best of luck with your future baking business <3
Hi!
I was wondering if I could use oat milk instead of buttermilk? Or create a “oat milk buttermilk” with lemon juice? (Not sure if that will work, I only have oat milk right now ?)
Also how can I make this a lemon flavored cake with fresh lemons? What ratios should I use and should I remove or lessen any other ingredients?
Thank you!
Hi Alex,
You can! To incorporate fresh lemons, I’d add fresh lemon zest to both the cake batter and frosting, along with 1 or 2 tsp of lemon extract (to taste). You can omit the vanilla if you want, but I usually add both vanilla and lemon extract. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Just made this but used sour cream instead and it was delicious !
That’s so great to hear Carolina!! 🙂
That helps! Thank you so much!
So happy to hear that Alex!
I followed the recipe perfectly but when baked the sugar seems to crystallize on the surface of the cake and it makes it shiny / tacky. Inside the crumb is nice and moist but doesn’t make for easy release from the tin and it definitely doesn’t look like yours. I’m in the UK – is our granulated sugar different? I normally use caster sugar to bake so I think maybe that’s where I’m going wrong? Generally always use the creaming method but your cakes look amazing so wanted to try this way while in quarantine! Any help would be great :).
Hi Katie,
I am so sorry to hear that! I have never experienced that, but it might be from the castor sugar. It’s ground more finely than granulated sugar, so maybe that’s what caused the strange reaction! Do you guys have granulated sugar in the UK? If so I’d recommend trying that instead! Hope that helps for the future, happy baking!!
Hi! I made this cake and it ended up tasting a bit like cornbread. Is this how it is supposed to taste or did I do something wrong?
Hi Addie,
Do you usually bake with buttermilk? Sometimes it gives baked goods a taste people aren’t used to if they don’t use it often! I’d recommend either trying a different type of buttermilk, or using whole milk or sour cream in place of the buttermilk. Hopefully that helps, happy baking!
Hi! Do you think you could add sprinkles to this recipe to make it funfetti? I’m thinking about making my own birthday cake since it looks like we’re still going to be in quarantine! Thanks!! <3
Hi Austin,
For sure!! I’d recommend adding 1/4 cup of sprinkles to the cake batter, and then extra between the cake layers as you assemble the cake 🙂 Hope that helps, and happy birthday!!
I made this recipe last night except i used pastry flour instead of AP flour and it was insanely fantastic. I mean super stellar.
That’s wonderful to hear Crystal!! 🙂 Thank you for sharing!!!
Exelente I love it ??? the mini vanilla cake is perfect
Aw thanks Patsy!!! 🙂
Hi I love your tik toks and recipes is there a way for me to make any cake a mini Cake?
Thanks Eden! For sure!! If you make 1/3 of most of my cake recipes, you’d have the right amount of batter to make 3, 4-inch cake layers like this. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hello! I recently discovered you in tik tok and love your cakes! I want to make a tall 4 layer 6in vanilla cake. Would you recommend doing this recipe and another half or using your 8inch recipe dispersed into 4 6in layers? Thanks!
Great question Megan! I ‘d use my regular cake recipe (8-inch version linked below) to make 4, 6-inch cake layers! 🙂 Happy baking!
https://chelsweets.com/2016/09/05/best-vanilla-layer-cake-recipe/
I had the same issue (sunk in the middle). I had tried so many of your cakes with GREAT success, so wasn’t sure what was up. I tried again, and had the same issue.
I’m thinking it was the pans – I think they were of “lower quality”. I bought the fat daddio ones you mentioned, and it worked much better! SO EXCITED 🙂
So sorry to hear the first two batches didn’t work great Cari, but I’m very happy to hear that the new pans fixed it 🙂
Best recipe ever,came out moist and delicious for a not so good Baker,and the second attempt I added half cup of desiccated coconut and substitute the whole milk for coconut milk ??? this is so far the best.Thank you
Aw thank you Ese!! That sounds delicious, I love that idea 🙂 Happy baking!!
I love this recipe!! But my entire cake turns out WAAAYYY too sweet. Do you think you know what I might’ve done to make that happen?
Hi Kimberly,
You can reduce the amount of sugar a bit if the cake layers are too sweet for your taste, or you can try a less sweet frosting like my russian buttercream or my swiss meringue buttercream <3 Hope that helps for next time, happy baking!!
Hi Chelsea!
Thanks for sharing your recipes!!! I cant wait to try this one out. I was wondering if it could be made with less sugar, maybe 2.5 cups instead of 3? I know it will be less sweet, but i’m hoping the texture is not affected too much.
Thoughts?!
I am sorry, I meant to post this on the Vanilla Layer Cake Recipe.
Hoping to get a Fast response as im baking now ? I always star with a vanilla base and add my flavors as I was them. This is the first time using your vanilla cake. Im making spumoni flavors. I added a teaspoon of chocolate powder to a third of the mix and a splash of maraschino cherry juice to another third, both came out perfect. The pistachio, I added maybe 2 teaspoons of pistachio pudding mix to it and that one came out basically pudding in the middle lol. Do you have any advice to add a pudding flavor to your recipe? Thank you!!!
Hi Hannah,
So sorry for the delayed response! I’ve never tried adding pudding mix to my cakes before, so sadly I’m not sure! This cake is already quite moist though, so I could see pudding mix making the batter overly moist / wet! My best suggestion would be to bake that layer longer this time, and then next time try adding crushed / ground pistachios instead! So sorry I can’t be of more help <3
Hi, If using cake flour instead of AP flour would it be equal parts? I like my cakes to be airy and fluffy so I thought cake flour might help, thoughts?
Hi Justina,
You can use cake flour in place of the AP flour in this recipe cup for cup. It will make the texture lighter, but do keep in mind this is a butter cake, so it won’t have a spongy texture like sponge cake <3
Hi
The 8” version, do i have to use the egg whites…. eggs are hard to find and I really don’t want to waste the yolks. Can I just use whole eggs.
Hi Tesha,
You can use 4 eggs in place of the egg whites in my full batch version of my vanilla cake recipe!!
Hi Chelsweets! I made your best vanilla cupcake! I want to let you know, it turns out very good!?I divided the batter to 6 8″ pan to make a rainbow cake since I only have 2 8″ available. I baked it for 177C for 18-20mins. I love the cake! It’s too sweet for my taste though. Can I reduce the amount of sugar next time? Will this affect the result of my cake? This will definitely be my go to vanilla cake!
Hi Jedi,
That’s great to hear! You can decrease the amount of sugar a bit to make it less sweet, but it will slightly change the texture! You can also try pairing it with a less sweet frosting like my Swiss meringue buttercream or my russian buttercream <3
Hi I tried this recipe today and followed it to the T, and it came out well. The cake layers were pretty good. Ive listed my 2 issues below. I’d appreciate if you could respond to this as I’m planning to bake this for my daughter’s first birthday next weekend:
1) the frosting was just too sweet – do you have any suggestion for how I can make a low sugar version without affecting the texture of the frosting?
2) the cake crust ended up cooking a bit too much so ended up being brown and a bit hard. I cooked it for 32 minutes. Any suggestions on how to keep the cake soft? Maybe take it out sooner?
Thanks a lot!
Hi Jay,
My ABC is def on the sweet side! My swiss meringue buttercream or my russian buttercream are great alternatives, and are less sweet <3
If you’re experiencing a lot of crusting, you can either use cake strips or reduce the baking temp to 325 F and bake the layers a bit longer. That should help the layers brown less. Hope that helps, and that your daughter’s birthday cake turns out wonderfully!!
Hi there! I’ve made this cake and I love it but I’m looking to make your other cakes in this 3 4″ pan form. Is the best way to do that just 2/3 everything in the recipe? Ex. I want to make your moist chocolate cake in the mini form. Thanks!
Hi Malia,
That’s great to hear! This is actually 1/3 of my regular sized cake recipes, but yes you can make a tiny batch of any of my cake recipes 🙂 It can get a little hard with recipes that use whole eggs, but should still turn out! Hope that helps, happy baking!
I made this today for my daughters birthday. I wound up doubling the recipe for three 6” cakes. This was perfect! So moist, yet sturdy and oh so tasty!! This will be in my rotation! ?
That’s great to hear penny!! I actually have a version of this recipe that uses those exact proportions to make 3, 6-inch cake layers 🙂
Here’s the link to make it easier for the future: https://chelsweets.com/2019/05/02/6-inch-cake-recipe/
Happy baking!!
i only have cane sugar in hand can i use that instead of granulated?
Hi Ashley,
I haven’t tested that out, so sadly I’m not sure! As long as the sugar dissolves in the batter it should work though!
Thanks, Chelsea. Would you recommend one over the other between Swiss meringue and Russian buttercream? I have no idea how either tastes so looking for suggestions. Lastly, do you have any suggestions on any natural food colour I can use to get a pink colour instead of gel colouring given my 1 year old will eat this? Thanks a lot!
Hi Jay,
The russian buttercream is sweeter than swiss meringue bc, but it really is a matter of preference. SMBC is a bit more stable, so maybe go with that one! I love using strawberry powder to make naturally pink frosting, like this: https://amzn.to/3fMKLq7
Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi!
I made the 4” cake layers and they taste divine. However, I have one slight problem, although the top looks nice and golden, the edges of the cake are very very crispy. I tried reducing the baking time to 28 minutes, but it still didn’t help. Is there anything that could prevent them from browning too much?
Thank you.
Hi Marta,
You can either add cake strips, or try lowering the temp by 25 degrees F and adding on a few more minutes to the bake time. Hope that helps for next time!
Will this cake taste good with Russian buttercream?
And if so, will the it hold up if filled and covered in Russian buttercream?
Please reply soon! Thx
Hi Vams,
I think it would taste great with russian buttercream, and should hold up just fan as long as the cake is chilled once it’s made (you can take it out an hour before you plan to cut into it to let it thaw)! I don’t recommend letting russian buttercream sit out for more than a couple hours because it’s perishable. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I just made this cake and it was so good. I have a question though. Why does the cake take so long to bake?
Hi Vams,
The cake layers are similar in height to my other cake layers, so they still take a while to bake even though they have a smaller radius.
I’ve been enjoying your posts on Instagram and anxiously awaiting the arrival of my small pans. I tried this with 4″ pans today and the center fell. Everything was at room temperature and I weighed my ingredients, but I noticed that I saved the recipe in my recipe app and the oven temperature was slightly lower (that had it at 325 and the minutes were slightly off, too), but the ingredients all seemed to be accurate.
The cake seems to have cooked, so I might have to hollow the center and add some surprise berries when I ice it in the morning. I’d love to try it again, so let me know if there’s any adjustment that comes to mind 🙂
Hi Jessica,
That’s a great fix! If the center fell it means they needed more time in the oven. I did update the recipe to 350 because some people were struggling with it at 325f. To be safe next time, use a toothpick to make sure the cake layers are done. They should could out of the cake layers with a efw moist crumbs once they’re ready. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Thanks, Chelsea! I’m planning to go ahead with Russian BC as that seems easier than SM.
– I made the cake layers last night and they look soft but didn’t rise up much. Any reason you can think why? I followed the recipe correctly. Was it because my melted butter was slightly warm (although the recipe didn’t mention it should be room temperature)
– can I add raw or boiled beet root juice to your Russian bc for the pink color? If so, do I need to swap up some other wet ingredient to ensure the consistency doesn’t get impacted?
Planning to make this today, so appreciate any feedback you could give. Thank you so much!
Hi Jay,
So sorry for the delayed response! This cake recipe doesn’t rise up much, so as long as the texture seems soft they turned of right.
Russian buttercream can be finicky, so only add SUPER cooked down beetroot juice, otherwise it can cause the frosting to break. I would still add in the vanilla for flavor, and sadly there isn’t really another liquid you can cut back on in the recipe unless you chose to add less sweetened condensed milk. Hope your cake turned out great!!
Hi! i just made the cake but mine turned out tasting much like cornbread. Do you know what i could have done wrong?
Hi Kate,
Do you bake with buttermilk very often? Some people aren’t a fan of baked goods made with it, and think it gives the cake an odd flavor. I’d suggest using sour cream or full fat yogurt in place of it next time, and hopefully you’ll enjoy the taste more! Hope that helps for the future <3
I am looking at getting pans to make this 4 inch cake, and am wondering if you prefer to use pans that are 2 inches or 3 inches deep? For my 6 inch cakes pans I have 3 inch deep pans, and love them. Just wasn’t sure if this would be too much for 4 inch pans?
Hi Jenna,
I use 2 inch deep pans! But 3 inch pans work the same with my recipes! All that matters is that you bake the layers individually rather than filling one pan full and torting the baked cake layer. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I love your vanilla cake layer recipe and was excited for a mini version. I think the modifications may have changed the texture. This wasn’t as fluffy as I am used to. It came out dense, but not in a bad way. It was delicious but different. My boyfriend doesn’t normally eat sweets, but he enjoyed a decent slice of this recipe. He said it was like a cake version of a cheesecake, which he loves.
Hi Judy,
I know what you’re saying! The texture is slightly different because the ratios are a tiny bit different in this smaller version.
That’s awesome to hear though, I’m glad you guys like it!
Hi Chelsea! Thank you for the tips and the recipes!!! I will make them today! 🙂 I have a question for Gluten free recipe. Do I need to change 1 cup (or 120 grams) of King Arthur’s gluten free flour blend instead of 130 of all-purpose flour or cake flour? Can I get a good Gluten Free cake?
Hi Lorena,
Using 1 cup (120 grams) of King arthur’s gluten free flour should work great! I also recommend over-stirring the batter to help give it structure and letting the batter sit for about 30 minutes before baking it to help the flour absorb some of the moisture from the batter. If you follow those tips I think a gluten free version of this cake should turn out awesome! 🙂
Hi there! I have some sweet little 4 inch tins that are only 1.5 inches high and thought this would be a great chance to try a 6-tier rainbow cake! If I make 6 layers of the 1.5 inch high I’ll end up with the same yield as yours by the sounds of it (you said above that 3 inch high works for this recipe). I’m assuming I’d need to adjust the cooking time, – any recommendations?
Hi Lucy,
That makes sense, so each of your colorful layers will be 1 inch tall after being baked! I’d check in on them about 5 minutes earlier than the recipe calls for, and check with a toothpick until it comes out with a few moist crumbs. Hope that helps, and that your rainbow cake turns out great 🙂
Hi Chel!
So I always use your recipes I love them! so today I tried this mini recipe , I was lazy bc I only have 2 daddio 4 inches so I just said I’ll make 8 cupcakes. Prior to this I read your cake mishaps. Meanwhile I never have an issue when I bake your recipes. Today lol, I don’t know what happened. 4 of the cupcakes caved- I’m guessing under cooked. But the cupcakes were so extra moist it was quite delicious. The tops tho were kind of crunchy almost carmelized around the edges. I don’t know what I did wrong tonight ? I’m so upset lol. Any pointers?
Xx
Lauren
Hi Lauren,
It’s actually not something you did wrong! This recipe is designed to make cake layers, and just doesn’t bake up that well when it’s made in cupcakes.
Haha they do sounds slightly underbaked, but the crunchy and caramelized tops are just from the high sugar ratio in this recipe. I usually recommend people just use my cupcake recipe instead of turning my cake recipes into cupcakes for that reason. They still taste great, it’s just not exactly the perfect cupcake once it’s baked <3
Thank you! I will make it!! ?
Hi there! Are the temperatures in your recipes fan or conventional? I keep reading that you should lower you temperature if you’re baking in a fan oven, but I’ve been using the same temperatures since I started baking. So I thought I’d test it with this recipe. 🙂
Hi Ella,
My recipes are for regular ovens, not ovens set to convection heat/fan setting! That’s definitely a good thing to keep in mind if your oven is set to that <3
Hi Chelsea,
Can the cake recipe be vegan but still be quite fluffy? Aka using vegan milk, butter and egg replacer?
Hi! Im very excited to do this recipe, but cannot figure out what pans to use. Please help!
Do you know about how many ounces of batter you put into each of your 4” pans? I’m trying to take this same idea and do a mini cake with a different flavor for a smash cake 🙂 Thanks!
Hi,
I need to make 3 4 inch cakes for a bake sale and wanted to triple the batch. I only have 3 pans, so is it ok to leave the mix while the pans bake?
Hey there! I have one 6 inch cake tin. So is it okay if I use it and then slice the cake into two? Any change in the baking instructions for that? And how to make this cake a bit more fluffy?
Hi! For my birthday, I got some baking/cake decorating supplies, so I decided to make this cake. This was the first real cake I ever made from scratch and decorated with a turntable, and it actually turned out really good! I used vegan butter and macadamia nut milk to make the cake and the frosting dairy free, and it was so delicious! Thank you for posting this recipe; it was really helpful!
This recipe looks amazing, I would love to try it. Just had few question.
If I use sour cream or full fat yogurt, how much should I use? Since milk and buttermilk have thin consistency compared to yogurt/sour cream.
Also, I would like my cake to be less sweet. Is it ok if I use 3/4 cup of sugar? Will this change the texture of the cake?
I just made this for my birthday ?…..love it ?
This is a great and cute cake!! I was just wondering if I needed this buttercream for two dozen cupcakes could I just double the recipe? (I have used this recipe of buttercream from you before and I really love how smooth and sweet it is!)
Hi there, I baked this cake today and it turned out dreadful. Didn’t rise, bubbly crispy top and very greasy upon removing from pans. BP was fresh, ingredients room temp. The only think I can think is do you measure the butter before melting or after? I did it after melting and I feel this could be why it came out so greasy. Oil and butter in a small cake seems a bit much. Can you help?
I made this cake last night and it was absolutely delicious!!! I have been testing out different recipes and this vanilla cake is my favorite! The cake was super easy to make and I loved that it was all in 1 bowl and with a whisk. The cake was fluffy, moist and flavorful! I had left over buttercream from a couple cakes I made over the weekend and they paired perfectly with this mini cake.
Is the texture of this cake the same for your larger scale vanilla cakes or do you think it turns out so fluffy because it’s a small batch recipe that you hand mix?
Hi Chelsey,
I tried this recipe for Canada Day, and it will probably be delicious. There was one problem. The cake was not baking on the inside, but when it finally did, the bottom was burnt. Maybe it was a problem with my oven, or something I did. Thank you!
Hi, could you advise the depth of the 4″ cake pans please they seem to be all different depths when I go into Amazon.. Thanks
For your other recipes – can they not be halved to make a smaller four inch cake…or does it not work that way?
I absolutely loved this when I tried, absolutely delicious thank you ?
Super excited to try my first cake in the 4 inch pan.
Could you please tell me how much does the cake weigh approximately with frosting & buttercream?
Just made this recipe and loved it! I used 2 6” pans instead of the 4” pans and it came out perfect! Love how moist this cake is and thanks for the small batch recipe! It’s helpful when you don’t want to be throwing out a bunch of extra cake.
Hello! I’m new to your blog, and I’m excited to make this mini cake. Just wanted to say how much I appreciate how thorough your directions are! Mainly how you say to make sure you spoon the flour into the measuring cups or to use a scale. I know that’s the correct way to measure flour, but a lot of recipes don’t state that they did that and makes me question just how much flour is in their recipe. Thank you!!!!
Hi, I wanted to know if this cake is suitable for holding a fruit filling. Also, would this cake go with swiss meringue buttercream? I’m making this cake for people who don’t like too much sweetness, so do you think this is a good option?
Hi Chelsey, I made this cake today and it turned out perfectly! However, I noticed that there are small very dark specks buried in the cake (all 3 layers). The spots can be seen from all angles of the baked, unleveled layers (I haven’t assembled the cake yet).
I’m so confused how to avoid this next time since I have to make another one today. I followed your recipe to a T and used brand new Fat Daddio’s pans, properly greased and floured. None of my ingredients had questionable spots so it definitely developed in the oven.
Could you please help me figure out what went wrong? I tried googling this and the issue might be the baking powder or sugar crystallizing? Thanks and happy baking!
very nice and delicious reccipe are we use the butter cream or cheese cream for frosting??
https://realrecipe4u.com/2020/08/07/delicious-strawberry-shortcake-with-ice-cream
Hi Chelsea!
This recipe sounds wonderful. How many servings does this 4” have?
Thanks!
Hii!!
Can I just use oil only instead of butter and oil mix?? Want to make a cake for my sister
Hi!! I’m thinking of making a two layer 4inch cake with this recipe how should i change the amount of I got to use? Thanks!!
I just made the cake this morning OMG so good and moist this is great since my husband don’t do sweets. Great for a small get together with friends.
Hi, I wanna love this recipe because of the size but I’ve failed 3x at making it. Every time it falls apart from bottom up when I try to take out of the pans. I’ve read through your other responses and recipe and let sit for 10 mins, scrape around the edges, and put in the freezer 20 mins and it still happens. What am I doing wrong? Ita done it with the vanilla and chocolate for this recipe. Also your layers look very pale and soft do you trim the edges around these? Mine are much more golden looking. Thanks so much! Love all your recipes!!
Hi! is there a way to make this chocolate?
I don’t have an egg. What can I substitute it with?
Wait so once frosted, you can freeze it without covering it at all??
Tried this recipe and my 3 4” cake tins overflowed with batter! Any tips?
I have made this several times but using your notes, converted it to chocolate. I tend to do 2 6” layers since that’s the pan size I have. However it feels like the layers are super thin compared to when I make it just vanilla per the recipe. Is there a way to keep the layers thick but convert this to chocolate?
This was my first time ever making a homemade cake! I have a lot of practicing to do when it comes to decorating the cake but when I made the cake batter itself, it came out so good and tasted amazing. It was moist even and not to crazy sweet. It had a perfect balance! Can’t wait to give it a go this coming weekend with the decorating.
Applesauce
Hi! I was wondering how much cocoa powder i should substitute in place of powdered sugar to make a chocolate frosting?
I made this batter and used sour cream instead of buttermilk, the dough was extremely thick and it only filled on six inch baking pan halfway and did not rise at all, so it really only created one mini layer of cake. it was crunchy on the outside which was good, it baked as a dense loaf and not a cake. Still delicious, I’m about to make it again 🙂
Hi, I love your cakes! I have two 6 x 3 inch pans. Should I use this recipe and double it? Or should I use your regular sized gluten free cake recipe?
Hi! A cupcake recipe for 12-15 cupcakes makes a 3-layer 6″ cake!
Hi CHels, how tall does this tyoe of cake comes up?, i have just started looking for 4″ diam cakes recipes
its curious the recipes i have for 6″ vanilla cake (3 layers) is very similar to this one, my 6″ cakes are 4.5-5″ tall, i cameout with the conclusion that 2 recipes of 6″ makes a 8″ 3 layers cake, and half of a 6″ recipe, makes a 4″ 3 layers cake (i hope i didnt confused you much)
I think it looks great and you have super information and tips. My one thought is about the looks of that cake board, I think that is what is called. It doesn’t look good. The edges are the problem. The brown showing on the cardboard edges. I’m no pro but I’m sure there are tricks in order for that not to show. With photography you can conceal it by taking the picture from above the cake or photoshopping it.
I was wondering if you used 3, 4×2 or 4×3 inch cake pans. I have been looking at getting some to make personal cakes or smash cakes. Which side do you recommend?
I made this in chocolate… used buttermilk powder; it came out great. Will be making again.
I love the colour of this vanilla cake. Want to make valentine’s treat boxes and a friend of mine has asked me to make her wedding cake..I am not nervous…so will be trying out this recipe over the weekend..
Also wanted to ask..could I bake this as a sheet cake and simply cut out the cake sizes?
Love your cakes..
Easy to follow methods and you do them in grams also..
Cake fan..
I made this cake because I wanted to use my three 4 inch baking pans that I got from my mother-in-law as a gift. I always wanted to try to make layered cakes but it would had been too much for just my husband and me to make a whole 6 inch layered cake. This recipe was perfect for me! The cake was moist and I really liked the cookie like texture on the outside of the cake. I’m looking forward to making a chocolate cake version soon! Thank you for the great recipe.
I absolutely love this recipe. At first I was baking on the top rack and it would sink. Then realized it should be on the middle rack and it’s perfect.
Hi, do you know how much ingredients I would need to make this a 4 layer cake?
thanks
Hi, I’ve made this cake and it was a hit… can you tell me how to make it a 3 layer cake?
Thank you
I made this today because I’ve been trying to improve my cake decorating skills, so I use small cakes. This is such a good recipe!! It’s incredibly moist and the cake tastes spectacular.
Hello,
I would love to recreate this recipe using a PME Round Cake Pan 4 x 4-Inch Deep. Would I need to use only a 1/3rd of the recipe ?
Thank you!
This recipe is amazing thanks for creating it
Amelia
Hey Dania,
This recipe is stunning as it’s got all the layers moist and soft and this is my NO.1 favourite I hope to see more great recipes
Thank you
If I’m to use 6″inch baking pans how many layers will i have?
Please share a recipe for 6inches of Three and Four Layers cake
I just have 2 4 inch pans. Can i leave out the remaining batter when those two bake and then bake the third one once i have the pan free up?
hi!
how much of the frosting recipe would i need if i wanted to do rosettes on the cake?
Hey there! So, I tried this recipe last weekend and the buttercream turned out fantastic (it really is foolproof!!) but the cake itself was… not. I followed the recipe to the letter, but my cake somehow turned out CRUNCHY. It was like eating clumps of sand. (I stored the buttercream so I wouldn’t waste it.) I’m curious what could have gone wrong with the cake? I want to try it again soon, but I want to figure out what could have backfired first.
So I actually used this recipes for my daughters 1st birthday! Instead of doing layers I used it in a 6in spring pan that had a lid with a center piece, to make a donut. And it turned out PERFECT! I also loved all the information you added, it was very helpful.
Made the cake this morning as a last minute addition to my tea party, turned out great. Perfect size and its so fluffy. Will definitely be making this again.
I made this recipe twice and I used my 3 4” x 2” but very disappointing, it didn’t work. Something wrong. I’m not gonna try it again.
I am soooo dang happy with how this turned out! I did a test run today and will be making this for my boys combined birthday cake Sunday ??
@Eman, Sunday!!!* lol I’ll share the results with you!
I made this cake tonight and it way too sweet. I unfortunately had to throw it out. Can the sugar be cut in half?
Can I use this recipe for 2x 4 inch tins
I want to try this recipe but can I omit or substitute the egg?
Trying this recipe out Tomorrow for a smash cake. Been baking for 8 months now and can’t find a vanilla recipe I love, hoping yours is the one!
Question: can the butter just be room temperature or does it have to be melted? And if I do melt it is it ok to mix ingredients while my melted butter is hot
Does the egg need to be room temp? Or doesn’t matter
I would like to make this cake to feed 6 adults. Can you convert the measurements to make a larger cake?
I would like to make a larger version of this cake to feed adults. Can you convert the measurements to make a larger cake?
i made these cakes on a whim today and they fell apart the second they came out of the tin. i’ve since made cake pops out of the crumbs, but they didn’t hold together as cakes, which was what i was hoping for.
Hi, how tall is your mini cake 4”?
Made this last weekend. The baked cake turned out heavy as heck, like a brick. Are you able to confirm the grams measurements? For example, you give 1/2 tsp of baking soda as 4 gm, but my (Kitchenaid set) level 1/2 tsp was 7 gm. Would not make the cake recipe again, totally disappointing. Decorating a 4-inch cake was waaaay more difficult than I thought, and I gave up on attempting any piping. The cake ended up looking like the leaning tower of Pisa.
This was a terrific cake! Perfect texture, very moist. I will definitely make this again.
Many thanks for such a good recipe.
I made this cake recipe for my daughter’s birthday. I doubled it to make 2 6-inch cakes which I then made into 4 layers. It turned out very moist and delicious, everyone loved it!
The cake stuck to the pan a little what did i do Wrong?
@judah, dont know
Hi I was wondering how much frosting does this make? Would it be enough to pipe rosettes on the cake?
Thank you!
how much batter do you recommend for 4in pans? I tend to be heavy handed on adding batter when it comes to the 4 in pans. Cant wait to try this recipe!
This recipe was a total fail. I followed the instructions exactly and still the cake caved in. So I cooked it for longer and once it came out the inside was still uncooked and the sides were burnt. I don’t think I did anything wrong and I made sure that all the steps were followed to the letter.
Don’t use this recipe it doesn’t cook well but it tastes ok
@Sarah, I agree
Hi! I made this cake recipe and the cake didn’t seem to bake, maybe i did something wrong? I did use a diffrent pan though. The icing is amazing!
I want to make a 4 inch LEMON layer cake? What adjustments could I make to this recipe to make it a perfect lemon cake 🙂
I made this yesterday and on the first try it came out great! I was very impressed with myself! I used almond extract in place of vanilla in both the cake and the frosting and I definitely needed a lot more heavy cream than the recipe stated, but it might have to do with the temp here. These mini cakes are so cute! I can’t wait to try another recipe ?
I love the flavour and texture of this cake (thanks for the recipe!), but my cakes come out crusty /sugary on the outside. I’ve baked some at 350 F and 320 F with the same result. Any ideas what I might be doing wrong?
Hello i love your mini vanilla cake recipe and I’m planning to give it a try soonest.But can i add One additional egg to the recipe ?
I Just tried the recipe, and my cakes all sunk in the center as well. I followed everything to a T, and made sure I mixed just till incorporated, not sure why else this would’ve happened. I saw some people posted that their batter was thick, mine was the opposite, so that just goes to show that we all come from different parts of the world, different ingredients and different ovens so I know it’s not always going too turn out the same. I will try again. I love all your recipes and thank you for all you do.
Tami Soto
Hi, if I want to make this as a half sheet pan cake what would the measurements be?
Used this recipe for my daughter’s smash cake and it turned out GREAT! (Yep, kids eat sugar). Was moist and made just enough! Used baby yogurt and didn’t adjust anything even though at high altitude. Thanks so much!
Hello! I love using this recipe, I have used it over and over again. It’s also great for carving cakes. Just a question tho, how can I make it more fluffy or soft? Should I substitute butter with oil or add another egg?? Thanks! 🙂
I followed this recipe exactly yet my cake ended up not having enough to fill three 6 inch pans, it didn’t rise, and each layer is less than an inch tall. It tastes off but I can’t describe how. I feel like it’s too much sugar because the top of the cake is caramelized and I don’t think its supposed to be like that.
I needed a small recipe to make a 5inch 1st anniversary cake and this turned out perfect. I used whole milk and everything else as written. I divided the batter between 2 5 x 3 cake pans and baked for approximately 38 minutes. This is the first scratch vanilla recipe I found that I like! I will definitely be using this recipe again! Thank you
Hi, I made this cake today using King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour and the same amount of full fat sour cream instead of buttermilk. I followed your directions for the GF variation and the batter and cake turned out moist and perfect! This was my first time baking a mini cake so I overfilled the pans just a bit but otherwise, it came out great!
Awesome recipe. I followed it exactly. I made 2 batches which made 4, 6 inch round cakes.
Wish I could post a picture.
I just made this and I’m not sure what went wrong; the cakes sunk in the middle (and usually my cakes have a dome which I combat with a belt) and they are a bit greasy or something? The sides are crumbling apart and I don’t know if it’s even worth icing as it’s almost falling apart.
I mixed everything by hand until it had just barely combined, and I measured everything accurately, and left it in for the full 33mins, so I’m not sure what the issue is 🙁
Hi. I have a tall 4″ springform pan and i was wondering if instead of using 3 pans for the layers, can i use only this tall one? I do not have 3 same size pans unfortunately and i really want to make this mini cake for my daughter’s 1st birthday which is in 2 days. Please advise. Thank you.
How would you go about turning this to a lemon cake? I was thinking just adding lemon extract/lemon juice, but I’m not entirely sure. My brother requested a lemon cake with strawberry drizzle
Just I have been looking for as I am GF and also do not like large cakes, so thank you for this. Cathrine
Hello,
Can I use a 8×8 square pan or loaf pan 9×5 for this receipe?
Thank you,
MM
I made the cake and found it to be extremely sweet. Too much sugar for me and it wasn’t moist. I will make it again tomorrow and decrease the sugar and add sour cream for moistness.
Love this mini cake recipe. How much would I need to make 2 sandwich cake tins for a bigger cake please. Would double the recipe be enough. Thank you.
Hi,
I just made this mini “cake” and it overflowed out of the pans and was more the consistency of a underbaked sugar cookie. No where near cake like. I was skeptical of the flour and sugar ratio, but tried it anyway. I think it needs to be edited somehow.
Perfect little cake. Made 2 6” rounds and it was just the right amount. Good crumb and moist. Thank you!
What’s the weight of this cake in total? Can we bake 260 gms in 4” tin?
This was an all around great recipe. I made 2 mini cakes & 30 mini cupcakes. Soooo good thank you very much.
Hi, was looking to make a mini cake and came across your site.
If I want to make one cake, am I simply dividing the ingredients by 3?
Thanks!
Cake was fabulous! However I’m just doing one layer, (baby smash cake) unfortunately i think i filled it to much and it sunk in.. so here i am on round 2. Filled it about a 1/4 of the way full. Crossing my fingers it comes out! Might end up doing 2 layers to give it more depth if it doesn’t come out high enough to decorate. I did enjoy the scraps. ? i do recommend letting it cool like suggested, i seconded guessed myself and put it in the fridge for 5 mins and tried to pull it out the pan worried it was gonna stick? it didn’t.. it just broke, but i got a good nightly snack!
Hi! This recipe looks fantastic! I’d like to use it to make a smash cake for my 1-year old daughter’s birthday, but only have 3” ramekins (aside from 9” cake pans) – would the batter recipe work divided into (4) 3” ramekins (planning to make (2) mini cakes as opposed to (1) so the cake doesn’t become ridiculously tall!) as opposed to (3) 4” ramekins? Any modifications to the baking temperature or time? Thanks!!
Hi! This recipe looks great and I’m excited to try it! Any tips for baking four 4-inch cakes? Should I use the same amount of batter and just start checking earlier because the layers will be thinner? Thank you!
What the heck does 1/4 cup PR 1/2 stick butter mean? I’m sorry, does PR really make Sienese to anyone? I feel like “PR” is an abbreviation modern adults shouldn’t use
How much batter should be in each pan if using 2 6-inch rounds? I feel like mine wasn’t filled enough but I followed the recipe completely. Im used to batter filling at least 1/2 to 3/4 of the pan but this batter didn’t even do that. Now, they did rise very nicely. But they are still lower in the pan than expected.
Made it today, but I used a sheet pan then cut out the cakes. I had 4 tiers with jam and buttercream in between.
love that Kay! And that sounds delicious!!
The melted butter in cake recipe. 1/4? 1/2? Little confused
Hi Kelly,
Apologies for any confusion! A 1/4 cup of butter is half of a stick of butter.
How do I get your vanilla cupcake recipe? Would like to try it as the mini cake is very tasty!
Hi Kelly,
Thanks! Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/classic-vanilla-cupcake-recipe/
You can find any of my recipes by either googling “chelsweets vanilla cupcakes” or whatever recipe you’re looking for, or using the search icon at the top of the page <3
This was very useful thanks, ?
I really enjoyed making this mini cake.?
Hi I wanted to say that I made a mini vanilla cake yesterday and it looked amazing and it tasted good thank you. ?
Hi,
I’m a long time hobbyist cake decorator (about 25 years). After taking classes on how to decorate, I made sooo much buttercream frosting (from lard back in those days) that I stopped doing it for a while. After I had my first child (I have 3 now, the oldest being 17), I began decorating cakes again (still using lard) only on their birthdays. Now, if you notice, I only said cake DECORATOR. I used to buy premade cakes (like from Costco) and ask them to leave it naked, then I would bring it home and decorate it, LOL! I haven’t decorated a cake in a couple years now due to covid and my kids not having a bday party, but this weekend, I had a request from my niece who was celebrating her son’s first bday, to “provide” the cake. Since it was on short notice, I decided to just bake my own, and hit the web for recipes on the best way to layer a cake. My search led me here and I went for your chocolate cake first. (I made a tiered cake with the 8 inch being your chocolate and the 6 inch being this mini vanilla cake). I HAVE TO TELL YOU first off that my oldest son cannot stand chocolate cakes, and he THINKS he preferred the chocolate to the vanilla (but he also says it may be because I frosted the vanilla in fondant, lol). Everybody else in the house, LOVED the chocolate cake (I don’t know if it was the buttermilk or the dark chocolate cocoa or the butter used in the buttercream or a combination of both) but at the bday party there were RAVES, and people coming back for seconds. It was ABSOLUTELY the BEST chocolate cake we have EVER tried.
Now. I am NOT a vanilla cake person (to me if a dessert doesn’t have chocolate in it, it is NOT a dessert, lol), but eating the scraps once the cake was trimmed(although I was absolutely shocked that the mini cakes needed little to no trimming), had me thinking differently. It was ABSOLUTELY the BEST vanilla cake that we have ever had.
Actually, we had leftover chocolate frosting from the chocolate cake, and leftover strawberry mousse that I filled the vanilla cake with, so I promised my son that I would re-do the vanilla cake with the strawberry mousse and chocolate frosting this time, instead of fondant, so I’m headed back to the kitchen to make another batch. Just wanted to say thank you for the ABSOLUTE BEST cakes we have ever tried. My husband said to the recipes were “keepers” and we all agree, so thanks so much for sharing!!
@Audrey O,
Oops. Sorry. Just realized that I posted this review under the “wrong” cake. I used your small batch vanilla cake for the 6 inch size, but everything else I said, remains the same. 🙂
haha no worries!!! I knew which recipe you were talking about!! <3
Hi Audrey,
I am so happy to hear that!! You are too sweet, thank you for sharing 🙂
Hey! I loved this cake – is there a chocolate version?? I’m a chocoholic so if there is one PLEASE share it w/ me.
Thx,
Leah K
leah_kittl@ipsd.org
Hi Leah,
I don’t have a chocolate version but clearly I need to make one!! Just added it to my schedule next week, stay tuned! 🙂
Hi, I tried to make the cake but it crumbled when I started to cut the dome. Do you have any advice on what I can do for next time?
How much cocoa powder can I add to make this a chocolate buttercream?
Hi Kay,
Great question! I’d recommend swapping out 2/3 cup of powdered sugar for cocoa powder. That should do the trick! Happy baking!
I absolutely love the flavor and moistness of this cake. Is it possible to increase measurements to make a 3 layer 6 and inch cake? If so how would I approach the measurements of each ingredient?
I actually have shared a small batch version of this recipe that makes 3, 6-inch cake layers. Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/6-inch-cake-recipe/
Hope that helps, happy baking!
I tried this cake and loved it, I ended up using two 5-inch pans instead of three 4-inch and it still tasted amazing. I was wondering if I’d be able to add sprinkles to this recipe to make a Funfetti cake. Would you recommend this?
Hi Puneet,
So happy to hear that! You can definitely add rainbow sprinkles to this batter! I’d recommend using rainbow jimmies (the long rainbow sprinkles) rather than nonpareils (the small round rainbow sprinkles). 1/4 of a cup of sprinkles should work great! Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi,
Did you bake your layers in 4″ diameter pans, and trim the sides *or* bake them in a larger sheet pan and cut 4″ circles out?
Thanks!
Hi Kathy,
Great question! I have little 4″ pans, so I bake the batter in those and then trim the sides with a serrated knife. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi, Just wondering if I can substitute all Oil instead of using butter? Thanks!!
Hi Mary,
You totally can! That will work just fine in this recipe. Happy baking!
Great recipe. Perfect portions for a 3 layer 4″ mini cake. Nice and dense and full of rich flavour.
Hi Karen,
Thank you!! I’m so happy you loved this recipe 🙂 Thank you for sharing!!
Hi there! I am looking to get cake boxes for these mini cakes. About how tall is the 3 layer 4” cake version?
Hi Tina,
Great question! It can vary a bit based on how much frosting you use between the layers and if you level the layers, but mine were about 4-inches tall. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi! Might you have a suggestion of how to adjust the recipe to make it a strawberry cake?! Thanks! ?
Hi Tina,
Great question! I’d suggest swapping out 1/4 cup of granulated sugar for 1/4 cup of freeze dried strawberry powder in the cake batter. To make strawberry buttercream, you can make a half batch of my strawberry buttercream recipe: https://chelsweets.com/strawberry-buttercream/
Hope that helps, happy baking!
how much batter should be in each pan? in grams?
Hi Zarnab,
One batch of batter is about 600g. It depends on the size of cake layers you’re making, but if you make 2 cake layers add 300g, or if you make 3 cake layers add 200g per pan. Hope that helps, happy baking!
tasted great! im doing this cake again
Thank you for sharing Liam!! 🙂
My sister told me she was wanting something sweet so I decided to whip up a small cake for her not expecting to eat half of it myself but I just couldn’t stop myself this is quite literally the BEST cake I’ve ever had and I’ve had buskin and servati’s cake. I’m definitely saving this recipe and making it again for a party because it’s amazing so moist and fluffy not overly sweet.
Aw I’m so happy to hear that Mikaela!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
can i make the cake with almond extract instead of vanilla? keeping all the other ingredients the same, would it taste good?
Hi Jenny,
You totally can do that, I think that would taste great!
Hi there, how much should I increase the portions if I want 3 five inch cakes?
Hi Roopa,
I’d recommend making 1 1/2 batches of batter to make 3, 5-inch cake layers. Hope that helps, happy abking!
Can we swap the butter with oil? Or would it hamper the texture of the cake?
Hi Jonathan,
It will change the texture and flavor of the cake a bit, but you can swap out the melted butter for oil! It should still bake up great. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I have made it before for birthday dinner outside of a larger party. This time I replaced half the oil and butter with strawberry puree and added half a pack of strawberry jello and my daughter will get the small strawberry cake she requested. Still great consistency and taste, just had to cook it a bit longer.
Hi Andrea,
Love that, it sounds delicious!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Hi how will I join this group
delicious! added fresh strawberries in the middle and on top to decorate. Highly recommend 🙂
Love that! Sounds absolutely delicious Kate! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I made this cake using 1 C flour & 1 C sugar, along with the other listed ingredients. Followed directions, measured correctly, ingredients at room temp. Oven was preheated and check with a thermometer. Expiration dates were good. Put in oven cooked for 33m and opened up to find a flopped cake.
Went back online and got a new recipe and baked with success. I will say I liked the flavor of your cake better. But to honest I have never seen a cake recipe that called for equal amounts of sugar and flour.
Hi Karen,
This recipe uses the reverse creaming method, which requires quite a bit of sugar to give the cake layers a tender, dense texture. It definitely uses more sugar than a recipe that creams together the butter and sugar.
When you say the layers were flopped, what do you mean? Hopefully we’ll be able to figure out what happened together!
This was the PERFECT size recipe to make in the old Pampered Chef springform cake pan HEART shape insert. Full of love and deliciousness!
Hi Carolyn,
Yay! So happy to hear that, thank you for sharing!!
Perfect little recipe…simple and yet delicious ?
Aw thank you Mattie! So happy to hear you loved this recipe!! 🙂
Hi! Any tips for baking this at high altitude? (I live at 7000 ft).
This is my new favorite vanilla cake recipe. I’ve made this recipe three times now and it’s always come out beautifully. I love that I don’t need to use my mixer.
I made this cake for a VERY picky man that reviews desserts for a living. No he doesn’t, but acts like he does lol. Anyways he LOVED it. Thank you, thank you!!! The only vanilla cake recipe I’ll ever use again in my life
Hi Kailee,
Haha aw I’m so happy to hear that!! YAY 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Hey y’all! So I made this recipe today – the layers are chilling in the fridge right now! – but I used some cake pick molds. It makes 9 layers with each mold filled just over halfway full. I lowered the temp to 325 and cooked them for 26 minutes. I also added just a bit of extra vanilla and about a tablespoon of cake flour (to compensate for the extra liquid from the vanilla). When I tell y’all these are the most perfect little cake discs in the world I ain’t playing! So flavorful, perfect rise, no sinking…I cannot brag on this recipe enough with these minis tweaks. Thank you so much for sharing!!
Thank you for sharing Ashes 🙂 It does sound like they turned out perfectly!!
I made this twice and it came out very dense and dry – batter didn’t seem over mixed. I used whole milk instead of buttermilk could that be the culprit? Not so sure as I’m new to baking
Hi Erika,
I’m so sorry to hear that! The buttermilk would make the layers more tender and moist, but whole milk should work fine in this recipe. My first question would be if all your ingredients were fully at room temperature? Cold ingredients can cause cake layers to bake up denser than normal, and make them take longer to baker, which also makes them dryer. Hopefully we’ll be able to figure out what happened!
This vanilla cake was so perfect. I made this for my son. I used a different variation for a less sweet buttercream though. Both turned out great and everyone loved it.
I am so happy to hear that Matty!! Sounds like a delicious combination 🙂
This is a little gem for myself or as a gift. On my second try I used 3/4 cup of sugar instead of one full cup and I reduced the time to 23 minutes and covered the cakes loosely with foil at 20 minutes to reduce the browning on the tops. The first time the centers sunk to the bottom and the tops were caramelized and too brown and crusty. I will be making this for friends and as hostess gifts. Thank you!
That is wild Trish! What type of oven do you have? Are you baking the layers on the middle rack of your oven? Is it a full sized oven? Do you by chance have the convection setting turned on? Hopefully we’ll be able to figure out what happened together!
Hi! Can sour cream replace the buttermilk in this?
Hi Megs,
You can totally replace the buttermilk in this recipe with sour cream. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I don’t usually leave comments but this cake was so simple to make and so delicious! It was gone within a few hours. Thank you so much for the time and effort you put into this recipe and for sharing it with the world
Hi Beth,
I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for sharing, and happy baking! 🙂
Hello! In the recipe, would it change anything to use sour cream instead of buttermilk?
Hi Margaret,
You can use sour cream instead of buttermilk in this recipe, it will still turn out great! Hope that helps, happy baking!
Thanks for this amazing recipe! Would gon happen to have a small white cake recipe or how to make this one into white ? Appreciate it !
Hi Christin,
So happy to hear you loved this recipe! I do have a 6-inch version of this cake recipe, here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/6-inch-cake-recipe/
One batch of that recipe makes 3, 6-inch cake layers. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I was very excited to try this recipe. I put a teaspoon of sprinkles into the batter and it tasted great! Half way through the bake, I rotated the pans as I always do for an even bake. They looked so full at that point I couldn’t wait for the end results. About five minutes from the end bake, I looked in the oven and then they looked like Yorkshire puddings. Bummer. They were all sunk in the middle. I didn’t want to waste and throw them out so I’ll be making cake pops out of them. I read other comments but still wanted to try the recipe. I’ve been baking cakes for very many years. Wish I knew what the issue was. ??????
Hi Sally,
I’m so sorry to hear that! It sounds like the cake layers needed a bit longer in the oven / like they weren’t fully baked! What type of pans are you using? Were all your ingredients at room temperature? Sometimes if any of them are cold, or if you’re using pans that aren’t light colored / aluminum, it can have a big impact on the bake time of the cake layers.
I’d recommend testing the center of the layers with a toothpick when you think they’re done. If it comes out with a few moist crumbs, it’s ready! If it’s wet or goopy, it needs a few more minutes. Hope that helps for the future!
Can we double the recipe
Hi Deepti,
You can double the recipe! Or you can use my small batch vanilla cake recipe that makes 3, 6-inch cake layers and is roughly a double batch of this recipe. Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/6-inch-cake-recipe/
Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi, I want to make my mini cake with a little lemon juice and cinnamon butter and some coconut flakes I am not sure of how the cake will taste and the flavours. Do you think any of these flavours I chose is gonna overshadow or overpower each other?
Hi Fave,
Love that you’re having fun with some new flavor combinations! I think that cinnamon buttercream with coconut flakes would be delicious, or a little lemon juice + some coconut flakes, but I’m not sure if the cinnamon and lemon together would be the best combination! However, everyone has different palettes and flavor preferences, so feel free to play around with it and see if you like it!
The cake baked perfectly, no sinking or puffing; the layers baked nice and even. The flavor is lovely. I made this for a co-worker’s birthday and it was a big hit! Thanks for making me seem like a genius. ?
Hi Jessica,
So happy to hear that!! You have some lucky coworkers 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing!!
So good! I usually don’t use any written recipes, but I wanted to try something new. I’m so glad I found this one. I made a double layer 6″ cake in no time at all for my husband’s birthday. The cake is moist and delicious. I paired it with a traditional cocoa frosting. Let me tell you that the family dug into it and devoured the whole thing. Can’t wait to make this one again.
Hi Andra,
Sounds like a delicious combination!! So happy to hear you and your family loved this recipe 🙂 Thank you for sharing, happy baking!
how much frosting is needed for the 4 inch cake recipe??
Hi Emmily,
The frosting recipe in the recipe card for this cake makes about 2.5 cups of frosting. Hope that helps, happy baking!
how could I break the recipe down for just one single 4″ layer ?
Hi Danielle,
You would have to cut this recipe into thirds to make on, single 4″ layer! I’d definitely recommend using a scale to make sure you get the measurements right, and I’d suggest using one egg white for the egg, or using 1/3 of a scrambled-up egg. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I loved this cake recipe! I personally don’t like recipe with a lot of eggs because I feel like its healthier that way. Plus this recipes ingredients are easily found in the house and you don’t need a big amount of everything.
Hi Dareen,
So happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing 🙂
If I make this the night prior to serving, do I still need to wrap and freeze the cake? What is the best way to store it overnight?
Hi Leah,
Great question! I usually just store it in the fridge uncovered once it’s frosted, but we also don’t really keep any super fragrant food in there like fish or garlic/onions. If you’re worried about the cake absorbing fridge smells, you can chill it in the fridge until the frosting is firm to the touch (about 20 minutes) then wrap it loosely with plastic wrap. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I wanted to add almond extract to this recipe to make an almond cake. How much almond extract would you recommend adding? 1/2 tsp?
Hi! Im making two very mini cakes and was wanting to make one batter (this recipe) and add flavoring into the different cakes batter and buttercream. I know for sure I want to do a lemon cake for one, how do you think I should go about doing that? If I add in lemon juice and zest, should I cut back on other liquids? Let me know as soon as you can! Thanks!
Hi! I absolutely love this recipe and make it all the time for friend’s little’s birthdays. However, the little boy I am making it for this time has an egg allergy. Are there any substitutes you recommend? Are the eggs in this recipe to help it rise or bind the ingredients? Thank you 🙂
Did not work for my son’s birthday cake, he still loved it, though. But it came out really crusty on the sides. Maybe my 4″ pans were not the right material they are those super light aluminum ones but they’re on the tall side? I did everything according to instruction, even didn’t open the oven to not allow steam to escape but still this was an incredibly dry cake, thank heaven for the buttercream frosting…
This cake tasted amazing! We are going to mush up the leftovers and make cake pops!
Hi Austin,
Love that!! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
I made the recipe as is, for the first time today. Thanks for posting it. There’s way too much sugar in it for my taste, and I love super sweet things. I think if it wasn’t designed to have frosting, it would have been better balanced.
Hello!! I want to make a blueberry lemon cake using this recipe since I don’t need a big cake. I would it be possible to do that? I would put a tablespoon of lemon zest and 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Then I would use a cream cheese for the frosting and then added the same lemon measurements.
Hi! This cake looks absolutely adorable. Would I be able to halve it to make a single layer 6” round cake?
Hello there! I have made your mini 3 layer (4″) vanilla cake 2x now. It is lovely! 2nd time around, I used some substitutions (ie: sour cream) that changed the texture a bit, but not in a bad way. I understand that’s what may happen with substitutes. Thank you for the recipe(s) and variations. I’m positively hooked on these 4″ layer cakes!! Adorable and your recipe(s) are yummy! ?
I am so happy to hear that Jodi!! And yes, substitutions do change the texture a bit, but not necessarily in a bad way!! I totally get that. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Can I use 2 4 inch pans instead of three?
You can, as long as the cake pan is tall enough for the batter to be divided like that! Bake time might be a bit longer (I think they’ll be thicker/taller), but that should work!
Thank you for sharing! It is perfect ?
So happy to hear that Ricci 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Could I add sprinkles into the batter to make it a funfetti cake?
Hi Aracely,
Absolutely!! You can totally turn this into a funfetti cake by folding in some sprinkles at the very end before baking. I recommend using rainbow jimmies (the long, soft kind) since they hold their color best and won’t bleed into the batter. About 1/4 cup should work great for this recipe! Hope that helps, happy baking!
Tried it with a gf 1:1 flour (King Arthur) and it came out very well and moist, no grainy texture at all ^_^
Hi Qiu Wei,
So glad to hear it worked well with the GF 1:1 flour 🙂 And thank you for sharing, in case anyone else needs to make a GF version!! You’re the best!
Amazing recipe, it came out perfectly. Thank you.
Love from Kenya.
Hi Ivy,
Aw, thank you so much! I’m so happy it turned out perfectly for you, and sending lots of love right back to Kenya!
Hello!
Just wanted to ask what the difference is between this recipe and your vanilla layer cake recipe in terms of taste and texture etc (besides the size difference of course). Thank you ??
Hi Audbrie,
It is the exact same recipe, just scaled down! The layers are a tiny bit shorter, but that’s the only real difference! Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi, Chelsey! Today I made your Mini Vanilla Cake for the first time. It appears to be one third of your Vanilla Layer Cake, which I have made several times. There is one significant difference in the ingredients of these two recipes. The Mini cake calls for 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons / 60 g) vegetable oil. The larger Vanilla Layer cake calls for 2 tablespoons (30 g) vegetable oil! My mini cake is baking now. I reread both recipes to be sure. Can this be right? And if it is right, why does the larger recipe have LESS oil than the mini version?
Hi Eileen,
You are very observant!! But don’t worry! The mini cake also doesn’t have any butter, which the full scale version does. It’s still about 1/3 of the total fat of the original recipe. I found it was hard to mix in such a small amount of butter, and that using all oil instead of butter and oil made more sense in this recipe. Hope that helps and that your mini cake turned out great! Happy baking 🙂
made this twice; it was really awesome! cake layers came out perfect, didn’t have to level them too much. super moist. Not a huge fan of american buttercream, so subbed it for ermine icing, and it was awesome. going to use this recipe as a vehicle to try a million other types of icing. Note to self – might need more than 20 min in the freezer; i had a cake layer split in half as I was taking it out of the pan bc it hadn’t completely cooled in the middle, but that was entirely my fault. thank you!!
Hi Audrey,
So happy to hear you loved this recipe!! And omg yes it’d be perfect for that 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing!