Small Batch WASC Cake: 6 Inch Cake
I’ve share my WASC cake recipe, which has received rave reviews. It’s an amazing recipe but makes a pretty big cake. What if you wanted to make a 6 inch cake?? I’ve received some emails requesting exactly this, so here is my recipe for a small batch WASC cake.
My regular sized cakes are large enough to feed about 24 people. Those recipes make three, 8-inch cake layers or four, 7-inch cake layers.
This is all great and dandy if you’re making a cake for a party or a big group of people.
But sometimes you don’t need to make that big of a cake! You might just want to make a cute little six-inch layer cake.
Sometimes you simply don’t need to feed that many people. Or maybe you want to make a smaller cake to create a certain look.
The other thing to consider is that some people don’t have bigger pans. Most people start off with 6-inch cake pans, which may be the only size they have on hand. If that’s you, then this recipe is for you!
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How Many Cake Layers Does This Recipe Make?
This small batch version of my WASC layer cake recipe makes 3, perfect little 6-inch cake layers.
These cake layers bake up relatively flat, so leveling your cake layers is optional. With that in mind, you should end up with cake layers that are around 1 inch.
What Does Small Batch Mean?
In this case, small batch just means I’ve updated the recipe to make a smaller cake.
Initially I thought I could just cut the recipe in half. You can do this, but the cake layers turn out quite thin.
I wanted each cake layer to be about 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 a 6-inch layer cake.
Tips for Making This Small Batch WASC Cake Recipe:
- Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake to make 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. This makes it easier to assemble and frost your cake.
- I do not recommend using this recipe to make cupcakes! Instead, try my white almond cupcake recipe. I like the texture better for cupcakes.
- Use my regular WASC cake recipe to make a 7-inch or 8-inch layer cake
Making These WASC 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., or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- 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!
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this small batch WASC cake recipe! Do you like making smaller cakes like this? Let me know by sharing a rating and comment below.
And don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so that I can see your delicious creations!
Other Recipes You Might Like:
Small Batch WASC Cake
This WASC cake recipe makes the ultimate white cake and is perfect for any special occasion! It has a hint of almond and makes three, perfect six-inch cake layers!
Servings: 16
Calories: 518kcal
Ingredients
WASC Cake
- 2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 270g
- 2 cups granulated sugar 400g
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 6g
- 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 150g – 1 and 1/3 sticks
- 2/3 cup carton egg whites or 5 large egg whites, room temperature 155g
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature 255g
- 1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil 14g
- 2 tsp almond extract 8g
- gel food coloring if desired
Almond Buttercream Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature 339g
- 5 cups powdered sugar 625g
- 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature 30g
- 2 tsp almond extract 8g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
- 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
Instructions
WASC Cake Layers:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line three 6-inch pans with parchment rounds and grease with non-stick baking spray.
- 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.
- 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.
- Pour in 2/3 cup or 5 egg whites. If you want to use whole eggs, use 3 large eggs. Mix on low until just incorporated and the batter looks wet.
- Mix in 1 cup of sour cream on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
- Add in 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil and 2 tsp almond extract. Mix on a medium-low speed for about a minute to make sure everything is mixed together properly.
- If desired, add in gel food coloring and stir by hand with a rubber spatula until the batter is evenly colored.
- 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 the layers will bake to be the same height.
- Bake for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the pans cool for 10 minutes, then run a small offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
- 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.
- Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers right before you plan to assemble your cake.
Almond Buttercream Frosting:
- While the cake layers bake and cool, make the almond buttercream frosting.
- Beat 1 1/2 cups of unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until smooth.
- Gradually mix in 5 cups of powdered sugar on a low speed. Halfway through, add in 2 Tbsp of heavy cream or milk to make it easier to mix.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
- Once the frosting is fully mixed and smooth, add in 2 tsp almond extract, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix on the lowest speed for a couple minutes to help make the frosting silky smooth.
- 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.
- 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.
Assembling This 6-Inch WASC Cake:
- 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.
- Spread an even layer of almond buttercream between each cake layer with a large offset spatula.
- Spread a thin coat of frosting around the cake to fully cover the cake layers.
- 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.
- Add a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake, and smooth using a bench scraper. Then decorate as desired!
Video
Notes
Recipe Variations
This recipe can also be used to make a sheet cake! One batch will make one, 9 x 13-inch cake that's about 1-inch tall. One batch of cake batter makes about 1200 grams. If you plan to use three circular cake pans, add 400 grams of batter into each pan.Tips for Making the Best Small Batch WASC Cake
- Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
- Properly measure your 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.
- Level your 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!
Making This 6-Inch WASC Layer Cake in Advance & 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.Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 235mg | Sugar: 59g
Hi, bleached or I bleached APF?
Meant a bleached or Unbleached*
what does WASC stand for?
Thanks Chelsea, was waiting for this.
what are your thoughts on making this cake, but in between the layers also incorporating the raspberry filling from your lemon raspberry cake? Are the cake layers strong enough to support the raspberry filling? If so, what size piping tip would I want to use to pipe a ring of frosting around the perimeter of each layer? thanks!
White Almond Sour Cream
Hi Alan – did you make this? I’m considering it so would love another opinion? Did you use the almond frosting too as per this recipe?
Would I need to bloom the cocoa powder for a marble cake or can I just separate and add cocoa powder thank you 🙂
Hi Chelsea! I got a baking set as a gift recently and it only came with one 7″ and one 9″ pan. If I wanted to try three layers of the 7″ should I use a small recipe or a full sized one?
Alan, did you make the cake with the raspberry filling? Working on this cake this weekend and considering raspberry filling. Did it work well for you?
Can I use egg whites from carton?
I made 9in and 6in for my friends wedding using this recipe, i double / triple the recipe. My cake didnt came out high as what i thought probably not enough batter cause the texture was achieved light and fluffy
I baked this cake today but instead of using layer pans i filled one 6″ x 3″ deep pan about 1″ from the top. (Only have one 6″ pan).
I baked at 155°C with baking strip on the pan. It took just over 2 hours to cook. Does that sound normal to you?
WOW! It’s the first time I’ve made an almond flavored cake, and this was on point! So easy to make, and the texture was so soft and flavorful! I’m wondering I could substitute the almond extract with lemon and make a lemon cake with this recipe base?
I made this cake and it tasted delicious, however the center took longer to bake making the cake ends burnt and a very dense cake! NB: I used cake strips as well. Any tips on how to fix this?
Hi there! I am excited to try this cake for Christmas. I normally find frosting too sweet for my taste. How much can I reduce the sweetness without compromising the taste and quality of the frosting?
Thank you!
Do you bake your cakes at the same time or one at a time?
FABULOUS recipe! You’re becoming my go-to gal for cake recipes. They’re consistently good. Thanks for sharing!
You’re too sweet Ashley!! Thank you 🙂 Happy baking!!!
Can I use this recipe for cupcakes?
Hi Pam!I’d recommend just using my almond cupcake recipe instead, it’s the cupcake version of this recipe! Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/almond-cupcakes/
Trying this for my niece’s birthday! What filling would you recommend?
That sounds so fun Miriam!! I usually just fill my cakes with buttercream, but this would also taste amazing with my raspberry cake filling inside! Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/raspberry-cake-filling/
Hope your niece’s cake turns out amazing, happy baking!
This cake came out very dense for me. How do I prevent this?
Hi Heather,
So sorry to hear that!! One other thing to keep in mind is that this is a butter cake recipe, not a sponge cake recipe. So the texture is meant to be different and more dense than a classic sponge cake. However, it should still have a nice, tender crumb!!
The main things I can think of that would make the texture denser is if the ingredients aren’t all at room temperature, or if your baking powder is old / expired. Baking powder can start to lose its potency after 6 months. Both of those things can have a huge impact on how much the cake layers rise.
Hope it’s one of those things, and that we can figure it out together <3
Does this recipe not need milk or water? Also do you have measurements for 3 layer 8 inch?
Hi Janette,
This recipe is made without water or milk! The batter will be thick, but the sour cream gives the cake layers a tender texture. This is the small batch version of the recipe, but I also have a full sized recipe that makes 3, 8-inch cake layers. Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/wasc-cake/
Happy baking!
Oh my word….Chelsey, this cake is absolutely phenomenal!! I made it tonight and I’m very impressed. I’m going to make it again, but next time I am going to fill it with a Raspberry filling and frost it with SMBC. I’ve been using a popular WASC that uses a box mix, and up until tonight, that one was my go-to. It’s been replaced! Thank you for this outstanding recipe!
Aw thank you Aimee!! I’m so happy to hear that!!! And omg yes, this would taste amazing with a raspberry filling and SMBC! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Me before really reading the recipe: “Gosh, I’d really like to make a reverse crumb cake…”
Two minutes into the recipe: “OMG awesome! This is gonna be an awesome crumb texture!”
And that’s how you know you’re a cake geek.
Haha love that Liz!! I am SUCH a big fan of reverse crumbing, all my favorite cake recipes use it 🙂 I totally agree!!!
Can this recipe be used for petite fours? Thank you so much.
Hi Pam,
I haven’t tried to make petit fours before, so sadly I’m not sure. However, it has a nice sturdy crumb and cuts well, so I would think that it should!
Made this cake today for my wedding anniversary. Followed the recipe instructions to a t. Tested cakes with a skewer to make sure they were baked, they came out clean. However upon cutting into the cake several hours later after decorating the cake I noticed that all three layers were raw. Where did I go wrong?
First of all – happy wedding anniversary!!
Second – I am so sorry that happened, that is such a bummer :/
What type of cake pans were you using? Sometimes that can impact how the layers bake. Were the ingredients all room temperature? Sometimes if they aren’t the layers can require extra bake time.
Those are my first guesses, but it could be a ton of things! It’s wild that they were raw but didn’t sink in the center! It also could be that your oven runs hot, so the outside baked faster than the inside?? Hopefully we’ll be able to figure out what happened together!
Could you clarify the flour measurements? 1 cup of King Arthur AP is 120 grams and 1 tbsp is 7.5 grams. Making 2 cups and 2 tbsp 255 grams. Right?
Hi Angela,
When I weigh flour I usually get 125g, and that is the weight that I generally use for 1 cup of flour on here. That’s what’s causing the variance. If you feel more comfortable using 255 grams you can stick with that, the layers will still bake up fine with that amount. Hope that helps, happy baking!
This cake was delicious! It is absolutely the best cake recipe I have ever found. I wanted a wedding/shower cake, and that is exactly what I got! It reminded me of birthday cakes or shower cakes from a local bakery from my childhood. LOVE IT!!
Hello,
I bake this cake taste amazing however my cake sinks while I take it out from the over after 33min baking.
Can you tell me what I could be doing wrong?
Hi Dulce,
A lot of things can affect the bake time of cake layers, including everything from the type of pan that you use, whether all your ingredients are truly at room temperature, to even just your oven! A lot of ovens do not bake accurately, I have never had an oven that has baked perfectly accurately. I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer – they’re like $6 on Amazon and this can help you adjust the temperature to make sure that your baked goods come out perfect!! My current oven runs 25 degree hot.
With all this in mind bake time can definitely vary for any recipe and I recommend using a toothpick inserted in the center of the layers to test for doneness. It should come out with a few moist crumbs when the cake layer is ready. Since your cake layers are sinking I would bet that they are just a tiny bit under baked and need a minute or two more in the oven. Hope that helps, happy baking!