Small Batch 6-Inch Vanilla Cake

This small vanilla cake is like the classic birthday cake you remember. Soft, plush, and enough room for a generous swirl of fluffy frosting. The batter comes together easily in about 15 minutes with a combination of butter, oil, and buttermilk to yield a tender cake that stays moist for days. The mini cake delivers nostalgic vanilla flavor that tastes exactly like what a from-scratch cake should.

My Quest For the Perfect Vanilla Cake

I love cake. And just like my mini chocolate cake, I was on a quest to make a vanilla version that had deep vanilla flavor, and a pillowy, moist crumb … you know the kind. Like the sheet cakes you buy at the grocery that almost melt-in-your-mouth (but without all the ingredients you can’t pronounce). This is that cake.

I have a small batch of vanilla cupcakes that I adore, but the volume of that batter would yield a pretty thin cake.

It took some trial and error to get here. I tried various methods to find the perfect balance of moisture and fluffiness. The winner: instead of normally creaming butter and sugar, add the butter to the dry ingredients first. This method of mixing — reverse creaming — produces a tight and soft cake crumb.

Once I declared the winner, I paired it with my fluffy strawberry whipped cream frosting. But really, the cake is so versatile, it can be combined with any flavor frosting you like.

Behind the Scenes: Vanilla Cake Testing

Getting to this soft 6-inch vanilla cake took a few rounds of testing, and here’s what did and did not work.

• Test 1 – I used water instead of milk and added sour cream to add fat. The result: The cake was pretty dense and compact.
• Test 2 – The traditional creaming method, along with milk and sour cream for moistness. The result: The texture was soft, but not light enough.
• Test 3 – Sour cream was replaced with buttermilk to help tenderize the crumb. The result: Very similar to test 2.
• Test 4 – I introduced oil because it makes the cake incredibly moist. To make sure the cake wasn’t dense, I used half butter and half oil along with buttermilk to make the cake soft. Winner, winner, cake for dinner!

How To Make It

Start by mixing all of the dry ingredients, including the sugar. Add the butter and mix until the texture resembles coarse sand — this is the reverse creaming method, where the butter coats the flour and limits gluten development. I use this method for a handful of my small batch cake recipes, and it consistently yields a tender crumb.

The butter temperature matters here, and it should still feel cool to the touch. Too warm, and it will just melt into the flour, and too cold, and it won’t be properly distributed for a soft crumb.

Next, I like to mix all the wet ingredients in a liquid measuring cup to make them easy to pour. Measure out the buttermilk and add the egg and oil, and give the mixture a quick whisk to combine.

Drizzle the liquid ingredients over the dry and mix until no flour streaks remain. It is ok if the batter looks a little lumpy — that will all bake out. I like to give the batter a final mix with a spatula to make sure no ingredients are stuck on the bottom of the bowl — just don’t overwork it, or the cake will bake up flat and gummy.

Pour the batter into the prepared 6-inch pan and bake the cake for about 30 minutes. It will be springy to the touch, and the edges will be golden.

The cake should cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then be inverted to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Once the mini vanilla cake is completely cool, it’s ready to frost. And that part? Entirely up to you. I’ve given you a strawberry option, but you can keep it simple and go with my small batch of vanilla buttercream.

What To Expect With This Small Vanilla Cake

This small batch vanilla cake will rise with a gentle, domed top. If you prefer a flat surface, trim the top with a serrated knife — otherwise, leave it as is and spread it generously with frosting.

Once cooled, the cake slices cleanly into 4 to 6 slices. The interior will have a fine crumb, free from a lot of pockets and holes, thanks to the mixing method. The cake is beyond soft, and the oil and buttermilk keep it that way beyond day one.

And most importantly? It tastes like classic vanilla — just the right amount.

Small 6-Inch Vanilla Cake Recipe

5 from 6 reviews

A soft, moist mini vanilla cake made with butter, oil, and buttermilk for a rich, tender crumb that stays that way for days — baked in a 6-inch pan and perfectly sized for smaller celebrations. An easy, small cake ready in under an hour.

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by Erin Cernich

Yield6 Servings

Prep15 minutes minutes

Cook33 minutes minutes

Total Time48 minutes minutes

Equipment

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  6-Inch Round Cake Pan
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  Stand Mixer
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  3-Quart Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

Small Vanilla Cake

• ▢ ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ cup organic cane sugar (or granulated sugar)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes
• ▢ ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
• ▢ 1 large egg, room temperature
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 tablespoons cold pressed refined coconut oil, melted (or any neutral oil)

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

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  Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line the bottom of a 6-inch round cake pan with a piece of parchment cut to fit. Lightly grease the pan.
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  In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar to just combine. Note – If using a stand mixer, I recommend the 3-quart mixing bowl (link above) for the small batch batter. Otherwise, you can use a hand held mixer and medium mixing bowl.
  3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
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  Add the butter cubes to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium-high speed until the butter is broken up into small pebbles, and the mix resembles coarse sand. Note – The butter should still feel cool to the touch. If it's too warm, the cake may come out dense.
  2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes
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  In a liquid measuring cup, measure out the buttermilk. Add the egg, vanilla, and oil. Mix until fully combined and smooth. Note – If you do not have buttermilk, you can make your own. Add a 1½ teaspoons vinegar to the measuring cup. Then add milk to the 1/2 cup mark. Let sit for 5 minutes until the milk looks curdled.
  1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature, 1 large egg, room temperature, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons cold pressed refined coconut oil, melted
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  Turn the mixer on low speed. Slowly drizzle the wet ingredients into the dry until mostly incorporated. Turn off the mixer and finish mixing the batter with a spatula until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix, or the cake will turn out gummy, It is ok if there are a few lumps of dry ingredients.
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  Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and spread out evenly with a spatula. Bake for 30 to 33 minutes, or until the middle of the cake is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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  Cool the cake in the pan set on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes. Then, flip the pan over onto the wire rack to remove the cake and let it cool completely. If needed, run an offset spatula or sharp knife around the edge of the cake to release it from the pan.
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  Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting. The cake can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. If using the strawberry whipped cream as pictured, I recommend refrigerating the cake.

Notes

• Serving Size – This is a small batch recipe that should be ok to double.  Bake in an 8-inch cake pan and start checking at 30 minutes.
• Yield – The small 6-inch cake can be cut into 4 large slices, or 6 small ones.
• Stand Mixer – You can use your stand mixer with standard bowl.  However, because this is a small batch batter, it will mix more evenly when you use a 3-quart mixing bowl.  Note, the bowl works with standard attachments and only works on a tilt head mixer.
• Reverse Creaming Method – You will notice we mix the butter and sugar with the other dry ingredients first.  This method of mixing limits gluten development and yields a fluffy and airy cake.
• Oil – I have tested the cake with coconut oil and canola oil – both work great. 
• Freezing – The baked, unfrosted cake can be frozen for up to 3 months.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag.  Thaw in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Estimates

Calories: 314kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 250mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 292IU | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is calculated by a third-party and should only be considered an estimate and not a guarantee.