Small cake recipe that is perfect for birthdays or anytime you want to celebrate with a homemade treat. This is an easy recipe for a delectable vanilla cake and creamy almond flavored buttercream frosting to top it off.
If you love cakes, like we do, you might want to try Vanilla Cupcake Recipe with Milk Chocolate Frosting, Cinnamon Cake with Chai Spices and Homemade Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting.
I thought I'd welcome 2018 with a Happy New Year small cake.
This cake is super moist and the frosting is light and creamy. Cake perfection.
I saw this recipe and had to do whatever it took to make it as soon as possible. I just knew it would be fabulous.
This is how I felt about the Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Crust recipe I made last year, and that has become one of my favorite sweet breads.
Well, I can tell you that gut instinct did not disappoint this time either. Its just so good.
If you've been following along, you know I'm learning all sorts of new techniques (new to me) in baking and cooking. I think finally buying a mini springform pan (7 inch) and creating a mini cake might be my most favorite discovery yet.
You might remember me talking about how much I loved using a springform pan (9 inch) for my cinnamon crumb coffee cake in December. Well, now, the idea of making a bunch of mini cakes this year with my mini springform is almost too much excitement to handle. 🙂
Whenever I visit a good bakery and see the mini cakes, I think they're so adorable and perfect for just a few people. Even though there's 5 in my family, this mini vanilla cake recipe is just right for a midweek dessert.
The cake will last us two nights, and it is SO good. There is almond extract in the cake as well as the frosting, so you need to love almond.
If you do not enjoy almond extract, you should STILL make this cake for how amazing your kitchen will smell with the almond extract scent wafting through your space.
And, for the friends and family that will love enjoying your creation.
I had always wondered how to make small cakes at home.
Now I know, and I'm going to share a quick summary....you're going to love it, so much fun.
- Buy two 6 or 7 inch springform pans. I only had one 7 inch pan, so I had to cook the two layers separately. I've already ordered another 7 inch, so I'm set for next time.
- Spray the bottom of the pans, then cover the bottom with parchment paper. You can cut out the size of the circle from your roll of parchment paper or buy already cut circles of parchment paper. The parchment paper circles are another item I recently ordered to help with the speed of baking my mini cake.
- Mix up your cake dough and pour half in one pan and half in the other. Cook at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the pan and parchment paper. The beauty of the springform is how incredibly easy it falls away from the cake. So great.
- Place one layer top down on your cake plate with flat side up. Frost this layer, then place second layer flat side down and frost. (More details in recipe card)
So, if you're looking for a delicious mini birthday cake recipe, you've landed in the right place. If you're looking for a small cake recipe for two, you've found it (with leftovers for 1-2 nights).
This is such a versatile recipe. I hope you love it too.
Please let me know in the comments below if you make it. I'd love to hear what you think!
Small Cake Recipe
Small cake recipe that is perfect for birthdays or anytime you want to celebrate with a homemade treat. This is an easy recipe for a delectable vanilla cake and creamy almond flavored buttercream frosting to top it off.
Ingredients
Cake
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
Frosting
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 2 ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
Instructions
Cake
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Let butter and egg whites sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 6 springform pans by spraying the bottom and sides of pan, cover bottom with parchment paper, then spray the top of the paper.
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In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
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In stand mixer, beat the softened butter on high for until creamy (about 30 seconds). Beat in sugar, vanilla and almond extract until mixed well. Add in egg whites, one at a time, and beat well.
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Add in about a ⅓ of the flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating each addition. Beat on low speed after each addition just until combined. Do not overmix.
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Spread half of the batter in one prepared pan and the other half in the second springform pan. Note: if you only have one springform pan, chill half of the dough until first layer is done and you can use that pan.
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Bake cake in preheated oven for 22-26 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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After removing from the oven, place pan on wire rack and cool cake in pan for 10 minutes. Carefully remove cake from pan and remove paper from bottom of cake. Place on wire rack for further cooling.
Frosting
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In stand mixer, on high speed, beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add in 1 cup powdered sugar and mix on medium speed, beating well. On slow speed, beat in milk, vanilla and almond extract. Gradually beat in the rest of powdered sugar on low to medium speed. You can add in more milk if needed for texture of frosting.
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Place one cake layer top side down on cake plate, then frost. Place second cake layer, bottom side down on top of frosted first layer of cake. Frost top layer. Spread frosting over both layers to incorporate two layers together with small spatula. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Midwest Living
I made this cake for my birthday. I used three mini spring form pans and let my kids decorate them as small cakes. Bake time seemed to be the same. This cake was awesome! It was dense but moist. You could cut a slice off and pick it up without it crumbling everywhere. The flavor was great! My kids who usually only eat the frosting ate the cake too! I will definitely be adding this to my recipe book for future birthdays. Thank you!