This recipe for a 6-inch vanilla cake is great for small events, as a smash cake, or just when you don't want a full-size layer cake in the kitchen. These mini cakes are so cute and so easy to make!
INGREDIENTS
– 1 ½ cups cake flour spooned & leveled (175 grams)– 1 teaspoon baking powder– ¼ teaspoon baking soda– ¼ teaspoon salt– ½ cup buttermilk at room temperature (120 ml)– 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil (30 ml)– 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract– ½ cup unsalted butter softened (1 stick; 115 grams)– 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)– 2 large eggs at room temperature
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Three 6-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper on the bottoms will prevent cake layers from sticking. Mix cake flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
1
In a large bowl or measuring cup, combine buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Set aside. Beat the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer on low speed until smooth, then slowly add the granulated sugar.
2
Once all the sugar is added, increase to medium speed and mix for 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, stopping to scrape the bowl bottom and sides.
3
After mixing half the dry ingredients on low speed until just combined, add the buttermilk mixture and the other half. Mix each addition until just combined to avoid overmixing the batter. Stop and scrape the bowl bottom and sides with a rubber spatula to mix properly.
4
Pour batter into cake pans. Bake the cakes for 22–28 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pans 15–20 minutes. Knife-edged cakes should be carefully removed from pans and cooled on a wire rack.