Simple Vanilla Cake (Mini)

Mini vanilla cake for two for celebrating anniversaries, date night, or just for fun. This small cake recipe is perfect for a small party or just two people!

As a die hard vanilla lover, this cake is a love letter to myself. It’s not that I have anything against chocolate, but vanilla holds my heart. When I set out to make a vanilla cake recipe, I hit it hard with a full tablespoon of vanilla extract. After one bite of this cake, you’ll agree it’s the best recipe for vanilla cake out there!

Incidentally, if you need a mini chocolate cake for two, I’ve already written you that love letter.

Simple Vanilla Cake Recipe for Two

Making a small cake is almost the same as making a regular-size cake, but you do need a specific pan.

To make a mini cake for two people, you will need a 6″ round cake pan. The one I like is here.

You’re looking for a 6″ cake pan with 2″ high sides. I’ve tested 6″ cake pans with 3″ high sides, and I’ve found that the extra inch radiates more heat in the oven and the cakes can sink after baking.

I find my 6″ round cake pans at Michael’s or Hobby Lobby in the cake decorating section.

The easy part about my small cake recipes is that they only require one bowl, since we’re using such few ingredients! First, mix the wet ingredients thoroughly with a hand mixer, sprinkle the dry ingredients evenly on top, and then fold together.

Mini Simple Vanilla Cake Recipe Ingredients

• Butter. We need 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter for the cake, and another stick (8 tablespoons) to make the fluffy vanilla frosting.
• Sugar. One-half cup of granulated white sugar.
• Egg. One large egg.
• Vanilla. Yes, one tablespoon of vanilla extract sounds like a lot, but it is exactly what makes this cake so fragrant, rich and full of vanilla flavor. It’s for true vanilla lovers only!
• Flour. Three-quarters cup of all-purpose flour. The best way to measure is to fluff it, scoop it into the cup, and then level it off with a knife.
• Salt. One-eighth teaspoon of salt to balance the vanilla flavor.
• Baking Soda. One-quarter teaspoon of baking soda to make the cake rise ever so slightly. This cake bakes up perfectly flat, which is great for decorating easily!
• Milk. Adding milk to any batter is what makes a soft, tender cake or muffin. For this small vanilla cake recipe, we need 6 tablespoons of milk. I recommend whole milk because of its slightly higher fat content, but 2% is fine, too.
• Apple Cider Vinegar. I promise this cake doesn’t taste like vinegar! We need 1/2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to react with the baking soda to make the cake rise.
• Powdered Sugar. Use 2 cups of powdered sugar for the frosting.
• Heavy Cream. One of the reasons my cake frostings are super fluffy and light is because I add one tablespoon of heavy cream to the mixture when beating. The cream helps it beat up fluffy and give it a slight whipped-cream texture. If you don’t have it, you can use half and half or even milk in its place, but it won’t create the same fluffiness.

How to make a Vanilla Mini Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350, and have ready a 6-inch cake pan. Prep the cake pan by spraying with cooking spray lightly, and cutting a round circle of parchment paper for the bottom of the pan.
2. In a medium-size bowl, beat together with an electric mixer the butter and sugar, until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Next, add the egg and vanilla, and beat again until homogenous.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. Add half of the this to the batter and beat for just a few seconds.
5. Then, add half of the milk and vinegar to the bowl, and continue beating. Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat, and then stir in the remaining milk. This method of alternating dry and wet ingredients makes the softest cake.
6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth out the top, and bake on a small sheet pan for 37-39 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool on a wire rack before gently tilting it out onto a serving dish.
7. When the cake is totally cool, make the frosting. Beat together the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream until light and fluffy. Decorate the cake! See recipe card for tips and tricks on decorating.

How to decorate this Simple Cake

This cake makes 4 small slices of cake, which I love, because then I can eat two slices of cake in one day! It’s perfect for celebrating an anniversary (side note: have you seen my wedding cake cupcakes?), or for having a fun date-night at home.

This recipe comes from my latest cookbook, Sweet & Simple: Desserts for Two, and I decorated it with chamomile flowers in the book.

Today, we did easy buttercream roses, which are so simple if you have the right tip. I use an open-star tip, and make a circle that starts in the center and moves outward.

All you need is a Wilton 1M piping tip to make pretty circles around the outside edge of the cake. Since this is a mini vanilla cake for two, we only have room for one row of roses. However, next time you’re decorating a big cake, try making several lines of them. Buttercream roses look difficult, but they are so easy to do!

Just cut the cake into 4 equal slices, and serve it!

If you love 6 inch cakes, check out my other recipes! They’re perfect for small parties, date night, or for gifting to friends on their special day!

Recipe from: Sweet & Simple: Desserts for Two, my third cookbook, full of EASY desserts that have less than 10 ingredients.SaveSave

How to store this Simple Vanilla Cake

This cake keeps well at room temperature in an airtight container for one day. Beyond that, it’s best to move it to the fridge for up to 2 more days, also tightly covered. You can freeze slices of cake if you wish by placing them on a plate, covering in plastic wrap and storing in a freezer bag. Defrost the cake overnight in the fridge or on the counter at room temperature for a few hours before serving. Do not place the cake in the microwave or oven because the frosting will melt!

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