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Mini Cakes stacked with vanilla buttercream and sprinkles on a marble cake stand.
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Mini Cakes: Crazy-Good Dessert Magic

Mini Cakes that burst with flavor: learn quick tips, flawless vanilla sponge, and decorating tricks to bake adorable individual desserts at home.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword individual sized, Mini Cakes, mini vanilla cake, vanilla cake recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cooling & Assembly 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Calories 450kcal

Equipment

  • Six 3 ½-inch mini cake pans or one 18 × 13-inch half sheet pan
  • Parchment paper rounds or sheet
  • Stand mixer with paddle attachment or large bowl and sturdy whisk
  • Rubber spatula for folding batter
  • Offset spatula for smooth frosting
  • Cooling rack
  • Piping bag with a round tip (optional for decorative swirls)

Ingredients

For the Vanilla Sponge

  • 1 ¾ cups 210 g all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¾ cup 170 g unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup 200 g granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup 180 ml whole milk, room temperature

For the Vanilla Buttercream

  • 1 cup 226 g unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 ½ cups 420 g powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream plus 1 tablespoon more if needed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Pinch fine salt

Optional Flavor Boosts & Décor

  • Rainbow or holiday sprinkles
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder swap for equal flour to make chocolate sponge
  • ½ cup crushed cookies and cream pieces for the frosting
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest for a citrus twist
  • Fresh berries or edible flowers for garnish

Instructions

Prepare Pans

  • Grease & line. Brush each mini cake pan with soft butter. Press a parchment circle onto the base. For a half sheet pan, butter the bottom, line with parchment, then butter the paper too.
  • Preheat oven. Set to 350 °F (175 °C). Position rack in the middle.

Mix the Batter

  • Combine dry ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. This step prevents clumps and promotes an even crumb.
  • Cream butter and sugar. In the stand mixer, beat softened butter on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth. Add sugar; beat 3 minutes until pale and fluffy. The mix should look like soft whipped cream.
  • Add eggs. Crack in eggs one at a time, beating 20 seconds after each addition. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula to keep batter even.
  • Flavor it. Mix in vanilla extract until fragrant, 10 seconds.
  • Alternate dry & milk. Add one-third of the dry ingredients; blend on low. Pour in half the milk; blend. Repeat, ending with the last third of dry mix. Beat just until the batter turns smooth—over-mixing toughens cake.
  • Portion batter. Use a #20 cookie scoop or one-third cup measure to divide batter evenly among prepared mini pans, filling each two-thirds full. If using a sheet pan, spread batter evenly with an offset spatula, reaching corners.

Bake & Cool

  • Bake. Mini pans: 12–14 minutes. Sheet pan: 15–17 minutes. A toothpick inserted at the center should emerge clean with a crumb or two.
  • Cool in pan. Place pans on a cooling rack 10 minutes. This short rest lets cakes firm up.
  • Release layers. Run a thin knife around edges. Invert cakes onto rack; peel off parchment. For sheet pan, lift the parchment slab out; cut twelve 3 ½-inch rounds with a metal ring, then halve horizontally for 24 thin layers.
  • Chill layers briefly. Slide rack into the freezer 10 minutes—cold layers handle buttercream better.

Make Vanilla Buttercream

  • Beat butter. In a clean mixer bowl, whip butter on medium for 2 minutes until creamy.
  • Add sugar gradually. Scoop in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating low after each addition to avoid clouds.
  • Thin & flavor. Pour in heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Increase speed to medium-high 2 minutes until fluffy. If frosting looks stiff, splash in ½ Tbsp more cream.

Assemble Mini Cakes

  • Level if needed. Use a serrated knife to shave any domed tops so each layer sits flat.
  • Crumb coat. Place one cake layer on a parchment square. Spread 1 Tbsp buttercream with an offset spatula; top with second layer, repeat, then third layer. Apply a thin buttercream coat around sides and top. Chill 5 minutes for butter to set.
  • Final frosting. Smear a thicker layer of buttercream over the chilled cake. Smooth with the offset spatula or spin on a turntable for super-clean sides.
  • Decorate. Press sprinkles onto the base, pipe buttercream rosettes, or drizzle melted chocolate. Repeat for the remaining cakes.

Notes

Nutrition Information (per mini cake)

  • Calories: 450 kcal
  • Total Fat: 22 g
    • Saturated Fat: 13 g
  • Carbohydrates: 55 g
    • Sugars: 38 g
    • Fiber: <1 g
  • Protein: 5 g
  • Cholesterol: 90 mg
  • Sodium: 180 mg
Nutrition values are estimates calculated with standard ingredients and may vary.