Learn how to make a deliciously soft and buttery 6-inch vanilla cake, plus a dozen other cake flavors for your smaller 6-inch cake pans. These are perfect for smaller gatherings and much easier to decorate, too!
More and more over the past few years, I see questions about adapting large layer cake recipes to fit smaller 6-inch cake pans. 6-inch cakes are very popular and yet most traditional cake recipes don’t accommodate the smaller size.
But last year I discovered an easy solution when I made a 6-inch birthday cake. I no longer adapted cake recipes to fit the smaller cake pan size. Instead, I began using cake batter from my CUPCAKE recipes. (And most of my cupcake recipes are actually adapted from the larger cake variety, so the work is already done!)
I know it’s nothing groundbreaking, but it was a total lightbulb moment as I suddenly had dozens of 6-inch cake flavors to bake. I love the 6-inch size for children’s birthday cakes, small gatherings and celebrations, or bridal/baby showers where there’s a lot of other desserts. And when it comes to decorating, 6-inch is a very non-intimidating size cake!
Cupcake Batter = 3 Layer 6-Inch Cake
Cupcake batter that produces about 12-15 cupcakes is the perfect amount for a 3 layer 6-inch cake. One dozen cupcakes usually takes about 3-4 cups of cake batter, which divides perfectly between 3 6-inch cake layers. This means that you can essentially turn any batch of cupcakes into a small layer cake. I’ve tested this several times with many different flavors, but usually stick with vanilla cake and chocolate cake, which are made from my vanilla cupcakes and chocolate cupcakes respectively.
6-Inch Cake Flavors
Use the batter for the following recipes to make different flavor 6 inch cakes:
- Vanilla Cupcakes (pictured as a cake and recipe included below)
- Chocolate Cupcakes (pictured on this page as a cake!)
- Lemon Cupcakes
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Peanut Butter Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
- Gingerbread Cupcakes
- Confetti Cupcakes
- Pistachio Cupcakes
- Coconut Carrot Cupcakes
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Citrus Cake (written as a cake)
- Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
- Cream-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes (use the cream filling between the cake layers and top the entire cake with ganache!)
- Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
All 6-inch cake layers take about 18-21 minutes at 350°F (177°C). You need about 2.5-3 cups of frosting for a 3 layer 6-inch cake, which is usually the amount used for 1 dozen cupcakes. Any of the frosting recipes paired with the listed cupcakes would be perfect. 🙂
How to Prep Your 6 Inch Cake Pans
After you choose your 6-inch cake batter, it’s time to start prepping the cake pans. First, make sure you have quality 6-inch cake pans. I started using Fat Daddio’s 6-inch cake pans last year and loved them so much that I switched out my 9-inch and 8-inch cake pans for the Fat Daddio’s brand. From one baker to another—these pans are incredible quality for the price. Not working with this brand, just a genuine fan.
The smaller the cake, the more difficult it is to neatly release from the baking pan. Here’s my guaranteed solution so that your 6 inch cake layers glide right out:
- Make a parchment paper round. Trace the bottom of the cake pans on a large piece of parchment paper. Cut out the parchment circles.
- Very lightly grease the baking pans.
- Place the parchment round inside.
- Grease the parchment round too. Using butter or baker’s nonstick spray, I grease the pan AND the parchment. This promises an ultra non-stick environment for your cake. Never any sticking.
I usually keep a stack of parchment rounds on hand just in case I’m in a rush to get a cake in the oven. For cake emergencies, of course.
Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and bake.
How to Frost & Decorate a 6-Inch Cake
You need about 2.5-3 cups of frosting to frost a 3 layer 6-inch cake. The frostings paired with the cupcake recipes listed above are plenty for your 6-inch cake, such as vanilla buttercream, chocolate buttercream, strawberry buttercream frosting, or white chocolate buttercream frosting. You can also add fillings such as raspberry cake filling between the layers. Assembling and decorating a 6 inch cake is just like putting together a larger cake, but the smaller size is definitely easier to work with. You can use this detailed how to assemble and decorate a layer cake post as your guide.
Tools I find helpful:
- Cake Turntable: This size is great for larger 9-inch cakes as well. A cake turntable makes it easy to frost the sides of a cake with a bench scraper.
- Bench Scraper: I like to run a bench scraper around the sides of the cake to smooth out the frosting. This works for any size cake. If you’ve never used one before to decorate a cake, you can watch me use it in my vanilla cake video. They’re very handy!
- Small Offset Icing Spatula: Use this for spreading the frosting between the layers and on top of the cake. The small size is great for frosting cupcakes too.
Since this is a small cake, it’s easy to pick up with a couple flat spatulas and carefully transfer to a cake stand or serving plate. You can also use cake boards, which are cardboard cut-outs that provide a sturdy foundation for your cake if you need to move it to another surface.
Small cakes are taking over! Which flavor will you try first?
PS: I bought the pictured teal cake stand from Home Goods and unfortunately can’t find a link to it for you! Make sure you find a cake stand that’s about 8 inches in diameter to comfortably fit the 6-inch cake.
Print
6 Inch Vanilla Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: serves 8
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Learn how to make a deliciously soft and buttery 6 inch vanilla cake, plus a dozen other cake flavors for your smaller 6 inch cake pans. 6 inch cakes are perfect for smaller gatherings and much easier to decorate, too!
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups (207g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120g) full-fat sour cream at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk at room temperature
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 – 5 cups (480-600g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream or whole milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- salt, to taste
- sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 6×2 inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake: Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed together. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg whites and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, then beat in the sour cream. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour in the milk until combined. Do not over-mix. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for around 18-21 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling
- Make the frosting: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add 4 and 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, the heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 2 full minutes. Add up to 1/2 cup more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin or another Tablespoon of cream if frosting is too thick. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. (I add 1/8 teaspoon salt.)
- Assemble and decorate: Using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!). Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with about 3/4 cup of frosting. Top with 2nd cake layer and evenly cover the top with about 3/4 cup of frosting. Top with the third cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides. A bench scraper and small offset spatula are handy for decorating. Decorate with sprinkles if desired.
- Refrigerate for at least 30-45 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions for any flavor: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature overnight. Likewise, the frosting can be prepared then covered and refrigerated overnight. Let the frosting sit at room temperature to slightly soften for 10 minutes before assembling and frosting. If the frosting is still too stiff, beat it on medium speed with an electric mixer until it’s soft and spreadable again. Add a splash of milk or cream to thin out if needed. Frosted cake or unfrosted cake layers can be frozen up to 2-3 months. See How to Freeze Cakes. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before decorating/serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 6-inch Round Cake Pan | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack | Cake Turntable | Bench Scraper | Small Offset Spatula
- Cake Flour: If you can’t get your hands on cake flour, use this cake flour substitute.
- 6 Inch Chocolate Cake: Skip steps 2 & 3 and instead, use the chocolate cake batter from my chocolate cupcakes. Frost with chocolate buttercream.
- More Flavors: See post above for links to more cake flavors using my cupcake batters. Skip steps 2 & 3 above, swapping out the vanilla batter for your chosen flavor.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi Sally
I just made your recipe as a 3 layer 6″ cake as indicated. I carefully followed all the mixing/beating instructions. My layers seem a bit thin after baking though. A little less than an inch. Is this the way it’s supposed to be? If not, any ideas why my cake didn’t rise enough. Thanks. PS Love your recipes.
Hi Hope! How was the texture the cake when you cut into it? If they were overly dense, its possible that the batter was over mixed (more on how to prevent dense cakes here). Also be sure that your baking powder and baking soda are fresh — we find they tend to lose their potency after three months. Our cake layers are about 1.25 to 1.5 inches high here, so not too high but they should rise a bit!
Haven’t cut into it yet but I expect they will be a bit dense given height. I was pretty careful on the mixing part to do as directed but of course, the baking powder is always a possible culprit. Good to know what height they were supposed to be though. And thanks so much for your quick reply.
Hi! I really want to make this but only have two 6-inch cake pans. What adjustments would you suggest?
Hi Natalie, two options for you: you can fill your 2 pans half way, then use the leftover batter for a few cupcakes, OR, you can bake the first two layers, leave the batter for the third layer lightly covered at room temperature while the other two are baking, then make the third layer after the first two have cooled and been removed from their pans. Hope this helps!
How many cups does the frosting make as a finished product?
Hi Jennifer! About 2.5 cups total.
Hi! I only have one 6 inch cake tin but it’s tall, could I bake this into one cake and cut after? Would I need to alter oven temperature and how long would I need to cook it please?
Hi Steph, We don’t recommend it. Overfilling your pan will cause the cake to bake unevenly and because there would be so much batter it would be too heavy to rise properly. You can try dividing your batter into three parts and bake one at a time (keep the remainder loosely covered at room temperature until its ready to bake).
Hello! First off, I love all your recipes! I just made the chocolate cupcakes batter into small cakes and the middles sank. What did I do wrong?
Thanks!
Hi Ashley, When the centers of cupcakes sink it’s usually because there is too much batter. Remember, chocolate cupcakes should only be half way full! Here are even more cupcake tips!
Hi I have used this recipe many times and I love it and the chocolate version.
I wondered if I could use it in a 12x 8″ sheet pan (aluminium tin) would it still work ? Thank
You
Hi Olivia, you can use our Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions guide to help scale this recipe for different size pans. Hope this helps!
Hi Sally! I am planning on making this cake for my birthday, but I was hoping to substitute the American buttercream frosting for your Swiss meringue buttercream instead. Is the ratio of frosting from that recipe the same as the one for this cake recipe, or do I need to make adjustments?
Hi Summer! You can certainly use our Swiss meringue buttercream recipe instead. It yields 5 cups of buttercream, but you can halve the recipe instead. See recipe notes there for more details!
I have two questions. Does this cake taste similar to a shave a similar texture to the recipe for ‘the best vanilla cake I’ve ever had’? And, does replacing the sour cream and whole milk with buttermilk change anything about the outcome of this cake, texture/taste/moisture-wise?
Thank you!
Hi Kristine! This 6 inch vanilla cake recipe is a bit fluffier than our best vanilla cake recipe. The sour cream and whole milk mixture makes the cake a bit sturdier than the buttermilk version. Hope this helps!
Thanks…. I did it your way and simply measured with water…Seems a 9×13 is the way to go. Thanks again.
I have a carrot cake recipes that calls for 3-6″ pans. What size rectangular pan do you suggest? Thank You
typo….sorry….. 3-8″ round pans. what size rectangular pan.
Hi Sandi, it depends on how much batter your recipe yields. Our handy Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions guide should help!
Thanks for the tip of using cupcake recipes for 6 inch cake pans!
Hi Sally!
Am exited to try this recipe and also want to thank you for sharing this delicious recipe.
Using 3 6×2 round baking pans, how tall or thick each layer will be?
Hi Monica! We use 6×2 inch pans here too, and the layers are about 1.25 to 1.5 inches high once baked. Hope this helps!
Hi Sally,
I was wondering if I can use two 9inch cake pans instead? I want to make a 6 thin layer rainbow cake.
Hi Lizet, we haven’t tested that but don’t see why it wouldn’t work – we’re unsure of the bake time, it will be significantly shorter.
OMG! This cake is amazingly delicious! I baked the cake in two 9 inch pans for 20 minutes and worked perfectly. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Excited to try this! I don’t typically have full fat sour cream or whole milk in my fridge–will lowfat sour cream/2% milk work without altering the texture too much? Assume the higher fat content makes the cake more moist?
Hi Heather! The lower fat sour cream and milk will work in a pinch, but the cake may not be as light and moist as you mention.
Dear Sally,
Can I use 2x9inch pans instead of 3x6inch for this recipe?
Hi Dinka! For 9 inch cakes, we recommend following this recipe for chocolate cake and this recipe for white cake instead. Enjoy!
Hi Sally! This is so perfect for the pandemic! Question – do you think a lemon curd filling would work here, or would it be too overpowering?
Hi Sheryce, A lemon curd filling would be delicious! We usually add a very thin layer of buttercream then the lemon curd so that the layers don’t slide around. Enjoy!
Thank you! I appreciate that advice; I’ll try it!
Hi Sally! Would the bake time change if I’m using a 6X4 baking pan? Especially for chocolate cake batter?
Hi Jean, You can use a 4 inch tall pan but we still encourage you to divide the batter between three separate pans. Putting too much batter in one pan risks uneven baking and the batter will be too heavy to rise properly.
Hello Sally.. I just want to thank you for sharing your delicious recipes… I have had much success with your recipes as I follow your instructions to the T… I wanted to know if I can incorporate this recipe with the coconut cake recipe…. My friend wants a 6 inch cake but wants the coconut… Again Thank you!!!
Hi Angie! You can use this coconut cupcakes batter for three 6 inch cake pans. (Skip the caramel filling and chocolate frosting.) You can halve the frosting from the coconut cake recipe instead.
Hello Trina… Thank you for your prompt response… God Bless!!
Hi Sally! Can we substitute the sour cream (if not available)by yogurt and sodium bicarbonate in this recipe?
Thank u
Hi Stephanie, you can use plain full-fat yogurt to replace the sour cream (same amount with no other changes). Or, you can use buttermilk to replace both the sour cream and milk (1 cup total).
Hi Sally,
I only have the 6×3 inch Fat Daddios pans, will it be different if I use 3″ deep vs 2″ deep.
Hi Jacqui, those will work just as well. Just be sure to still distribute the batter across three pans. Enjoy!
Thanks I always weigh my pans empty and weigh them with batter for even batter. Sometimes the 3″ I have found don’t always have a good height with some batters
Hi Sally!
I’m a huge fan and have loved making so many of your recipes. I have tried the chocolate cupcake recipe for making the six inch cake twice now and both times the cake was quite dry. The second time I watched and tested frequently but still came out dry. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Your cake stand is adorable and is exactly what i have been looking for. Where did you get it? Thank you!
Hi Holly! The teal cake stand is from Home Goods, but unfortunately we’ve never been able to find a link for it. Sorry we can’t be of more help here!
Hello!
I would like to make a three layer 5.5″ cake, but would prefer to bake the sponge in a quarter sheet pan and punch out the layers with a cake ring. Will there be enough batter here to fill a quarter sheet pan?
Hi Hailey, this recipe yields about 3-4 cups of batter. You can use our handy cake pan sizes and conversions guide to scale it for your needs. Happy baking!
I am going to try this recipe for my daughter’s birthday however I have pans measuring 5 inches. Would this recipe work in these pans or would I have to modify the recipe?
Hi Christine, your pans should work just fine. Fill the pans 1/2 way and use any remaining batter for a few cupcakes. The bake time will be slightly shorter. Happy baking!
Hi !
I just made the vanilla cake and I don’t know where I went wrong but the cake in itself was very dense. I followed all the instructions but I just substituted the butter with oil to make it slightly less heavy. Could that have been the reason or something else?
Thanks
Hi Zoe, substituting the butter for oil is likely your culprit here. It’s not possible to cream oil, and the creaming step is crucial to this cake’s texture. You might also find this post on How to Prevent Dry and Dense Cakes helpful for next time. Thank you for giving this recipe a try!
I made the six inch, three layer vanilla cake and it was good but I didn’t have cake flour so I used your recipe to substitute with the corn starch. The vanilla buttercream frosting was delicious, but a lil gritty. I will try mixing it longer and I will make another cake when I get cake flour. Thanks so much!
Can this recipe be altered to make an 8” three layer cake?
Hi Marie, for a 3 layer, 8 inch cake, we’d recommend following this vanilla cake recipe instead. You can use 8 inch round pans for slightly thicker layers with no changes to the recipe. You may need an extra minute or two of bake time since they layers will be thicker – use a toothpick to test for doneness.
First of all, thanks for the work you put into this. I am so excited to make 6 inch cake. I just received one from a bakery for my birthday and the size was the CUTEST!
Question – I just purchased (2) 6×2 cake pans. As for your cupcake recipe making (3) 6 inch cakes DO you think I could use the recipe to make (2) 6 inch cakes? I know it would be more batter in each pan and I wondering if it would cook all the way through. I hope so. I think it would be really cute too. Thanks so much.
Hi Traci! This would be too much batter for 2 pans, they could overflow and wouldn’t bake evenly. You could wait to bake the third layer until the other two are done – let the batter rest at room temperature while they bake. Or you could try to reduce the recipe by 1/3. Hope you love your 6 inch cakes!
Thank you for your quick reply. Your explanation makes perfect sense. I am excited to bake in my new pans. I also appreciate your suggestion of baking the 3rd layer after the other two are finished or reducing by 1/3.
Hi Sally,
I love your recipes and you have become my go to for almost all my baking lately. I made your carrot cake and your hot cross buns for Easter and they were both a huge hit, particularly the carrot cake!
I do have a question when it comes to measuring this batter out when using two pans. I know you mentioned you recommended not putting it all into 2 pans and instead using the left over to make cupcakes which I think is great, but do you have a recommendation on how much batter is actually going into each pan? Is there a particular weight I should be looking for or should I aim for 1 to 1.5 cups per pan?
Also, I am planning on making your chocolate cupcake recipe (but as a 6 inch cake!). I was considering adding coffee or espresso powder. What would your recommendation on this be?
Thank you!
Hi Andrea! Thanks so much for your kind note and for making and trusting our recipes. This recipe yields 4 cups total of batter, so you’ll want about 1 1/3 cup per layer. For the chocolate cupcake recipe, you can add 1 tsp espresso powder without making any other changes to the recipe. If you wish to use liquid coffee you can try swapping some in for some of the the buttermilk. Let us know what you try!
I have successfully tried some of your other recipes, so I really don’t know what happened here. I was very precise in measuring and having the ingredients at the correct temperature. The cake layers baked beautifully and the cake itself was light and moist, BUT, it tasted like flour. It had none of the delicious vanilla cake flavor I was expecting. What could I have done wrong?
Hi Kathy, Thank you for trying this recipe. The most likely culprit is that there was simply too much flour in your cake. Be sure you are using cake flour (not all purpose) and use the “spoon & level” method. Do not scoop the flour out of the container/bag with your measuring cup because you could end up with 50% more than you need. Rather, using a spoon, scoop the flour into the measuring cup. Do not pack the flour down and do not tap the measuring cup as both cause the flour to settle in the cup. After you’ve spooned the flour into the measuring cup, use the back of a knife to level off the top of the measuring cup.