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
Conversion question… I plan to adapt this recipe for use as you suggested for a smaller version of your Espresso Chocolate Chip Cake. My question is, I only have two six inch pans (four inches deep) so should I bake two layers, then wait for one pan to cool and bake a third layer… or can I divide all the batter into just two layers? (Obviously this would alter baking time.) Also is there a difference between Instant Espresso and Espresso Powder? My Instant Espresso came in somewhat larger freeze-dried pieces so to be safe I ground it down further in the food processor but just wondering. Thanks and I hope this recipe is just as delicious as EVERY OTHER SINGLE RECIPE FROM YOUR WEBSITE! You’re the bomb!
Hi Laura! We recommend baking three layers, you can leave the last third of batter sitting lightly covered at room temperature. Instant espresso and espresso powder should be the same thing, but not espresso grounds. Happy baking!
Hi! I had a similar question… How long can the batter sit before baking, if you only have one pan for cooking in and would have to bake the layers one at a time? With time to clean/cool the pan in between?
Love this recipe! Do you think this recipe would frost and fill three 6×3 inch cakes stacked?
Thank you x
Hi Caitlyn, The quantity of vanilla buttercream listed here is to fill and stack a three layer 6 inch-cake. Enjoy!
Hi Sally! I am wondering if you have a recipe for a one layer 6 inch vanilla cake? Your one layer 6 inch chocolate cake is delicious and the perfect size for two people. Thank you!
Hi Erika! We don’t have a vanilla 6 inch cake recipe at this time. Though we haven’t tested it, I’m confident you could halve this homemade sprinkle cake recipe to yield a 1 layer 6 inch vanilla cake. Feel free to skip the sprinkles – enjoy!
Hi, am baking this cake today and after baking for 18 minutes the layers were still wet and hardly cooked through. I added 15 minutes. I did use baking strips for the first time to try to get even layers and just wondering if that slows down baking time. Thank you!
Hi Carol, The baking strips shouldn’t impact the bake time that much. Be sure to double check your ingredients and don’t make any substitutions. Also if you don’t have one, an oven thermometer is a great tool for checking your oven temperature (we link to one we use in this post on Must Have Baking Tools).
hi Sally, I am trying to make a small cake for Valentine’s Day. I have (1) heart shape pan that’s 6″ x 2″ and I see your 6 in cake recipes, but they’re for (3) 6″ x 2″ pans. how can I break down those recipe ingredients for 1 cake , 1 layer. Please advise. something chocolatey is my favorite. Thanks so very much !!
Hi Kathleen, You may want to try this one layer small chocolate cake recipe. Enjoy!
Hi Sally! I am planning on using your lemon cupcake recipe to make 6 inch layered cake. I wondered if I can use cake flour instead of the all purpose flour in cupcake recipe? Would it still turn out the same? Thank you!
Hi Kristina, In our recipe testing we found that cake flour is too light for this lemon cake; our cakes were squat and flimsy. All-purpose flour is great, sifted all-purpose flour is even better!
I paid $100+ for a (beautifully decorated) cake for my daughters birthday party, and it was gone by the time her actual birthday came around. She woke up this morning and asked if we were having another cake today for her birthday, and I first panicked then turned to Sally’s Baking Recipes and made this cake, exactly as the recipe called for. It was a million times better than the ridiculously expensive cake I had purchased! Going forward, we’ll be doing home made cakes, haha. My one question is when I sliced the top off the cake before layering I noticed air bubbles in the cake. What did I do wrong/do I need to do differently? Thanks for the wonderful recipe and help!
Hi Ashleigh, we’re so thrilled to hear that this cake was a hit for your daughter’s birthday! Small air bubbles are totally normal, but if you have larger pockets of air in your cake, it’s likely from over-mixing your batter, which incorporates too much air in the the cake batter. Make sure to just mix until combined next time. You an also gently tap the filled pans on the counter before baking to help release air pockets. Hope these tips help for next time!
I really liked the 6inch 3 layers and I was wondering if this cake would hold up as a 6”3 layer on top of the same cake but 8” 3 layers? For a two tiered cake?
Thank you!
Hi Kim, Yes you can see how we use this for the top of tiered cake in our post Simple Homemade Wedding Cake.
Will this recipe work with reverse creaming method? I am more comfortable using that style.
Hi Jinny, We haven’t made this exact cake using the reverse creaming method, but you certainly can for a tighter crumb.
Hello
I’m interested in some cake recipes for ONE 6″ cake pan.
Thanks.
Hi Jan, You can see this post for a small chocolate cake (and if you scroll down in the post you can also see information for a vanilla version).
Hello. If I don’t have three 6” cake pans how do you recommend storing the batter while I bake each layer separately? Thank you!
Hi B, You can let the batter rest at room temperature while the others bake until you have a free pan. Enjoy!
Hey Sally, can I use flavurless oil instead of butter in this recipe?
Creaming butter with sugar provides the base of this cake. Best to stick with butter!
Hey Sally!
I absolutely love your recipies! I actually won a baking contest with one of your recipies! Just letting you know, (I am only 12!) I really hope you know how much I use your recipies!
I was wondering how you memorize recipies? I have always wondered because I can never seem to remember correctly! Thanks so much!!!!
Hi sally,was wondering if i can use an all purpose flour in this recipe ?
I wanted to bake a cake for my friends and i base in nigeria so we re common with all purpose flour.
I dont know if using all purpose flour will be great.
Actually its my first time using ur recipe nd i honestly hope for the best results.
Hi Nonye! Cake flour is best for this recipe – here’s our post on how to make your own homemade version if you don’t have cake flour. Happy baking!
I’m wanting to make this adorable layered csme for my son’s birthday, but I don’t have a round 6″ baking dish.. Would this recipe work for a double layer 8″ square cake?
Hi Christina, For a 2 layer 8-inch square cake we recommend using any of these recipes for our white cake, chocolate cake, or yellow cake. Happy baking!
It’s a good recipe but I have done it twice now and both times it ended up taking twice as long to bake. I constantly take it out, put it back in, take it out again. I split it out evenly between three 6-inch pans and they are all severely underbaked in the middle after 20 minutes.
How tall should each of the layers rise to in the oven? Mine came out somewhat flat. Or, better yet, how tall should the cake be fully assembled?
Hi Stephanie, We use 6×2 inch pans and the layers are about 1.25 to 1.5 inches high once baked. Hope this helps!
Hi, for a fan assisted oven, should I reduce the temperature?
Hi Sharon! All of the recipes on this site are written for conventional settings. Convection (fan assisted) ovens are fantastic for cooking and roasting. If you have the choice, we recommend conventional settings when baking cakes, breads, etc. The flow of air from convection heat can cause baked goods to rise and bake unevenly and it also pulls moisture out of the oven. If you do use convection settings for baking, lower your temperature by 25 degrees F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake.
Can I use two 6 inch by 2 inch pans instead of three?
Hi Susan! There will be too much batter for two 6 inch pans with this recipe. If the issue is you only have two pans, you can always leave 1/3 of the batter sitting at room temperature while the other two cakes bake, then use one of the pans to bake the third layer afterwards.
hello! i was wondering if you had the gram measurements for the flour 🙂
thank you!! and happy new year!
Hi Ava, 1 and 3/4 cups = 207g cake flour. Happy baking!
Do you have a 6” German chocolate cake recipe? I have made and loved 2 of your recipes!
Hi Dianna, for a 6 inch cake, you can use our chocolate cupcakes and chocolate buttercream recipes. That batter fits perfectly into 3 6 inch pans. Follow that chocolate cupcake batter recipe and the instructions here. Use the coconut pecan filling from this recipe — you will have some leftover. Enjoy!
Hi sally the cake was so good. thank you for posting it
Can I make this recipe without vanilla bean? Should I increase the amount of vanilla extract?
Hi Hannah! The cake recipe in this post calls for vanilla extract, not vanilla bean. Hope you love it!
Hi Sally,
I am struggling to make a vanilla cake! After 30 min of cooking the cake is still runny in the middle. I’ve only filled the pan about 2 inches.. any advice on how to avoid this and why it happens on every vanilla cake I make
Hi Briar, how deep are your pans? For next time, try filling your pans only half way — it sounds like they may be too full, which is causing them to bake unevenly and have uncooked centers.
Now that icing looks like the PERFECT texture for a finger to swipe! My question is I dont have three 6 inch pans but two 7 inch pans. Would following the exact recipe still work for my 7 inch pans? Will my layers be really thin?
Hi Joy, the layers would be quite thin in your 7 inch pans. Our cake pan sizes and conversions guide may be helpful for you. You could also try using these 3 layer 6 inch cake recipes as two thicker 7 inch layers. Let us know what you try!
Hey i just want to ask, it that okay to omit the sour cream? Or can i substitute it with something else?
Hi Rain, 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).
Hello! I was wondering if I can bake and assemble the 6 inch strawberry cake 2 days in advance? The party is on Sunday, but I can only bake on Friday. Thank you!
Hi Lead, that should work just fine, just be sure to tightly wrap/cover the cake so that it does not dry out in the meantime. Happy baking!
Hi Sally
I love all your recipes! I am hoping to do a White chocolate and raspberry cake for my daughters birthday. I was thinking of using your vanilla cake recipe with your white chocolate buttercream. Have you got any suggestions on how to incorporate the raspberries? Wasn’t sure whether to mix them in with some of the frosting for the inside of the cake or whether to put them in the actual batter? Or whether to do a raspberry jam instead.
Thanks for your help!
Hi Shannon! A layer on raspberry jam over buttercream in between the layers would be fantastic! Otherwise you could include fresh raspberries in the layers like we do with our fresh berry cream cake. Let us know what you try!
Hi Sally, what are your thoughts on brushing the cakes with a simple sugar syrup and water before the frosting begins. I understand this is to avoid the cake from getting dry. Why don’t you practice this?
Just wondering.
I love your death by choc cupcakes recipe BTW. The best I have come across. Was wondering can I use that recipe to do a birthday cake? Pls advice!
Hi Nora, we don’t typically brush simply syrup on our cakes, but you certainly can. And yes, you can use the death by chocolate cupcakes recipe for a 6 inch cake following the baking time and instructions here. Enjoy!
Hi Sally,
Does the depth of the cake pan matter if I don’t fill them lots? I am planning on using 6 inch wide pans which have a depth of 4 inches, but if I don’t fill them, them being deep pans shouldn’t matter, right?
Thanks in advance!