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
Are 6×2 and 6×3 pans interchangeable?
Hi Christine! Generally, yes, but we always use 6×2 inch pans.
I noticed that your Yellow Birthday Cupcakes are not on the list of recipes that one can use to make different flavors of 6-inch cake. Could I make a 6-inch cake out of that batter, or is there a particular reason why it wasn’t listed on there?
Hi CH, our yellow cupcakes work perfectly for a 6-inch cake. Enjoy!
Okay, thank you!
Hi Sally! I was just wondering, can the sour cream and whole milk be swapped out 1:1 with buttercream? I figured it probably can, but just wanted to make sure.
Hi Gen, yes, you can use buttermilk to replace both the sour cream and milk (1 cup total).
How can I store the cake if I’m making it a day in advance?
Hi Hana, it depends on what type of cake you are making and what type of frosting, but all of our recipes have storage and make-ahead instructions in the recipe card, below the recipe instructions. Happy baking!
This cake tasted delicious, but it turned out a bit denser than I had hoped. I may have overmixed (obvious potential culprit), but am wondering if the fact that my 6 inch pans are 3 inches tall may have also had an impact? I still split the batter between 3 6-inch pans, just tall ones.
Hi Sylvie, your pans should be fine to use here. Make sure to start with proper room temperature butter and other room temperature ingredients as well!
Thank you!
Hi, and thank you for being such an amazing resource! My question today is… would you be able to give any guidance on baking these cupcake recipes in 4″ pans? I’m making a smash cake for a 1-year old’s birthday, so 6″ pans would be too big and cupcakes too small. Thank you!
Hi Jo-Ann, to bake in 4-inch pans, you can fill the pans half way and then use any leftover batter for a few cupcakes on the side. We’re unsure of the exact bake time for 4-inch pans, so keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness. Hope this helps!
This cake is delicious. I followed the recipe and the cake was perfect.
Hi! I’m a huge fan of your recipes! You’ve become my go to for all cakes and various baked goods!
Quick (maybe complicated) question tho, I’m making the chocolate cupcake version for this, but not making all 14 cupcakes, just 12. So I’ve kept my extra batter and I figure I’ll use it to make a 6in cake. I’m making vanilla cupcakes too, so I’ll have leftover vanilla cake to put on top of the chocolate. Both recipes are doubled btw. So I’ll have about 4 cupcakes worth EACH of both batters. Do you think that would be enough or too much for 2 6in cake pans?
Thanks so much!
Hi Melody, if you have 8 cupcakes worth of batter, then yes, you should have about the right amount for two 6 inch cakes. Happy baking!
Is the ‘cake flour’ self raising or plain? If it’s self raising how would I amend the baking soda/powder quantity to use plain flour instead? Please and thank you x
Hi Emma, we use “plain” cake flour without any raising agents.
Hi Sally ,
When making a two layer 6 inch cake would I just evenly divide the batter or will it be too much ? Have made this twice as a three layer it was delicious, but I wanted to make it just a two layer this time!
Thanks so much!
Hi Mka, for a two layer cake, you can fill your pans half way and then use any leftover batter for a few cupcakes on the side. So glad this is a favorite for you!
Do you know about how many cups are in one 6 inch pan? I only have one & not three to divide evenly..thanks! I overfilled my banana spice cake batter & it never baked in the middle on a trial run. It makes enough batter for a traditional two 9inch round recipe.
Hi Cynthia, this recipe makes about 3 cups of batter.
Hello! Yes, but how many cups are in each 6 inch pan?
Hello,
First and foremost, I enjoy your website along with all of your amazing recipes!
I plan on baking your carrot pineapple cake that is made in a 9×13 pan however, would that be the same exact measurements for the 6 inch 3 layer cake?
I was a bit confused regarding the measurements and was not sure.
Thank you in advance!
Hi Bellla, we would use our carrot cake cupcakes batter for a 6 inch cake, instead!
The 6 inch recipe uses the same amount of sour cream as the 9 inch recipe?
Hi Amanda, this 6 inch cake recipe is a little different than our white cake recipe. 1/2 cup sour cream is correct here. Happy baking!
Can I use all the batter in one pan if I don’t want layers?
Hi Cora, no, this is too much batter for one pan. It’s best to only fill cake pans half way so that they have room to rise and bake through properly. If you only want one layer, you might enjoy this one layer chocolate cake (see that post for a vanilla version).
My 6 in cake pans are .75 in thick, if I have 5 of them about how many cups of batter will i need?
Hi Britt, this cake pan sizes and conversions guide will be helpful for scaling this recipe.
If I wanted to add sprinkles to the batter for a confetti cake, how many cups would I add?
Hi MJ, about a 1/2 cup of sprinkles would be great here!
Hi there! Trying this out with snickerdoodle version, any tips on how to add the cinnamon sugar element in? Not sure how to portion it out over the 3 layers evenly
Hi Rachelle, just sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the cakes before adding the last of the batter. You can swirl it, like we do in the snickerdoodle cupcakes.
Is it possible just to make a 2 layer cake and divide the batter between 2 tins instead? Thank you. Love your recipes.
Hi Stephanie, the batter as written is a bit too much for 2 layers (it will bake unevenly), but you could bake two layers (same baking time) and use the leftover batter for a few cupcakes on the side.
Wonderful recipe! Could you sub plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream? It’s the only ingredient I’m missing!
Definitely. Happy baking!
The cake came out very crumbly so it was very hard to frost also it didn’t seem like enough frosting to even crumb coat the cake, anything i may have done wrong that made the cake so crumbly?
Hi Vanessa, could the cakes have been over-baked? Use a toothpick to test for doneness and always keep an eye on cakes in the oven. How did you measure the flour? Make sure to spoon and level (instead of scooping) to avoid packing in too much flour into your measuring cups – or use a kitchen scale. You can read more about properly measuring baking ingredients in this post.
I made this cake las summer with much success — it was delicious! I made it again today using fresh-milled cake flour rather than Downs Cake Flour. I was disappointed. ☹️ The cake texture was more like a pound cake than light and moist. Do you have any clues what happened?
Thank you. I love your website!
Hi Marcia, we haven’t tested our cake recipes with fresh milled flour so can’t speak to any alterations you may need to make. Let us know if you try anything next time!
Can I use carton egg whites instead of fresh egg whites? And if yes, would I just follow the ratios on the carton?
Yes, absolutely.
Approximately how much batter fills each 6” cake pan?
Hi Elizabeth, our cupcake recipes (which we use for 6-inch cakes) yield 3-4 cups of cake batter, so you’ll have a little more than 1 cup for each layer. It can vary slightly depending on the exact recipe/flavor.
This cake is easy & delicious! Perfectl for 3 layer 6” cake. A definite keeper.
I wasn’t a fan of the buttercream flavour but I think it could be clear vanilla just doesn’t taste the same as the real stuff. That aside, I love this site. Great info!!
Would it be okay to fold in mini chocolate chips to the batter? I am desperately searching for a great chocolate chip cake recipe and love this cake on its own so thinking they would be outstanding together!
Hi Kathleen, absolutely! We’d recommend about 3/4 cup of mini chocolate chips.
I thought I’d make this cake but only have 1 6” tin. If I divide the mixture equally into 1/3rds will the mixture be ok not cooked immediately thanks so much
Julia x
Hi Julia, yes, you can leave the remaining batter covered at room temperature while waiting for the current layer to bake. Enjoy!
My finished cake looked very much like yours, and I have to say, it’s the best vanilla cake I have ever made. Still, it was very disappointing, and everyone who tried it agreed. The vanilla vanilla cake was just too boring, too bland. I will make it again but jazz it up—add strawberries to the fillling or lemon curd or…. There’s great potential here, but for my family, not as an all vanilla cake. I am, however, much appreciative for the excellent vanilla cake recipe.
It’s a vanilla cake recipe, if you think vanilla is boring try another recipe, plus you said its the best vanilla cake u ever made at least give it 5 stars♀️♀️
what if my pans are 6×3
Hi Courtney, that will work just fine. We still recommend splitting the batter between 3 pans. Enjoy!
Just a quick question for clarification – It is said above that “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.” This then translates to approximately 1 to a little over 1 cup of batter per pan. Is this correct? At this measurement, approximately how high do the cakes rise?
Hi Patty, this is correct. The exact rise will depend on the specific recipe, and the final height of the cake will depend on how heavily you frost between the layers. Hope this helps!
Sally, I have a question for you. Fat Daddio’s has 6” cake pans with a removable bottom. Have you tried those? Would they work for making cakes?
I have one and a Fat Daddio’s springform 6” pan.
I don’t want to buy additional cake pans needlessly.
Hi Paul, we haven’t tested those specific pans, but usually they are best for things like cheesecakes, tarts, etc. Cake batter can sometimes be too thin and leak. You can certainly feel free to try it, but we’d start with a small test batch. Let us know if it works for you!