Learn how to make a beautiful naked cake with fresh berries and vanilla buttercream. This chic cake decorating style is much simpler than it looks. Follow my success tips and watch the helpful video tutorial to create your own naked cake.
Today we’re baking, designing, and styling naked cakes. I’m sharing my tips for decorating a naked cake, a video showing you how, the vanilla cake recipe I used, plus plenty of inspiration for you to get started. There’s a lot of ground to cover, so let’s get right to it!
What Is a Naked Cake?
Naked cakes, with zero to minimal frosting on the outside, expose the cake layers and filling. This rustic-chic cake presentation has been popping up everywhere on the wedding, baby shower, bridal shower, and party scenes. Milk Bar owner Christina Tosi is credited with starting the trend back in 2013 when she began highlighting the cake layers, instead of just the frosting. Now naked cakes are a bakery staple!
A stunning addition to any celebration, naked cakes are perfect for Easter, Mother’s Day, small weddings, showers, and birthdays. What I love about the style is that you have creative control. You can decorate the naked cake in your own unique way, which makes this recipe 100x more fun. If interested in making a tiered cake, try my simple homemade wedding cake!
Two Types of Naked Cakes
There are 2 types of naked cakes. The cake in today’s photos is called a semi-naked or “half dressed” cake. There’s a minimal amount of frosting swiped around the sides. So in other words, a semi-naked cake is a crumb-coated cake. Or you can simplify the design even further with a true naked cake. This means the sides of the cake are bare like my fresh berry cream cake. Both styles are simple, approachable, and beautiful.
Overview: How to Make a Vanilla Semi-Naked Cake
Let’s focus on a semi-naked cake because that’s how I decorated the cake in today’s photos and video.
- Make the cake. To begin, you’ll need a layer cake. You can use any of my layer cake recipes, the vanilla layer cake recipe below, or any layer cake recipe you love. The vanilla cake recipe I include below is similar to my vanilla cake recipe, but it has more structure to support the naked cake decorating style. Cake recipes that yield three or four layers provide enough height to work with, but you can easily decorate a two layer cake this way. Tiered cakes are great too—like my homemade wedding cake.
- Add berries. I dotted fresh raspberries between my cake layers. Admittedly, I only dotted them around the edges because I ran out of raspberries. Oops! But I love how they peek out the sides. The fresh raspberries also provide a lovely texture variation. If you decide to do this as well, be warned that the raspberries will leak some juice around the edges after a day or so. I would leave the berries out if you’re making this cake in advance for a party or celebration.
- Frost the cake. Vanilla buttercream is my favorite for the half-dressed cake style. It’s simple and shows off the semi-exposed cake layers as well as the cake’s decorative pieces. The frosting recipe below is similar to my vanilla buttercream recipe, only with a higher ratio of ingredients to make a larger amount of frosting.
Vanilla Naked Cake Video Tutorial
5 Tips for Homemade Naked Cakes
- Make a plan. Think about what style of cake you want—naked or semi-naked—and any decorations or garnishes. This will determine how much frosting you need.
- Prepare your cake pans appropriately. Use quality cake pans and grease them well so the cakes release easily—I always use nonstick spray. For even layers, ensure each pan has an equal amount of batter. The easiest and most accurate way to do this is to use a kitchen scale. Place your cake pan on top and begin pouring batter into the pan—repeat for all pans, making sure each pan weighs the same.
- Level your cakes. Level off the top of each cake layer so both sides are flat. This is important because flat and even layers add stability to your finished cake. You can use a cake leveler or large serrated knife. I always use my serrated knife.
- Keep it simple. Make it easy on yourself! My recipe and instructions are simple and straightforward. I’ve seen many naked cake recipes that call for a soak in simple syrup to prevent it from drying out. You can absolutely take this route, especially if you’re making a true naked cake, but I don’t find it necessary if your cake is moist to begin with (like my vanilla cake below). Instead of piping frosting between each cake layer, use an icing spatula to spread the frosting—another timesaver and simplified step. The frosting recipe below yields about 4.5 cups. Use 1.5 cups between each layer and 1.5 cups on top & around the sides.
- The refrigerator is your best friend. Always chill your naked cake in the refrigerator for a few hours before slicing and serving. Why? This stabilizes all of your hard work! It helps the frosting adhere to the sides of the cake, as well as ensures a neater slice. Then you can set the cake out at room temperature for your party or celebration.
3 Helpful Tools for Decorating
Here are a few tools I find especially helpful for decorating a semi-naked cake.
- Straight spatula: A lot of cake decorators use an offset spatula to apply frosting on a cake, but I prefer a straight spatula. Maybe it’s the way my hands work, but it’s just easier for me to use.
- Bench scraper: Use this for running around the sides of the cake to smooth out the frosting.
- Cake turntable: This is optional. Many of you told me I needed one because it makes the job easier. And you were right! I did NOT use it for the cake pictured today, but you can watch me use it in the video tutorial. Transfer your decorated cake to a cake stand by using these cake circles—I use one in the video.
Mix and Match Cake and Frosting Recipes
Mix and match the below cake flavors and frostings to create your own unique naked cake.
Cake Flavors
These cakes are all pretty moist, so I wouldn’t worry about them drying out—especially if you choose the semi-naked/crumb coat look.
- Vanilla cake (below)
- Chocolate cake
- German chocolate cake
- Strawberry cake
- Banana layer cake
- Lemon cake
- Carrot cake
- Red velvet cake
- Spice cake (see recipe note for layer cake)
- Pumpkin cake (see recipe note for layer cake)
Frosting Flavors
- Vanilla buttercream (below)
- Cream cheese frosting
- Chocolate buttercream
- Strawberry buttercream
- Lemon buttercream
- Peanut butter frosting
- Rainbow chip frosting
Helpful tip: Freeze any leftover frosting for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator for next time.
Naked Cake Decoration Ideas
I recommend starting simple, then adding from there. The possibilities are endless! Here are some of my favorite decorations to use:
- Fresh flowers. Use flowers that haven’t been sprayed with pesticides. Avoid strong-smelling flowers as the smell may linger on the cake. And if you can find edible flowers, that’s even better.
- Fresh berries or any fruit.
- Smaller sweet treats like candies, cookies, meringues, and chocolates
- Candied citrus
- Nuts or seeds
- Fresh herbs
- Cinnamon sticks
- Sprinkles
Of course you’ll need a cake stand to show off your stunning masterpiece! Here are a few I love: wood slice cake stand (similar to what I have), white cake stand, and marble cake stand.
Get creative, let your inner cake artist shine, and most of all… have fun!
See Your Vanilla Naked Cakes!
Many readers tried this recipe as part of a baking challenge! Feel free to email or share your recipe photos with us on social media. 🙂
PrintVanilla Naked Cake
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This naked cake is simply stunning with fresh berries, vanilla cake, and vanilla buttercream.
Ingredients
- 3 and 3/4 cups (443g) sifted all-purpose flour* (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract (yes, Tbsp!)
- 1 and 3/4 cups (420ml) buttermilk, at room temperature*
- optional: 1-2 cups fresh raspberries (or other berry, see note)
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 5–6 cups (600-720g) confectioners’ sugar
- 5–6 Tablespoons (75-90ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- finishing decorations (see post above for inspiration!)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 9-inch round 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 flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. On medium-high speed, add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Do not overmix this batter. The batter will be smooth, velvety, and slightly thick.
- There is about 8 cups of batter total, so each layer will be 2 and 2/3 cups. Pour/spread batter evenly into prepared cake pans. If you’re worried about uneven cake layers, you can use a kitchen scale and weigh the cake pans for accuracy. (The weight of just the batter in my cake pans was about 1 lb 6 ounces.)
- Bake for around 25-26 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 is 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: In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy—about 2 minutes. Add 5 and 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, 5 Tablespoons heavy cream, the vanilla extract, and salt with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes. Add 1/2 cup more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin, 1 more Tablespoon cream if frosting is too thick, or a pinch more of salt if frosting is way too sweet. Yields about 4.5 cups of frosting.
- Assemble and decorate the cake: Watch the video above for a tutorial on assembling and decorating this naked cake. First, 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. Spread 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting evenly on top. If using, dot half of the raspberries around the rim. Flatten them down into the frosting as best you can so the cake layer on top is sturdy. Top with 2nd cake layer and evenly cover the top with another 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting and more (flattened!) raspberries around the rim. You can sprinkle a few leftover raspberries in the center, too. (Like I did in the video.) Top with the third cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting on top and all around the sides using an icing spatula. Use a bench scraper to smooth out the frosting on the sides of the cake. If you’re making a full naked cake, just spread the remaining frosting on top of the cake. If you have leftover frosting, you can freeze it for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator for next time.
- Decorate the cake with garnishes.
- Refrigerate the cake for 2-3 hours or up to 1 day before slicing and serving. If chilling for more than a few hours, loosely cover with plastic wrap after 1 hour of refrigeration. (The frosting will “set” after about 1 hour and the plastic wrap won’t really ruin your frosting at that point.) And if you’re chilling for more than a few hours, I suggest decorating with garnishes right before serving (so as not to wilt the flowers, etc).
- Cover and store leftover cake at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: 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. Assemble and frost the cake the next day when you are ready to serve. The frosted cake can be refrigerated for up to 1 day—see step 8. The frosted cake can also be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Icing Spatula | Bench Scraper | Cake Turntable | Cake Carrier (for storage)
- Flour: Sift flour before measuring.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a DIY sour milk substitute. Add 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1 and 3/4 cups. (In a pinch, lower fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cake won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- Raspberries: The raspberries will leak some juice around the edges after a day or so. I would leave the berries out if you’re making this cake in advance for a party or celebration.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Learn more about why room temperature ingredients are important.
- I used this cake recipe for my checkerboard cake. The cake layers are slightly thicker here because this cake is 3 layers instead of 4. If you want to make the naked cake as a 4 layer cake, use 2 cups of batter for each cake layer and bake for 23-24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
I can’t wait to try out this cake for my daughter’s birthday. What type of greenery did you use as garnish?
Hi Amber! I made the pictured cake so long ago that I can’t remember. If anyone recognizes the flowers, please chime in!
Loved the cake! Beautiful and delicious.
How would this work with fresh whipped cream? I find the buttercream a bit sweet.
Hi Stephanie, you might enjoy this not-so-sweet whipped frosting.
Hi I want to make this cake for my daughters birthday. We live i. Colorado at about 7000 feet. Do you have high altitude substitutes?
Hi Mama, We wish we could help, but we have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Hi!
I made this cake for my daughter’s birthday and it was a huge hit! I have another event coming up and would love to use this recipe again. However, most of the guests are gluten-free . Would it be possible to swap the AP flour for gluten – free or would that change the texture ? I also should note that I did a 2 tier on the last cake and wanted to do that again , however unsure with the gluten- free flour? Could I also freeze cake layers ahead with gluten-free flour? Thanks so much!
Hi Alex, we haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flour, so we’re unsure of the results. The texture will likely be different. Many readers have has success using 1:1 gluten free all purpose flours like Bob’s Red Mill or Cup4Cup in our recipes. If you do use gluten free flour, you should be able to freeze the cake layers. Let us know what you try!
Hello.just baked the cakes, and the frosting is in the fridge. Cakes are cooling in pans on racks. It’s very late, and I’m wondering how to go about cooling them overnight, without making them soggy or risking drying them out. Any advice would be much appreciated. I imagine I won’t get a reply tonight, but perhaps before I do this again. Thank you!
Hi Sheelah, it’s best to let the individual cake layers completely cool before wrapping them. Once wrapped, you can leave them at room temperature overnight before frosting the next day. Hope this helps for next time!
Hi! Can I make the batter a few hours before baking? Will it still be okay if I place in the fridge and then bring back to room temperature before putting it in the oven? Thanks!
Hi Anna, it’s best to bake mixed batter right away. The leaveners are activated when the wet and dry ingredients are mixed. Rise can be impacted the longer the batter sits before baking. Hope this helps!
I’ve made the vanilla cake and it is wonderful. I’ve been asked to do a wedding cake for my son’s wedding with alternating vanilla and lemon cake layers. Can I use the same basic recipe for both flavors and just switch out the flavorings? If so, should I use 1 tablespoon of lemon extract?
Hi Donna, You could definitely add some fresh lemon zest and juice to this cake batter. We’re unsure of the exact amount, but perhaps you can start small, try a test run before the big day, and then adjust up or down for your preferences. Or you can make this lemon layer cake as well and alternate layers. Hope it’s a hit!
Hi! I’m making this cake for my sisters bridal shower on Saturday(7/9) and was planning on making it tomorrow (Thursday 7/7). Should i just wrap the cake layers and put them in the refrigerator? But then would I be able to put it together on Friday? What is the best way to go about this lol? Thank you!
Hi Elizabeth! Cake layers can be made and left at room temperature overnight one day in advance. And longer than that and it is best to freeze them.
Does this recipe work as 2 layers (with extra berries on top)? I am freezing and then transporting / letting it defrost / refrigerating over a couple of days before a birthday party, so trying to simplify a little!! Thanks from London! Alice x
Hi Alice! There is too much batter for only two pans and we fear the cakes could overflow and bake unevenly. Reducing the recipe down to yield 2 layers without altering the taste or texture can be tough. We recommend this 2 layer white cake recipe instead if you’d like. Or, you can make this recipe as is and freeze one of the cake layers for a later date.
Can’t wait to try this! Do you know how many cups of batter should I be pouring into a 8in pan?
Hi Crystal! We haven’t measured the amount of batter that goes into each pan – we usually just eyeball it evenly between the three pans.
Hi, I’m making a wedding topper cake for my friend’s wedding, and it’s going to be a 6-inch naked cake. I was wondering what adjustments I should make to the vanilla buttercream frosting since I would obviously need less. Thank you, love your recipes so much!
Hi Sarah, follow this recipe (just the frosting portion) to frost a 3 layer 6 inch cake.
Great recipe! I used it for a 6″ round smash cake.
I’ve made this cake loads of times and it’s always a hit! I’m making it for my wedding in a few weeks time and was wondering about using vanilla pods rather than extract.. how many pods would I use for the cake and/or buttercream?
Hi Sarah, absolutely! You can use the same amount of scrapped out vanilla bean seeds/paste (the number of beans will depend on the size of the beans). Hope it’s a hit at your wedding!
This looks delicious!! How would margarine instead of butter in the cake batter work?
Hi Mackenzie, we don’t recommend margarine as it does not have the same chemical makeup as butter. It’s much more watery. For the best results, stick to butter here!
What about shortening? I don’t have enough butter on hand 🙁
I love Sally’s recipes!! I get so many compliments whenever I bake something and bring it to work! I always recommend this site for recipes! I was wondering if I can use this recipe in a sheet pan to make mini layer cakes? Any recommendations for any other Sally’s cake recipes I can make mini? Thank you!!!
Hi Dana, There’s too much batter for a 9×13 inch cake pan, but you can fill the pan about halfway – 2/3 full. Any extra batter is great for cupcakes. You could also try our white cake (also great vanilla flavor with a soft crumb). See recipe note for 9×13 inch cake pan in that recipe. For other size pans you can use our post on Cake Pan Sizes and Conversions to help you calculate how much batter you would need.
Hello Sally, I’m preparing a birthday cake for my niece and plan to make a crocodile, her favorite animal! If I wish to use a vanilla cake as the base, which of your recipes would you recommend I use, given that I’ll be cutting shapes and assembling pieces to make a crocodile (I should say *trying* to make a crocodile!). I was thinking maybe this recipe, if it’s sturdier than your other vanilla cake recipes? Thank you in advance for your advice, and as always for your wonderful recipes!
Hi Marilou, We would suggest this recipe! We’ve never tried carving it into a 3D shape, but we do cut it into circles to make our checkerboard cake, and that works well. Have fun!
I am planning on making this cake about two weeks ahead of time. I am assuming I can freeze the layers individually if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, then assemble the day before. Do you have any other recommendations?
Thank you!
Hi Erin! Here’s our guide to freezing cake layers – happy baking 🙂
Such a WOW cake!! Ive made the cakes but not found a bench scraper to use while icing…is there anything you can think of i could use instead?
Hi Holly! Anything with a straight edge in a similar size should work – I’ve even seen beginner bakers use a (sanitized) credit card in a pinch. Let us know what you try!
Hi Holly,
I had the same problem and ended up buying a tool from Home Depot that works great; it’s a flat metal scraper with a handle that is used to smooth out putty and they have them in every different size, and plastic ones too. Any hardware store should sell them, probably dollar stores too. I hope this helps you
Do the raspberries create a bit of structure in the icing layer? I was planning to just use icing, but wondering if the berries are how you got such nice thick icing layers.
Hi Sarah! Yes, the berries do help achieve a nice thick layer between the cakes but you could leave them out if you prefer!
I’ve made this recipe before, delicious! I thought I had used cake flour? Just checking because I know you are always refining your recipes. Thank you!!
Hi Debbie! This cake is based on our Vanilla Cake recipe (that uses cake flour), but we use all-purpose here for more structure.
Hey
I am preparing this recipe for my daughter first birthday but I thought about preparing in a tall large 9 inch pain and cut the lawyers. And between the layers I would use a walnut cream. Can you advise if that would be ok. I dont have experience baking so i just want do in a way there is more chance to work
Hi Leticia! It’s best to bake the cake batter in three pans instead of one. Thinner layers allow the batter to cook through evenly without browning too much.
I would like to attempt a 3 tiered wedding naked cake with a 12 inch bottom pan, then 9 inch and 6 inch. What would be the batter measurements. I will need to get dowels and cake layer separaters for cutting ease. Also, are you cutting the cake in half in your video or thirds> Thank you in advance
Hi Mary, Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes. And this post on making and assembling a homemade wedding cake may be helpful as well. We don’t cut the cakes before assembling in the video – they were just leveled so be flat for assembling.
I really wanted to love this cake. I followed the recipe exactly as directed but the cake was too dense. I thought it would be lighter and fluffier. I love all of Sally’s recipes and it’s always my go-to site. Any recommendations on what I could do differently?
Hi Caterina, this Vanilla Naked Cake is a slightly denser cake which helps support the naked cake decorating style. If you try this cake again, make sure your baking powder and soda are fresh (we recommend swapping them out every three months or so for optimal freshness) and not to over mix the batter, which can lead to dense, squat cakes.
I’m going to make a naked cake for my baby’s first birthday “cake smash”. I was wondering if you’d recommend any of your cake recipes in particular for it… maybe something that isn’t as dense/breaks apart easily?
Hi Bee! We usually use regular cake recipes for a smash cake and it’s worked perfectly! If you’re interested, here’s a sweet post on making a 1st birthday cake – happy baking!
I have made this cake as my go to recipe for every birthday event now. It’s a crowd pleaser for all ages, especially with the rasberries through the buttercream frosting layers. I’ve made naked cakes, a teddy bear picnic cake and a fairy cake with this recipe. This time I’m creating a Dolly cake using a Dolly Varden cake tin for the top layer of a Barbie princess cake. I’m hoping the recipe will still work out . Thank you for this delicious recipe. My 5 year old daughter now tells her friends that I’m the best cake maker in the entire world and I’ve only ever used this recipe for every cake I’ve ever made! Thank you for raising my status in the world! Sash
Hi Sally, I’m a big fan of all your recipes! I was hoping to use this for a children’s cake and wanted to add colouring to the batter. how do you suggest I do this without over mixing?
Hi Sabrina! You can add food coloring (we recommend gel food coloring) at the very end – be careful to just mix until combined to avoid over-mixing.
Hi Sally. I’m planning on using this recipe for my brother’s wedding cake in March. Do you prefer metal cake pans, or silicone?
We always use metal!
Sally, I’m going to bake this for my daughter’s birthday and use strawberries in place of the raspberries. She asked for a vanilla cake with strawberries so that’s what I’m going to make. I was thinking of adding freeze dried strawberries to the vanilla buttercream frosting. Do you think this would work and would I need to adjust any of the other ingredients? Or, I could make the strawberry frosting from your Homemade Strawberry Cake but I think I’d need to increase the frosting recipe and am unsure how much to increase it by. What do you think? Thank you for all of your amazing recipes…they’ve certainly been a hit in my house!
Hi Rose! You can definitely make strawberry buttercream or strawberry cream cheese frosting to go with this cake. I would make 1.5x the amount or a double batch for either recipe – 1.5x should be plenty for a naked cake, but if you want extra for decorating you may want to make more. Hope your daughter loves it!
Wow! This cake was amazing and beautiful as well. The 9” four layer cake make with about 1 & 3/4 recipes of your Strawberry Buttercream made a huge impression on all the guests as well as the restaurant staff when we served it. The staff even asked if it was from a favorite bakery in our area after we shared some of it with them! This cake is definitely a keeper! Thank you so very much!
Hi. Would like to make cake and freeze for one week. How should I wrap cake …fristed or untrusted would work for me.
Thank you!
Hi Nancy! Here’s our guide to freezing cakes.
Such a pretty cake! What type of greenery is it that you used as a garnish?
I love your naked vanilla cake and have made it several times. I am making a small version for Christmas using 6 inch pans. My question is how far should I fill the pans and how long should I bake them?
Hi Jan, Typically you can use just over a cup of batter per 6 inch pan.You can visit our post all about 6 Inch Cakes for our best tips and bake times for using this size pan.