Buttery Moist Small Vanilla Cake Recipe (6″ Vegan Cake)

This soft and plush small vanilla cake recipe is based off of my award winning vegan vanilla cake! NO eggs, just one bowl, and one layer with the moist moist & tender crumb!

The easiest one bowl small vanilla cake that you NEED

Ever want a slice of cake but don’t need the 15 or so other slices along with it? This recipe solves that 🙂

Introducing my newest addition to my favorite vegan cakes, the small vanilla cake! Like my small chocolate cake, this cake only measures 6″ in diameter and is just 1 layer, making it super easy for beginner cake bakers and pros alike!

Plus, I based it off of my award-winning vegan vanilla cake (which has been titled the best vanilla cake ever, whether or not you’re vegan because that’s what everyone keeps saying!!). Seriously, it will leave you speechless.

The crumb texture is soft, fluffy, and perfectly tender (you know that beautiful bounce back of the cake when you go in for a bite!). And the flavor? FULL of vanilla and anything but boring. 

You’re going to LOVE this mini cake recipe (and if you’re looking for a mini layer cake, check out my vegan mini cake recipes here!). 

This small vanilla cake is:

• Ultra moist and tender, and buttery sweet- yet there’s no butter!
• Full of sweet yet robust vanilla flavor that’s both light and bold
• SO easy to make- just a whisk and a bowl!
• ​Naturally dairy free, vegan, and no eggs needed!
• Easily gluten free
• Perfect for small gatherings, birthdays, Valentine’s Day or date night, or any small special occasion!
• Easy to transport
• Great for beginners and seasoned bakers alike!

Ingredients:

Here are the key ingredients you need for this AMAZING and unbelievable vegan cake recipe:

• Flour: I used all-purpose flour here- you don’t even need cake flour! And yes there is a gluten free option (actually two!) below 🙂
• Sugar: I used Florida Crystals here- it’s so important to use a high quality sugar, but what I also love about FC is that it’s vegan certified. If you’re looking for a vegan sugar (not all sugar is vegan!), look for organic certified (or vegan certified!). 
• Vegan butter: I love using Miyoko’s unsalted here. You can use regular unsalted butter if you’re not vegan/dairy free. I would not recommend swapping in an oil, like coconut oil, as it won’t yield the same “buttery” flavor.
• Vanilla: Super important in a vanilla cake recipe! Use a high quality vanilla- it’s expensive, I know, but when vanilla is the main flavor, it’s really important. I use Simply Organics vanilla paste and vanilla extract for the most vanilla flavor. 
• Dairy free yogurt: This is our vegan egg replacement! Seriously, you don’t need eggs- the dairy free yogurt does WONDERS.
• Vegan buttermilk: Don’t worry, this is not something you need to buy at the store! Simply combine your favorite dairy free milk, like soy milk, oat milk, or almond milk, with a touch of vinegar.
• Baking powder and baking soda: To help our cake rise.
• Sea salt: To balance out the sweet!
• Cream cheese: For our vegan cream cheese frosting!

Overview: Step by Step Photos for How to make a Small Vegan Vanilla Cake:

How to frost a small cake:

The best part about this vegan small vanilla cake is that since it’s a single layer cake recipe, you don’t need to worry about stack lots of layers!

Also, you won’t need as much frosting.

You can see in my Instagram video, I like to use an ice cream scoop to scoop the frosting onto the cake (once it’s fully cooled!), and create swoops on top.

Then top with you favorite vegan sprinkles! I love using Sweetapolita’s vegan sprinkles, OR Go Supernatural has some fun patterns too (like the ones pictured!). India Tree is also great too.

Frosting options:

Here are some of my favorite vegan frostings for this small cake recipe:

• Vegan cream cheese frosting (what I used here!)
• Classic Vegan Vanilla Buttercream
• Vegan Chocolate Frosting
• Dairy Free Milk Chocolate Buttercream
• Vegan Peanut Butter Buttercream
• Dairy free coconut whipped cream

Tips for baking a super moist vegan cake:

Whisk, don’t cream: I know this is contradictory to cake baking, as many of my vegan cakes call for creaming the sugar with the butter. But seriously, for this cake recipe, you really need to whisk the melted vegan butter with the sugar. It not only creates much more moisture in the cake, but it also helps the cake rise more. This, I believe, is because there’s a lot less of a chance of over-mixing the batter, which can also cause dryness.

Don’t over-mix: Like I just mentioned above, make sure the batter is JUST whisked. The flour needs to just be integrated, so when you don’t see any dry streaks left! Be gently with the whisking too- many cartoons animate a vigorous mixing, and that’s just not needed!

Use full-fat dairy free yogurt: I don’t think a non-fat version exists, but just in case it does, adding fat to your cake will help create a super moist and tender texture in our small vanilla cake recipe. That’s what we want!

Make sure to not over-bake your cake! If you bake your cake past doneness, it will easily dry out! Use a toothpick to determine whether the cake is done or not- a few moist crumbs, and it’s perfect!

How to store small cakes:

If you’ve already frosted the cake, I recommend placing it in a large sealable container to prevent the cake from drying out in the fridge. Alternatively, you can carefully drape some plastic wrap over it once the frosting has set. 

Remove it from the fridge about 10 minutes before serving!

To store leftovers, simply store the slices in an airtight bag or container and in the fridge for up to 5 days OR in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Can I make this into small batch vanilla cupcakes?

Yes! Simply fill 6 cupcake liners with the batter and bake for 25-27 minutes, or until lightly golden at 350F.

Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

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