I’ve been making this bento cake a lot lately. It’s just a tiny, personal-sized cake that feels like a treat without being a whole big deal. I guess it’s a type of lunch box cake. My favorite trick I figured out is to stick the cake layers in the freezer for about 10 minutes before frosting. It makes the icing go on so smooth instead of getting all messy with crumbs. It’s a simple thing, but it helps it look really nice, kind of like those clean-looking japanese cake designs.
The Stuff You Need
For the Vanilla Cake:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Simple Buttercream:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1.5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- A drop of food coloring, if you’re feeling it
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How to Make This Little Cake
Step 1: Get the Batter Ready
First, set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Get a bowl and mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a second smaller bowl, beat the egg with the milk, oil, and vanilla. Pour that into your dry ingredients and just stir it enough so it all comes together. If you stop right when the flour disappears, the cake will be much softer.
Step 2: Bake the Layers
You’ll need two 4-inch cake pans. Grease and flour them so nothing sticks. A trick I use a lot is to just bake the batter on a small baking sheet and use a big round cookie cutter to cut out the layers. Works just as well. Bake them for around 18-22 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean. Let them cool down all the way.
Step 3: Mix the Buttercream
While you wait for the cakes to cool, you can make the frosting. Beat the soft butter with a mixer until it’s smooth. Add the powdered sugar bit by bit, then let the mixer run for a couple of minutes until the frosting is so soft it’s ridiculous. The last thing is to add the milk and vanilla.
Step 4: Put It All Together
Okay, this is the best part. Set one cake layer on some parchment paper and spread some frosting over it. Put the second layer on top. Cover the whole thing with a super thin layer of frosting, which helps seal in the crumbs. I let it chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. Then you can put on the final coat of frosting and write a message or just make it look cute.
Why I’m So Into These Little Cakes
I think I love this bento cake so much because it’s just easy and fun. You’re not spending hours on a massive dessert. It’s just a small, sweet thing you can make anytime you feel like it. It has a way of making a boring afternoon feel a lot better. I hope you try it! If you do, I’d love to hear how it went.
Bento Cake
Make your own adorable and tiny bento cake! This simple recipe guides you through creating a personal-sized dessert with soft vanilla cake and creamy buttercream.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1.5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- a little food coloring if you want
Instructions
- get the oven going to 350. put all the dry cake stuff in a bowl and mix. then mix the wet cake stuff in another cup. pour the wet into the dry. stir it just enough dont beat it up.
- pour the batter into two little 4-inch pans. or just use a regular pan and cut out circles. bake for like 20 minutes. let them get totally cool.
- now the frosting. beat the butter til its creamy. add the sugar a little at a time. then turn the mixer up high so it gets super fluffy. add the milk and vanilla last.
- spread some frosting on the first layer. put the second layer on. do a really thin coat of frosting all over. they call it a crumb coat. stick it in the fridge for like 15 minutes. then you can do the real frosting and make it look nice.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Yield
5Amount Per ServingCalories 520Total Fat 32gSaturated Fat 16gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 107mgSodium 396mgCarbohydrates 88gNet Carbohydrates 87gFiber 1gSugar 71gProtein 5g