The best homemade vanilla cake and strawberry frosting – perfect for a party or birthday! The little cakes are made with a biscuit or cookie cutter so they’re easier than they look.
Tell me: what is your ideal birthday food?
For me? I’m all about tradition. I want cake.
And not some fancy, new-age birthday cake. I want vanilla or chocolate – the simpler, the better. A good thick layer of not-too-sweet frosting and maybe some sprinkles for good measure.
Confession: I have always preferred store-bought birthday cake over homemade.
I don’t know what it is.
But I suspect part of the reason is that light, fluffy bakery frosting. There’s just (almost!) nothing like it.
I used to work in a store bakery when I was in high school, and I ate a ridiculous amount of sweets. I could eat the cake frosting straight from a spoon, sans cake.
There’s a time and a place for classic buttercream frosting (in fact I can think of plenty). But it’s just so sweet, that sometimes I want something a little fluffier and a little less sweet.
And then I found Swiss Meringue Buttercream. And my life has never been the same.
I think it’s my favorite frosting. Ever.
But I’m not going to lie – it takes a bit of time. And a bit of equipment. But it’s so totally worth it if you’re going for something extra special, or if you just like your frosting a little on the milder side.
To make the cakes, I baked my favorite cake recipe (adapted slightly from Add a Pinch), but I spread the batter between a large sheet pan and a 9×13” pan. I wanted fairly thin layers, and I think they could even be a little bit thinner. I lined the pans with parchment so I could easily remove them from the pans to cut them.
I baked them ahead of time, so I covered in plastic wrap and stuck the whole pans in the freezer for a couple days. Then I removed them and let them thaw slightly while I made the frosting.
I cut them out with a biscuit cutter (about 2.5” in diameter), and I got about 22 circles, or 11 2-layer mini cakes.
And don’t even worry about the extra cake! I got plenty of scraps, and I used them to make a trifle. I threw them all in a large container and stuck them in the freezer until I was ready to make my trifle. Super easy! Then you have a quick dessert for company when you don’t have a lot of time to bake later on.
To make the frosting, you’ll need a “double boiler”, a thermometer, and an electric mixer (I recommend stand mixer, because it takes a bit of time to whip!). I’ve never owned a real double boiler. You can see my make-shift double boiler above – I take a small pot and a small glass bowl and just make sure the bowl doesn’t sit too low in the pot. You don’t want the bottom of the bowl touching the water in the pot.
It’s going to take a bit of time to come to the right temperature, and it’s going to take some time after that to whip to stiff peaks. Just have patience!
When it’s done, you can just slather it on the little vanilla layer cakes, or grab a piping bag and a simple tip and give it a swirl. I chose not to frost the sides, because (a) it’s less work and (b) it’s so rare that the sides of a cake are so perfect, why not show them off?!
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Pin this recipe to your favorite boardMini Vanilla Layer Cakes with Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Ingredients
Vanilla cake:
- 1 1/2 cups butter softened
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 5 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Strawberry Meringue Buttercream
- 1 1/2 cups diced strawberries
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg whites
- 3 sticks butter 1 ½ cups, room temperature, cubed
- 1/2-1 cup powdered icing sugar optional
Instructions
- Vanilla cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 9×13” pans by spraying with non-stick spray, then line with parchment (the non-stick helps the parchment to stay down), and spray the parchment with non-stick spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs until well combined. Add milk and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix just until combined and smooth.
- Divide between both pans – you want an even, thin layer in both pans.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs (baking time will vary based on pan size, so be sure to check often).
- Cool completely. Then you can either freeze the cakes (as I mentioned above) or cut out your mini cakes with a regular biscuit cutter (about 2.5” diameter).
- Strawberry Meringue Frosting: Puree strawberries in a blender or food processor (I used a Magic Bullet because it gets things the smoothest for me). Set aside.
- In the bottom of your double broiler (see notes and photo above in post if you do not have one), put about ½ – 1” of water (make sure that the bottom of your bowl will not touch the water when it’s boiling). Set on the stove and bring to a boil.
- In the top of your double broiler (your bowl), off the heat, whisk together the sugar and egg whites. Place over your pot of boiling water and reduce heat to medium or medium-low. Continue cooking and whisking until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F and sugar is dissolved (this took a while for me – 10-15 minutes).
- Pour mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer and whip with a whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and mixture is room temperature (about 10 minutes).
- Add butter, one cube at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the pureed strawberries gradually, making sure that they do not dilute your frosting and make it runny (I used the full amount and it was not runny at all – this is just a precaution). Beat until combined (if your frosting begins to look soupy or curdled after adding the butter and strawberries, continue beating 3-5 minutes on medium-high and it will come together! This happens every time I make it).
- If you find that it’s not as sweet as you hoped, add in optional powdered sugar.
- Frost cakes as desired. Store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve.
Nutrition Information
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Stacey @ Bake Eat Repeat says
I definitely need to try this swiss meringue buttercream next time I’m making a cake! I really dislike regular buttercream (I know, I’m crazy) but it’s just way too sweet. This sounds about perfect! Also, those little cakes are adorable!
Ashley says
You definitely need to try it! It is my favorite frosting ever.
Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says
How cute are these?!? I need serious help when it comes to piping icing. Maybe I’ll make these to practice with – who could wait for a special occasion to make them?
Ashley says
Thanks Alyssa! I do love to play with my sugar. Lol
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
They are SO cute! I love how tall they are, and that pink frosting is every little girl’s dream come true 🙂 Love these!
Ashley says
They’re for big girls too! 😉 Thanks Denise!
Christina @ Bake with Christina says
Omg – those cakes are SO utterly adorable!! I love the shape you made and that buttercream – yum!! Pinned 🙂
Ashley says
Thanks Christina!
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
These mini cakes are so so adorable! I am a vanilla cake girl all the way too and SMB is my favorite! I love that you saved the scraps for a trifle 🙂
Ashley says
Swiss Meringue Buttercream changed my life! Lol. Thanks Kelly 🙂
marcie@flavorthemoments says
These are adorable, Ashley, and that frosting sounds divine!
Ashley says
Thanks Marcie!
Dorothy Dunton says
Hi Ashley! These look delightful! I love strawberries and with this cake – OMG! My favorite birthday cake is my own recipe carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Sorry, I have never liked store bought cakes – homemade is so much better!
Ashley says
Thanks Dorothy! I think I’ve finally found a recipe to beat my favorite bakery cake 🙂
TANYA says
I used think baker frosting was the best until I started making my own, now I could never go back! I do love swiss meringue, this looks wonderful!
Ashley says
Thanks Tanya!
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel says
How cute are these!? Little things are the best things. And that frosting sounds so delicious. I agree, I usually like bakery frosting better than homemade… UNLESS the homemade version is done right. This definitely looks like it’s done right!
Ashley says
Thanks Jess!
Shinee says
Oh, how much I love mini layer cakes! And I totally agree with you on Swiss Meringue Buttercream! They are my current favorite. (I never was a huge fan of regular buttercream.) These little cakes are just perfection, Ashley!
Ashley says
Thanks Shinee! It’s just my all-time favorite!
My Kitchen Craze says
Ashley…no, store bought over homemade!! It’s okay though, we can still be friends. 😉 These are stinking adorable! I love how cute they are. They would be perfect for my daughters birthday! 🙂 And never throw away the scraps right? You can always do something with them. Pinned! 🙂
Ashley says
Haha, okay well, store bough over homemade until I found this recipe! 🙂
Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats says
CAKE for the win on a birthday. Preferably with a lot of delicious frosting! Love these little cakes!
Ashley says
Thanks Julie! ALWAYS cake 🙂
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks says
Goodness! These little cakes are absolutely GORGEOUS!
Ashley says
Thanks Rachelle!
Kate @ Diethood says
WOW! So, so, sooooo pretty!!! And, uhm, birthday without a cake? NO WAY! 😀 It’s the one day where I will eat 3 slices without an ounce of guilt!!
Ashley says
Haha, I’m totally with you! Thanks Kate!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
Before I got into baking and realized what I COULD make at home, I totally preferred storebought to homemade, too. This frosting looks insane and totally deliious and these are so cute!
Ashley says
Thanks Medha!
Annie @Maebells says
Store bought cake over homemade?! Oh my!! These beautiful little cakes look a million times better than store bought!
Ashley says
Haha, I’m a weird one! But THIS cake is my new fave 🙂
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
These little cake are so CUTE! Makes me want to throw a little tea party : )
Ashley says
Thanks Natalie!
Heather / girlichef says
These are so beautiful, they sound irresistible, and I love the fact that you’ve turned them into little individual cakes!
Ashley says
Thanks Heather!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Oh these cakes are gorgeous, Ashley! Mini foods always seem to taste better. I love how easy these are for a poppable treat!
Ashley says
Thanks Gayle!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
Ashley, these are the prettiest little mini cakes I’ve ever seen! I adore these!!!!! and LOVE that you saved the scraps for a trifle. LOVE that!
Ashley says
Thanks Alice! No need to waste that delicious cake!
simran says
hi i am 9 and my mom and dad want me to make disert