Mini Layer Cakes Recipe

When it comes to dessert, a nice big slice of cake is always sure to curb a craving. Of course, cupcakes are sure to do the trick as well, with the perfect ratio of cake to frosting. But if you're looking for a dessert that will surprise and delight — whether you're serving it to guests or your family — these mini layer cakes are the perfect solution. These adorable desserts are made entirely from scratch. The recipe starts with a simple almond cake, which is then layered with almond buttercream frosting. Each mini layer cake is stacked with two circles of cake, making for a fun cake-meets-cupcake treat.

These mini layer cakes come to us from recipe developer Molly Allen, and she notes that you can get creative with how you make them. You can choose to utilize almond extract to flavor your cake, or swap it out for classic vanilla. Another option? Switch out the flavor of frosting to customize them even further. Top your mini layer cakes with plenty of rainbow sprinkles for a pop of color, or opt for fresh flowers, fruit, or even a chocolate drizzle. The possibilities are endless!

Ready to dive in on making these adorable little cakes? First up, grab all of your ingredients to make the process that much smoother. For this recipe, you'll need white sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, three eggs, oil, milk, and pure almond extract. To make the frosting, you'll also need one stick of butter and powdered sugar. Of course, you can choose to use your favorite sprinkles to dress up the mini cakes as well!

With the ingredients ready, it's time to get to baking. Start by preheating the oven to 350 F. Grab a mixing bowl and add in all of the dry ingredients. Add in the white sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients until combined and smooth. Be sure the mixture is free of any large clumps before moving on.

Once the dry ingredients are ready, you can finish the batter with the wet ingredients. First, mix in the eggs. Next up, mix in the oil, and then mix in 1 cup of milk. Lastly, mix in 1 teaspoon of almond extract. Be sure all of the ingredients are combined, but don't overmix the batter. Overmixing the batter can result in a dense cake texture, and we want to keep this little cakes nice and light!

Now that your cake batter is ready, it's time to bake. Prepare a 9x13-inch cake pan. Grease it with cooking spray and place a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of the pan to prevent the cake from sticking. Pour all of the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with rainbow sprinkles, if desired. Put the cake pan in the oven and bake the cake for 18 to 20 minutes. Once the cake is light golden brown and the top is fully set, remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool.

While the cake is cooling, use that time to make the frosting. First, put the butter in a mixing bowl and cream it with a hand mixer until fluffy. Next, mix in 2 cups of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk. Continue mixing while you add in the remaining almond extract. Continue to gradually mix in the remaining powdered sugar until the frosting comes together. Once it does, turn the speed up on your mixer to whip the frosting until fluffy.

With the cake fully cooled and the frosting made, you're just about ready for assembly. First, remove the cake from the cake pan, transfer it to a baking sheet, and place it in the freezer. Leaving it in the freezer for 10 minutes will make cutting it easier. Use a circular cookie cutter to punch circles out of the cake. Pipe frosting onto one of the cake circles, top it with another layer, and finish the top off with more frosting. Repeat this step until you run out of cake. Decorate the mini cakes with your favorite sprinkles, fresh fruit or even a chocolate drizzle, if desired. And voila! Just like that, you have adorable mini layer cakes — perfect for serving at a birthday party or for switching things up from traditional cupcakes!