Why not make a 6-inch cake?
There are many reasons you might not want an 8-inch or 9-inch cake. You may want a smash cake for your baby's first birthday, or maybe you have a small group of friends. Or perhaps you want something different and not have too many leftovers. There are many reasons to make this cake.What you'll need
Let's talk ingredients. Let's start with the cake, then move on to the buttercream.The Chocolate Cake
- All-Purpose Flour: Cake flour is also possible.
- Sugar
- Cocoa Powder: Natural, unsweetened
- Baking soda: not baking powder. They cannot be interchanged.
- Salt - For flavor. It would help if you used it.
- Egg
- Milk: I use 2 %.
- Vegetable Oil
- Vanilla Extract
- Hot water: To "bloom" the cocoa powder.
The Chocolate Buttercream
- Butter: Bring to room temperature.
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Cocoa Powder
- Cream: Or Water.
Bake the Layers
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- Prepare for Baking: Grease three 6-inch cake pans. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Combine dry ingredients: Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- Add egg, milk, and oil: Add egg, milk, and vegetable oils to dry ingredients, stirring well.
- Mix Vanilla and Water: Add the vanilla to the boiling water. Then, add the mixture to the batter. Combine well.
- Bake the batter: Divide the batter equally between the pans. Bake the layers for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean.
- Let Cool: Leave your cake layers in the oven for approximately 3-5 minutes. Then transfer them to wire racks and let cool completely.
The frosting is a must.
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- Make the buttercream after the layers of the cake is cooled. Mix the butter in a large bowl. Beat it until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar to the mixture and mix it until smooth.
- Add Vanilla Cocoa & cream: Mix the vanilla extract, cocoa powder, and 2 tablespoons of cream (or water). Blend until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar to the mixture and blend until smooth.
- Adjust consistency: Use additional cream or water if necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
Make the cake
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- Layer Cake Layers: Use large, serrated knives to remove domes from the tops of cakes. Although these cakes don't have large domes, I prefer to ensure they are perfectly level before I stack them.
- Frost First Layer Transfer the first cake layer onto a plate or round of cardboard. Sprinkle about half a cup of frosting on top.
- Add another Layer: Add a second layer to the cake and another half-cup of frosting.
- Frosting and Layering: Add the final layer to the cake and frost the top and outside. If you need help, refer to my tutorial on frosting smooth cakes.
- Decorate: If you like, sprinkle chocolate sprinkles on the sides of your cake. A shell border should be pounded along the top and bottom edges. This was done with Ateco tip 847.
- Serve Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Success Tips
These tips and tricks will help you make this delicious cake at home.-
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- Please make sure the water is hot. It won't heat the batter and make the cocoa powder bloom. The hotter the water, the better. It is usually heated in the microwave until it boils.
- Make Multiple Layers If You Need: If it is difficult to fit all the layers of your cake on the middle rack of your oven, bake them separately. If the cakes are on top or bottom racks, they will cook quicker.
- Adjust the Frosting Consistency: If your frosting is too thick, you may need to add more cream or water. Add a little at a time until the consistency is right.
- Keep the cake in an airtight container if you are not serving it immediately: I prefer to keep mine in a cake carrier to avoid a frosting mess.
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