7 Bento Cake Ideas: Trendy Treats You Can Make Easily Recipe
This simple and trendy bento cake recipe offers a charming and customizable treat perfect for personal celebrations or gifting. With a tender vanilla sponge made from basic pantry ingredients and a creamy frosting, this cake can be layered, frosted, and decorated with ease to create delightful mini cakes packed with personality.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (or almond flour for gluten-free)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (or plant-based butter)
- 1 large egg (or 1/4 cup applesauce)
- 1/3 cup milk (almond or oat milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Frosting
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp heavy cream (or plant-based cream)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Food coloring (optional)
- Sprinkles or berries (optional for decoration)
Instructions
- Prepare the Batter: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 4-inch round cake pan with parchment paper or grease it lightly. In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Then add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing well to combine.
- Mix and Bake: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agent. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the milk to maintain a smooth batter consistency. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Cool and Level: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, use a serrated knife or cake leveler to slice the cake horizontally into 2 to 3 even layers for filling.
- Make Frosting and Fill: Beat softened butter until creamy using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract, beating for about 5 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy. Reserve one-third of the frosting for the cake’s outer layer and tint the remaining frosting with food coloring if desired. Spread frosting evenly between each cake layer, then apply a thin crumb coat all over the cake to seal in crumbs. Chill the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
- Decorate: Apply the final layer of frosting smoothly over the crumb coat. Use piping bags fitted with your preferred tips and edible markers to add creative designs, personalize with names or messages, and embellish the bento cake with sprinkles, berries, or other decorations as you like. Chill briefly before serving.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with almond flour.
- Plant-based butter and milk alternatives can be used to make this recipe dairy-free.
- Applesauce can be used instead of eggs for a vegan-friendly option.
- Ensure the cake is fully cooled before slicing and frosting to prevent tearing.
- Chilling the cake after crumb coating helps achieve a clean final frosting layer.
- Customize colors and decorations to match any celebration or theme.
Keywords: bento cake, mini cake, layered cake, vanilla cake, easy frosting, personalized cake, trending dessert
