Small White Cake For One

a small white cake cut in half on a plate.

5 from 5 votes

This small white cake recipe for one is a soft, buttery single serving cake baked from scratch in a 10-ounce ramekin. Made with egg whites for a snow-white crumb, topped with vanilla buttercream.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Cool10

Total Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: birthday cake, single serve white cake, small cake, small vanilla cake, small wedding cake, small white cake, vanilla cake, white cake, white cake for one, white cake frosting

Servings: servings

Author: Joanie Zisk

Equipment

10-ounce ramekin

Ingredients

For the Cake

4 tablespoons salted butter , melted
¼ cup sugar
2 large egg whites
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract - Regular vanilla extract has a slight amber color that can tint the batter. Clear vanilla extract keeps the cake bright white. The flavor is the same with either one.
½ cup self-rising flour
¼ cup heavy cream

For the Frosting

½ cup powdered sugar - sifted
2 tablespoons salted butter - softened to room temperature
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ tablespoon heavy cream
Optional for topping: candied sprinkles

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly butter a 10-ounce ramekin and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, egg whites, and vanilla until smooth.
Add the self-rising flour and stir until just incorporated.
Pour in the heavy cream and mix until the batter is smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared ramekin.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Make the Frosting: In a small bowl, combine the sifted powdered sugar and softened butter. Add the vanilla and cream and stir until smooth and spreadable.
Frost the top of the cake. Add sprinkles if desired. To remove the cake from the ramekin first, run a thin knife along the edges, place a plate on top, and flip.

Notes

Use the right ramekin. A 10-ounce ramekin is the right size for this single serve white cake. Anything smaller and the batter overflows. Anything larger and the cake bakes flat and dries out at the edges.

Measure your flour correctly. Stir the flour in the container first, then spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly from the container packs the flour and adds more than the recipe needs. Too much flour is the fastest way to end up with a dry, dense cake.

Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until the flour disappears and the batter is smooth. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which makes the cake tough and chewy instead of soft.

Bring your egg whites to room temperature.Cold egg whites don't blend into the batter as easily, which can leave streaks and an uneven crumb. Set the eggs out about 15 minutes before you start, then separate the whites when you're ready to mix.

Let the cake cool completely before frosting. If the cake is still warm, the buttercream melts and slides off. Give it at least 20 to 30 minutes on a wire rack.

Note: This recipe uses self-rising flour. To substitute with all-purpose flour, mix ½ cup all-purpose flour with ¾ teaspoon baking powder and a small pinch of salt (less than ⅛ teaspoon). Stir well and use in place of self-rising flour.

If doubling the recipe, bake in either two 10-ounce ramekins or one 5x5-inch baking dish.

Nutrition

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