Description
Delightful lunchbox cake brings nostalgia and comfort to midday meals. Simple ingredients blend effortlessly, creating a portable treat sweet enough to brighten school or work afternoons. You’ll savor each tender crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups (160g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsps heavy cream or milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
- Gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Mixture Preparation: Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, eliminating any potential lumps for a smooth base.
- Butter Creaming: Beat butter and sugar until the mixture transforms into a pale, voluminous cream with a light, airy texture.
- Egg Integration: Add eggs one at a time, ensuring thorough incorporation and maintaining a consistent, silky batter.
- Flavor Infusion: Gently fold in vanilla extract, preserving the delicate mixture’s integrity.
- Batter Composition: Alternately blend dry ingredients and milk, starting and ending with dry components. Mix minimally to prevent toughening the batter.
- Pan Preparation: Pour batter into a greased and parchment-lined 9×13-inch pan, distributing evenly with a spatula for uniform baking.
- Baking Process: Roast in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for roughly 20 minutes, verifying doneness with a clean toothpick test.
- Cooling Stage: Rest the cake completely on a wire rack to stabilize its structure and prevent moisture accumulation.
- Frosting Creation: Whip butter until smooth, establishing a creamy foundation for the buttercream.
- Frosting Development: Gradually integrate powdered sugar at low speed, achieving a luxurious, silk-like consistency.
- Flavor Enhancement: Incorporate heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt, whipping until the frosting becomes light and ethereal.
- Decorative Touches: Optionally divide and tint frosting with food coloring for artistic embellishment.
- Cake Transformation: Extract individual cake layers using a round cookie cutter, preparing for miniature cake construction.
- Layering Technique: Assemble mini cakes by stacking cake rounds with delicate frosting intervals.
- Crumb Sealing: Apply a preliminary crumb coat to capture loose cake particles, then briefly refrigerate to set.
- Final Frosting: Smoothly coat each mini cake, creating a refined, polished exterior.
- Artistic Decoration: Embellish with intricate piped buttercream designs or personalized messages.
- Presentation Preparation: Nestle each mini cake in a parchment-lined takeout box for an elegant display.
- Serving Readiness: Refrigerate for 30 minutes to solidify frosting and maintain structural elegance before serving.
Notes
- Prevent Lumpy Batter: Sift dry ingredients thoroughly to eliminate flour clumps and ensure a smooth, consistent cake texture.
- Control Mixing Technique: Avoid overmixing the batter to maintain a tender crumb; mix just until ingredients are combined to prevent a dense, tough cake.
- Optimize Cooling Process: Let the cake cool completely at room temperature before frosting to prevent buttercream from melting and maintain structural integrity.
- Customize for Dietary Needs: Substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour blend, use plant-based butter and milk alternatives for vegan version, or replace sugar with monk fruit sweetener for low-sugar option.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 364
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 61mg