Bento Cake Recipe Delight That Will Melt Your Heart

Few desserts make people smile quite like a bento cake. This bento cake recipe brings you a fun and flavorful way to create adorable, single-serving cakes that are perfect for birthdays, sweet gestures, or just treating yourself. With soft sponge layers, creamy buttercream, and endless decorating options, these mini cakes prove that great things really do come in small packages.

Bento Cake Recipe

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• Author: Monica
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 bento cake 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

This adorable mini bento cake recipe features a soft sponge and creamy buttercream frosting—perfect for gifts, celebrations, or a sweet treat for yourself.

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Ingredients

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For the Cake:

• 6 oz self-raising flour
• 6 oz unsalted butter
• 6 oz caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

For the Buttercream:

• 18 oz powdered sugar
• 9 oz salted butter
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2.5 tbsp milk

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a 5-inch cake tin.
2. Mix cake ingredients until smooth.
3. Pour into tin and bake for 45 minutes.
4. Cool completely before slicing.
5. Make buttercream by whipping ingredients until creamy.
6. Assemble layers with buttercream, apply crumb coat, chill.
7. Decorate with colored buttercream and piping.

Notes

• Use gel food coloring for vibrant buttercream. Store chilled for up to 3 days.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Korean-American fusion

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 440 kcal
• Sugar: 38 g
• Sodium: 125 mg
• Fat: 24 g
• Saturated Fat: 14 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 52 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 100 mg

Key Benefits

There’s a reason mini bento cakes are trending—they’re tiny but mighty when it comes to benefits. Here’s why you’ll love them:

• Perfectly Portioned: At just 4 inches, they’re ideal for a personal dessert or small celebration. No need to fuss with slicing or leftovers.
• Ultra Customizable: From chocolate bento cakes to matcha or red velvet, every flavor can shine in mini form.
• Beautiful Presentation: Designed to fit inside small boxes, these cakes invite creativity with piping, gel colors, and cute messages.
• Beginner-Friendly: Bento cakes use basic baking techniques and can be whipped up with tools you likely already have at home.
• Perfect for Gifting: Packaged in paper boxes, they make a heartfelt and handmade gift.

They’re the perfect marriage of fun, flavor, and presentation—whether you lean toward a classic vanilla bento cake or a bold ube twist.

Ingredients for Bento Cake Recipe

Let’s start with pantry staples. You’ll get either one 5-inch cake or two adorable 4-inch rounds from this recipe.

For the Cake:

• 6 oz (170g) self-raising flour
• 6 oz (170g) unsalted butter, softened
• 6 oz (170g) caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

For the Buttercream:

• 18 oz (500g) powdered sugar
• 9 oz (250g) salted butter, softened
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2.5 tbsp milk

Want to add a twist? Use cocoa powder for a chocolate bento cake, or swap vanilla for ube or matcha flavorings.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Bento Cake Recipe

1. Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line a 5-inch round cake tin.

2. Start by tossing the flour, sugar, softened butter, eggs, and a splash of vanilla into a bowl and give it a good mix. Beat until smooth and fluffy—about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

3. Bake the cake: Pour batter into the tin and bake for 40–45 minutes. When a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean, your cake’s ready to cool.

4. Cool completely: Remove the cake from the tin and let it cool on a rack before slicing.

5. To whip up the buttercream, sift the powdered sugar first, then mix in the butter, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Beat on medium speed until light and creamy, around 5 minutes.

6. Assemble: Cut your cake horizontally into two layers. Spread buttercream between them, then coat the outside with a thin layer (crumb coat). Chill briefly.

7. Finish it off with one more layer of buttercream and gently smooth it over for that polished look. Pipe borders or designs with colored frosting for that classic bento cake flair.

Pro Tips and Variations for Bento Cake Recipe

• Switch Up the Flavors: Chocolate, vanilla, matcha, red velvet, and ube are all amazing in bento form.
• Play with Color: Gel food coloring works best for vibrant buttercream without altering the texture.
• Make It Personal: Write messages or draw icons on top using a piping bag and fine nozzle.
• Double Up: Bake a batch of different flavors like a chocolate bento cake and a matcha one to please every palate.
• Try Alternatives: Use whipped cream for a lighter frosting or mascarpone for a tangy twist.

Need decorating inspiration? Our festive food ornaments guide includes creative ideas you can apply to cakes too.

Serving Suggestions for Bento Cake Recipe

These mini cakes are as playful as they are pretty—there’s no wrong way to serve them!

• On-the-Go Treat: Pack one in a box for a special lunch surprise.
• Themed Parties: Customize colors and decorations to match events like baby showers or graduations.
• Sampler Tray: Offer several mini cakes in different flavors—think vanilla, ube, chocolate, and matcha.
• Holiday Gifts: Wrap them in clear boxes with ribbons for thoughtful edible presents.

They also make great additions to dessert buffets or as a sweet send-off at parties.

Conclusion

Bento cakes take everything we love about traditional cakes and shrink it into an adorable, personal-size treat. Whether you’re baking for yourself, a loved one, or a celebration, these cakes are sure to impress. Fun, flavorful, and endlessly customizable, bento cakes are proof that good things really do come in small packages.

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