An adorable and delicious Japanese-style Bento cake.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 1/2cupsall-purpose flour
- 1cupgranulated sugar
- 2tspbaking powder
- 1/2tspsalt
- 1/2cupunsalted butter, softened
- 2piecelarge eggs
- 2tspvanilla extract
- 1/2cupwhole milk
For the buttercream
- 1/2cupunsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2cupspowdered sugar
- 1/2tspvanilla extract
For the filling
- 1/2cupstrawberry or raspberry jam
- 1cupfresh fruit (e.g., strawberries, blueberries)
How to make Bento Cake
Cake
Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C).
Grease and flour three 4-inch (10cm) round cake pans.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Beat butter and eggs together; add vanilla extract.
Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture.
Divide batter evenly among prepared pans.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Buttercream
Beat butter until creamy.
Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
Add vanilla extract.
Assembly
Level cakes using a cake leveler or knife.
Place one cake layer on a serving plate.
Spread a thin layer of buttercream.
Add a layer of jam.
Top with fresh fruit.
Repeat steps 3-5 for the remaining two cake layers.
Frost the outside with buttercream.
Decorations
Decorate with fresh flowers (e.g., cherry blossoms), fresh fruit, and edible decorations (e.g., sprinkles, candies).
Tips & Tricks
Use a scale to ensure accurate measurements.
Don't overmix the batter.
Adjust the amount of jam and buttercream to your taste.
Experiment with different flavors (e.g., matcha, green tea).