Description

This delightful heart-shaped cake is a perfect dessert for special occasions like Valentine’s Day or anniversaries. Made with rich cocoa, vibrant red food coloring, and enveloped in creamy, smooth cream cheese frosting, this cake not only looks stunning but tastes heavenly. The layered design with a round and square cake combined into a heart shape adds a charming and festive touch to your celebration.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

2 ½ Cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring

Frosting

1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups powdered sugar

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray one 8-inch round pan and one 8-inch square pan with pan spray, then line them with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper to ensure the cakes release easily after baking.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Add the granulated sugar and salt, then whisk all dry ingredients thoroughly to combine. Set aside.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, white vinegar, vanilla extract, and red food coloring until fully combined.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk until the batter is smooth and free of lumps.
Bake the Cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared round and square pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly pressed.
Cool the Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting: In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the softened cream cheese and unsalted butter together until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine, scraping down the sides if necessary. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until the frosting is fluffy and well incorporated.
Assemble the Heart Shape: Once cooled, cut the round cake in half to create two half circles. Place the square cake on your serving plate and position the two half circles on adjacent sides of the square to form a heart shape.
Apply Crumb Coat: Spread a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake to seal in crumbs. Chill briefly if needed to set the crumb coat.
Final Frosting and Decoration: Cover the cake smoothly with the remaining frosting. Decorate with sprinkles or other decorations as desired.
Chill Before Serving: Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes to set the frosting before slicing and serving.

Notes

Ensure all wet ingredients like eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature to help create a smooth batter.
Be careful not to overmix the batter once the flour is added to avoid a dense cake.
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 ½ cups of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes before using.
For a stronger red color, you can adjust the amount of red food coloring according to your preference.
Make sure to fully cool the cakes before frosting to prevent melting or sliding of frosting layers.
Leftover cake can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
Calories: 420
Sugar: 32g
Sodium: 280mg
Fat: 26g
Saturated Fat: 11g
Unsaturated Fat: 13g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 44g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 65mg