💖 Heart Cake Recipe
This Heart Cake is a charming, tender vanilla or chocolate cake baked in a heart-shaped pan and decorated with creamy buttercream frosting. It's as delightful to look at as it is to eat!
Equipment
- Heart-shaped cake pan (8- or 9-inch)
- Electric mixer or hand whisk
- Mixing bowls
- spatula
- parchment paper
- cooling rack
- Piping bag and tips (optional for decorating)
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ½ cup milk
- Optional Chocolate Variation:
- Replace ¼ cup flour with ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
For the Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 –3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Gel food coloring pink, red, etc., optional
- Sprinkles or heart toppers for decoration optional
Instructions
Preheat & Prep:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour your heart-shaped cake pan or line with parchment paper.
Mix Dry Ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Cream Butter & Sugar:
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
Add Wet Ingredients:
- Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla and sour cream. Beat until combined.
Combine & Mix:
- Add dry ingredients in 2 parts, alternating with milk. Mix until just combined — don’t overmix.
Bake:
- Pour batter into the prepared heart-shaped pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool:
- Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make Frosting:
- Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and cream. Beat on high until fluffy. Add gel food coloring if desired.
Decorate:
- Frost the cooled cake with an offset spatula or pipe with decorative tips. Add sprinkles, piping borders, or heart candies for a festive finish.
Notes
Double the recipe for a layer cake with filling.
Use strawberry jam or whipped cream between layers.
Make mini heart cakes using silicone molds or cutouts.