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This Valentine’s Day cake recipe is simple to make and uses homemade buttercream which takes the flavor to another level!
Our simple heart cake trick creates a heart cake as a base for gorgeous pink raspberry buttercream (my Mom’s Chocolate Buttercream which uses cocoa powder is also divine here). Leave it beautifully right there or decorate with fruit, macarons, meringue cookies, ruby chocolate pieces, chocolate covered Oreos . . . replicate mine or go exploring for your look.
My Valentine’s Day cake recipe is spectacular, yet the ease of it is even more spectacular! You can use this chocolate cake recipe or a chocolate cake mix (or your favorite flavor; red velvet cake is beautiful!) and standard cake pans, 1 square and 1 round 8-inch pan, and divide the cake batter evenly between the pans. Double it up to make two cake layers filled with buttercream or pastry cream/filling, or a combo, or do as I did with one simple frosted layer.
Bake the cakes according to the instructions in a preheated oven, and be sure to cool completely before cutting them for the heart cake.
Making the Raspberry Buttercream
Homemade buttercream is THE key to a great cake of any origin (boxed, purchased, scratch). Very soft butter, confectioner’s sugar, a little milk and a little flavoring, all according to my Raspberry buttercream recipe. And that is all.
Combine by hand in a mixing bowl or use a stand mixer. Just be sure to beat on low speed so you don’t incorporate too much air into the buttercream, causing bubbles and air pockets. We’re looking for smooth and silky.
If you have not yet discovered the delight of flavoring frostings and glazes with freeze-dried fruit powder, the time is now! These are readily available at Whole Foods (my favorite is this pouch of freeze dried raspberries). Just pulverize to a powder in the food processor (love the mini-prep processor for this) or a mortar and pestle. Sift out the seeds.
The benefit of this fruit powder is tons of real fruit flavor and color without the liquid, which doesn’t blend well into buttercream.
Helpful Tips
- For this cake, I like to frost just the top of the cake, not the sides. This allows the chocolate (or any flavor) cake to be visible around the sides.
- Frost the cake using an offset spatula. You can decorate using more of the frosting in a piping bag. There is enough frosting to decorate with it; if not, there may be some frosting leftover. I’m sure you’ll find a great use for it! It freezes very well in an airtight container. Just thaw, stir, and use (or soften in 10-second increments in the microwave).
- To cut the cake, slice across and cut rectangular or square pieces from the row.
- If making ahead, frosting the cake is fine–then refrigerate or freeeze. Hold off decorating the cake until just before serving. The fruit can seep liquid and the macarons will go soft in the icing over time.
- A natural as a Valentine s Day dessert, this heart shaped cake is also beautiful for bridal showers, birthdays, and any other occasion.
More Cake Recipes
Try my warm spice, tender Cardamom cake for an easy cake with a delicious almond topping.
For a showstopper of a cake, look no further than Chocolate Cake with Marshmallow Frosting!
My best-ever, favorite carrot cake is this Olive Oil Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Easy Valentine’s Cake
Ingredients
- 2 8-inch chocolate cakes, one square and one round, baked, removed from the pans, and cooled
- 4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, very soft room temperature
- 1/2 cup freeze-dried raspberries
- 3 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
- 1-2 tablespoons milk, room temperature (any fat percentage)
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- Decorations, such as macarons, a variety of berries, ruby chocolate, nonpereils, meringues
Instructions
- Make a heart cake out of the two 8-inch cakes: On a serving board at least 14 inches square, place the square cake on the diagonal in the center of the platter. Cut the round cake in half. Place the round halves at the top of each side of the square diamond, to form a heart. Get more details in my Heart Cake recipe.
- Pulverize the freeze dried raspberries in a food processor (mini-prep works great), or in a mortar and pestle. Sift and discard the seeds.
- In a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, beat the butter together with the raspberry powder until well-blended, using a mixer or beating by hand. Add the confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, along with the milk and rose water to moisten as you go. Beat until well-blended and smooth enough to spread.
- Frost the top of the cake with the buttercream, leaving about 1/2-inch around the perimeter. To decorate with more frosting, place the rest of the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip, and pipe around the perimeter of the heart (there may be some frosting leftover).
- Same day as serving, decorate the top of the cake following the heart shape wiith macarons, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, halved strawberries, ruby chocolate, nonpereils, meringue cookies.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
