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Heart Shaped Valentine’s Day Cake or Cupcakes Recipe

By Elaine Mellen

Posted on February 7, 2017

I have many go-to cake recipes depending on the occasion, but this Heart Shaped Valentine’s Day cake is one of my favorites! Its simple and heartfelt, the ideal cake to share with family and friends.

The unique design of my Valentine’s Day cake balances size and style into a recipe that’s tender and moist. It’s the perfect cake for birthdays and special occasions, like Valentine’s Day! Yet the recipe is simple enough to use for making everyday cupcakes as well. How great is that!? In this recipe I used King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour Blend, my favorite, which results in a high rising cake that’s both moist and tender.

Valentine’s Day Cake or Cupcakes

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups King Arthur Cake Flour Blend
1 2/3 cups sugar; superfine sugar is best
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
4 large egg whites, plus 1 whole large egg*
1 cup full-fat vanilla yogurt, or 1 cup whole milk*
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups fresh raspberries for decoration

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Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare two 9″ x 2″ heart-shaped pans. Trace the bottom of the pan onto parchment paper, then cut inside your marking. Next, butter the pan. Place the cut parchment inside the cake pan. Butter the parchment, then flour on top. Tap off extra flour.

2. In a stand mixer or a sturdy hand mixer, mix all of the dry ingredients on slow speed to blend. Add the soft butter and mix until evenly crumbly, like fine damp sand. It may form a paste, depending on the temperature of the butter, how much it’s mixed, and granulation of the sugar used.

3. Add the egg whites one at a time, then the whole egg, beating well after each addition to begin building the structure of the cake. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition.

4. In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt (or milk) with the vanilla and almond extracts. Add this mixture, 1/3 of a cup at a time, to the batter. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes after each addition, until fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. A toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center will come out clean when done. Remove from the oven, cool on wire rack for ten minutes, then remove from the pan.

Raspberry Filling

This delightful filling is simple to make and can be made in advance. In fact, I always make it a day ahead and chill it in the refrigerator before using. Yields 1 3/4 cups of filling.

Ingredients:

4 cups raspberries
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons raspberry liquor

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine the raspberries, 3/4 cup of water and the sugar. Bring to boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the raspberries have broken down. Remove the mixture from the heat and strain in a fine-mesh sieve.

2. Return the strained mixture to the heat. In a bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 2 tablespoons of water. Whisk the slurry into the raspberry mixture. Bring the mixture back to a boil and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat, add raspberry liquor and cool completely.

White Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened (no substitutions)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
6 ounces white chocolate, or 6 ounces white baking bar, melted and cooled
3 -5 tablespoons whipping cream, or 3 -5 tablespoons half-and-half

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar at low-speed until fluffy.

2. Add in melted and cooled white chocolate and whipping cream (start with 3 tablespoons and add in more to achieve desired consistency). Beat on high-speed for 3-4 minutes, scraping the bowl with a spatula.

To Assemble the Cake

1. Spread a small dab of frosting in the center of your cake plate to anchor cake, and set down one cake layer. Spread 1/2 cup frosting over first layer.

2. Carefully spread raspberry filling on top, then cover with second cake layer. Spread frosting over top and sides of assembled cake. Decorate with raspberries and sprinkle with powdered sugar.