Heart shaped birthday cake, a symbol of love and celebration, is the perfect way to say “Happy Birthday!” to someone special. I remember baking my first heart shaped birthday cake for my daughter’s fifth birthday. The look of pure joy on her face was priceless, and that’s what I hope to share with you through this recipe. It’s more than just a cake, it’s a gesture of love, a sweet memory in the making, and a delicious way to celebrate another year. Who isn’t looking for the best heart cake design?
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This heart shaped birthday cake recipe isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about creating a truly delicious and memorable experience. It embodies everything I love about baking: simple ingredients, easy to follow instructions, and a stunning final product. Whether it’s a romantic birthday cake for your sweetheart or a cute birthday cake for a friend, this recipe’s versatility is truly amazing.
Why You Will Love This heart shaped birthday cake Recipe
This heart shaped birthday cake is more than just a pretty dessert; it’s an experience! The moist, tender crumb, combined with the sweet and creamy frosting, makes every bite a delight. It’s surprisingly easy to make, too, so you don’t have to be a professional baker to achieve impressive results.
What makes this recipe extra special is the homemade touch, demonstrating the love and effort you pour into every step. Plus, it’s the perfect canvas for your creative toppings. You can keep it classic, or let your imagination run wild. Ready to bake? I am! It’s a dessert guaranteed to make that special day even sweeter, and I know you’ll love making and sharing it. This is my favorite heart cake recipe.
Ingredients Needed for This heart shaped birthday cake Recipe
For the Cake:
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
How to Make This heart shaped birthday cake Recipe
- 1. Preheat and Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a heart shaped cake pan.
- 2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- 3. Cream Butter and Oil: In a separate bowl, cream together softened butter and vegetable oil until light and fluffy.
- 4. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in milk, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- 5. Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- 6. Add Boiling Water: Carefully pour in boiling water and mix until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin.
- 7. Pour into Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared heart shaped cake pan.
- 8. Bake: Bake for 30 35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- 9. Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- 10. Make Frosting: While the cake is cooling, prepare the vanilla buttercream frosting. In a large bowl, beat softened butter until smooth and creamy.
- 11. Add Sugar and Cream: Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, alternating with heavy cream, until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
- 12. Add Vanilla and Salt: Stir in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
- 13. Frost the Cake: Once the cake has cooled completely, frost it with the vanilla buttercream frosting. I love using a piping bag to give designs to my cakes.
How to Serve This heart shaped birthday cake Recipe
Serving this heart shaped birthday cake is as fun as baking it! Cut a generous slice to show off that beautiful shape. I love to pair it with a scoop of fresh vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. For a festive touch, add fresh berries or a sprinkle of colorful sprinkles.
You can also get creative with your plating, adding a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce, or even edible flowers. Light some candles and serve with a smile, making it a truly special moment. This heart cake pairs beautifully with a glass of sparkling cider or a sweet dessert wine. This is the perfect romantic birthday cake!
How to Store This heart shaped birthday cake Recipe
To store this heart shaped birthday cake, keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil, ensuring it’s well protected from freezer burn. It can be frozen for up to one month.
When ready to enjoy, thaw the cake in the refrigerator overnight. If you’ve frosted the cake, be mindful that the frosting may soften slightly upon thawing. To reheat, simply let the cake sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Tips to Make This heart shaped birthday cake Recipe
- Don’t Overmix: Overmixing the batter can lead to a tough cake. Mix until just combined.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Room temperature butter and eggs will emulsify better, resulting in a smoother batter.
- Sift Your Flour: Sifting the flour helps to avoid lumps and makes for a lighter, fluffier cake.
- Grease and Flour Well: Thoroughly greasing and flouring the cake pan will prevent the cake from sticking.
- Cool Completely: Make sure the cake is completely cool before frosting. Otherwise, the frosting will melt.
- Ingredient Substitutions: For a chocolate heart cake, add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients. You can also replace the vanilla extract with almond extract for a different flavor profile.
Helpful Notes for This heart shaped birthday cake Recipe
For the best results, use high quality ingredients. Use butter that is butter fat 80% or higher. Cake flour will result in a lighter and more delicate crumb, but all purpose flour works well too. Vanilla extract really enhances the flavor of the cake. You can use any type of heart shaped pan. Springform pans are a good choice.
Adding a layer of jam or fruit filling between the cake and frosting can add an extra dimension of flavor. Get creative with your decorations! I use all natural food coloring. Consider adding candies or chocolate shavings for a truly unique birthday treat, especially if you make Cheesecake Deviled Strawberries or Banana Cream Cheesecake That Melts In Your Mouth for the same birthday! It’s a dessert guaranteed to impress.
Variation of This heart shaped birthday cake Recipe
For a chocolate lover, add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients. How about adding some mini chocolate chips to the better before baking? A lemon version is amazing if you add lemon zest and a few tablespoons of lemon juice to the batter. For a cute birthday cake, try adding some sprinkles to the batter before baking to make a funfetti heart cake.
Consider making a red velvet heart cake if you want to get more romantic. To top it off, you can incorporate marzipan cake toppers. For a fall flavor, add pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice to the cake batter. Adding Cinnamon Roll Pancakes can make an amazing dessert array as well!
How do you make a heart shaped cake without a heart pan?
You can make a heart shaped cake by baking two round cakes and one square cake. Cut the round cakes in half and arrange them against the square cake to form the heart shape. Frost to conceal any seams.
What is the best frosting for a heart shaped birthday cake?
The best frosting depends on your preference, but buttercream frosting is a popular choice because it’s easy to work with and tastes great. You can easily tint buttercream to your desired color. Cream cheese frosting can also be an excellent choice.
How do I prevent my heart shaped birthday cake from sticking to the pan?
Grease the pan thoroughly with butter or cooking spray, and then dust it with flour. Another effective method is to use parchment paper to line the bottom and sides of the pan. Ensure that the pan is evenly coated to facilitate easy release.
What are some creative heart cake decoration ideas?
Consider using fresh berries, edible flowers, sprinkles, or chocolate shavings to decorate your heart cake. You can also pipe intricate designs with frosting, or create a drip effect with melted chocolate or ganache. Get creative and personalize it!
Conclusion
I hope you enjoy making this heart shaped birthday cake as much as I do! It’s a simple yet elegant way to show someone you care and celebrate their special day. So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and let the baking begin! I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful treat. If you tried it, let me know how you did! I can’t wait to learn about your heart shaped birthday cake masterpieces.
Heart Shaped Birthday Cake: The Easiest Heart Cake Ever
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
This heart shaped birthday cake is a symbol of love and celebration, perfect for saying “Happy Birthday!” to someone special. Moist cake and creamy vanilla frosting make every bite a delight.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a heart shaped cake pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, cream together softened butter and vegetable oil until light and fluffy.
- Beat in milk, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Carefully pour in boiling water and mix until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared heart shaped cake pan.
- Bake for 30 35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the vanilla buttercream frosting. In a large bowl, beat softened butter until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, alternating with heavy cream, until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Stir in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, frost it with the vanilla buttercream frosting.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 50g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
